Size of holding patterns

[bailey_uk]

Noticed a fair few screenshots of holding patterns recently due to the bad weather, interesting stuff.

Just wondering what sort of size these things are?

I.e how long abd wide is the shape created, roughly?

[Keith L]

It would depend on the groundspeed of the aircraft and the pattern of the hold.  The usual hold is a rate one right hand turn (180 degrees in 1 minute) from the fix then a 1 minute outbound leg, another rate one turn and a 1 minute inbound leg back to the fix.  This produces the classic 4 minute racetrack pattern hold.  At 250 knots in still air the legs would be just over 4nm.  However you will see variations on this theme...