SESKStuff Everyone Should Know
SESK: Stuff Everyone Should Know · sesk.info/ifr-hold-leg-time

At or below 14,000 feet MSL, what is the standard inbound leg time in a hold?

1 minute.

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  1. 2 minutes
  2. 1 minute ✔
  3. 30 seconds

Why: The AIM sets the inbound leg at 1 minute at or below 14,000 feet MSL. Above 14,000 feet MSL, the inbound leg is 1 1/2 minutes.

Huh, didn't know that: The initial outbound leg is flown for 1 minute or 1 1/2 minutes, as appropriate to altitude, then adjusted for wind.

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References

Answer: 1 minute. The AIM sets the inbound leg at 1 minute at or below 14,000 feet MSL. Above 14,000 feet MSL, the inbound leg is 1 1/2 minutes.

  1. AIM 5-3 En Route Procedures www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/atpubs/aim_html/chap5_section_3.html
    At or below 14,000 feet MSL: 1 minute.
    Checked 2026-10-10.

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