Definition
In a holding pattern, the adjustments a pilot makes to the timing of the inbound or outbound leg to compensate for wind, so that the inbound leg flown toward the holding fix takes the standard one minute (or one and a half minutes above 14,000 feet MSL).
Plain English
Small changes a pilot makes to how long they fly each side of a holding pattern, so that the leg toward the fix still takes the correct amount of time even when wind is pushing the airplane around.
Context Anchor
Seen when adjusting a standard holding pattern for wind, especially when setting the outbound leg time so the inbound leg comes out correctly.
Derivation
Time comes from an old word meaning a measured period. Allowance comes from words meaning something assigned or set aside. In this use, a pilot is assigning a little more or less time to a leg of the hold to make the pattern work in the wind.
Why Pilots Care
Keeps the aircraft inside protected airspace and on the correct timing for approach sequencing and traffic separation.
Grounding Statement
If wind makes the airplane cover more or less ground during a timed leg, the pilot adjusts the clock time to keep the holding pattern in the right place.
Intuition Check
Do not read time allowances as extra time given for convenience. In holding, they are deliberate timing corrections made because wind changes the airplane’s movement over the ground.
Example Sentence 1
With a strong tailwind on the outbound leg, the pilot made time allowances by shortening the outbound leg so the inbound leg back to the fix would still take one minute.
Example Sentence 2
With a crosswind, the pilot used time allowances to prevent the holding pattern from drifting outside protected airspace.