Definition
A charted holding pattern flown in place of a standard procedure turn or course reversal on an instrument approach, used to align the aircraft with the final approach course and allow descent to the next published altitude. The pattern is depicted on the approach chart and must be flown as charted unless ATC specifically authorizes the straight-in approach.
Plain English
Instead of flying a standard turn-around maneuver to line up with the runway, the pilot flies one lap of a published holding pattern to get onto the final approach course at the correct altitude.
Context Anchor
Seen on instrument approach charts, usually near a named point where the aircraft must reverse course before continuing inbound on the approach.
Derivation
In lieu of' is a French-derived phrase meaning 'in place of.' So the term literally means 'a hold used in place of a procedure turn.' Knowing this makes the function obvious: it substitutes for the older course-reversal maneuver.
Why Pilots Care
It gives a standardized, predictable way to reverse course and lose altitude without the larger airspace or higher workload sometimes required by a full procedure turn.
Grounding Statement
Picture reaching a charted point, flying a racetrack-shaped path to turn around, and returning toward the runway lined up on the correct course.
Intuition Check
Do not read “hold” here as simply waiting in the air. In this term, the hold pattern is the approved course-reversal maneuver that takes the place of a procedure turn.
Example Sentence 1
After crossing the initial approach fix, the pilot flew one turn in the hold-in-lieu of procedure turn to descend and align with the final approach course.
Example Sentence 2
Because the approach chart showed a hold-in-lieu of procedure turn instead of a barbed procedure turn, the crew flew one full lap in the hold before turning inbound.