At what altitude does the holding leg length transition from 1 minute to 1.5 minutes?

• A. 10,000 ft
• B. 12,000 ft
• C. 14,000 ft
• D. 16,000 ft

Answer: (C)

Altitude affects how long you fly the outbound leg in a standard hold. At or below 14,000 feet MSL, the standard outbound leg is one minute. Above 14,000 feet MSL, it increases to 1.5 minutes. The transition happens at 14,000 ft because true airspeed (and thus groundspeed) tends to be higher at greater altitudes, so a longer outbound leg helps keep the hold’s distance and timing consistent with the standard turn and ensures proper spacing when you re-intercept the inbound leg.