Definition
The published upper airspeed limits an aircraft must not exceed while flying a holding pattern in controlled airspace. In the United States, the standard limits are 200 KIAS at or below 6,000 feet MSL, 230 KIAS from 6,001 to 14,000 feet MSL, and 265 KIAS above 14,000 feet MSL. Specific holding patterns may be charted with lower limits, and certain categories of operations (such as USAF and USN airfields, or specific holds in mountainous terrain) use different values.
Plain English
These are the speed caps a pilot has to stay under while flying in a holding pattern. The cap depends on how high you are: slower lower down, faster higher up.
Context Anchor
Seen when learning or flying instrument holding procedures, especially before choosing a holding entry or setting up the airplane for the hold.
Derivation
Maximum comes from the Latin word maximus, meaning greatest. Holding comes from the idea of staying or remaining in one place. Together, the phrase points to the greatest speed allowed while remaining in a holding pattern.
Why Pilots Care
These limits keep the aircraft inside the protected airspace and maintain separation from other traffic.
Grounding Statement
In a hold, speed affects how wide the airplane turns and how much space the pattern takes up.
Intuition Check
Maximum does not mean recommended speed here; it means do not exceed this speed in the hold. Holding does not mean stopping in the air; it means flying a repeated waiting pattern.
Example Sentence 1
Level at 8,000 feet, the crew slowed to 220 knots indicated to stay within the maximum holding airspeed for that altitude.
Example Sentence 2
At FL 200 the crew used 265 knots as the maximum holding airspeed while waiting for approach clearance.