"Steven P. McNicoll" wrote in message
link.net...

"Roy Smith" wrote in message
...

It has always struck me odd that a standard landing pattern is left
turns and a standard hold is right turns. Having a left patterns for
landing makes a bit of sense, since the pilot is on the left side of the
cockpit and has a better view of the runway making left turns.

But, for IFR holds, there doesn't seem to be any advantage to one way or
the other. Why did they pick right turns to be standard?


I've wondered that myself. I've got a pretty good collection of old
training and procedures manuals that go back to the thirties but I've
never
found a definite answer.

Is there any indication as to which was standardized first--the
holding-pattern direction or the traffic pattern direction?

--Gary