Definition
The three FAA-prescribed methods for entering a holding pattern from the inbound course to the holding fix: direct entry, parallel entry, and teardrop entry. The correct method is determined by the aircraft's heading relative to the holding course as it crosses the fix, using the published 70°/110° sector boundaries on the holding side.
Plain English
The three accepted ways to fly into a holding pattern. Which one you use depends on the direction you are coming from when you reach the holding fix.
Context Anchor
Seen in instrument flying when a pilot is cleared to hold at a fix and must decide how to enter the holding pattern.
Why Pilots Care
Correct entry keeps the aircraft within protected airspace, maintains separation from other traffic, and prevents unnecessary maneuvering.
Grounding Statement
Picture arriving at the holding fix from any direction; the entry procedure is the planned first move that gets you into the racetrack-shaped holding path.
Intuition Check
Do not read “standard” here as “the only legal way.” These are recognized entry methods used to make the hold entry predictable, but the pilot still must fly a safe entry that stays in the proper holding area.
Example Sentence 1
After receiving the holding clearance, she reviewed the standard entry procedures and determined a teardrop entry was appropriate for her inbound heading.
Example Sentence 2
For a parallel entry, one of the standard entry procedures, the aircraft flew outbound on the holding course for one minute before turning back to intercept the inbound leg.