What must be accomplished prior to executing a hold above Flight Level 310?

• A. Deselect 1/2 Bank on the Flight Control Panel (FCP) PRIOR to Executing the Hold in the FMS. DO NOT hold with 1/2 BNK engaged.
• B. Engage 1/2 Bank on the FCP.
• C. Set autopilot to HOLD.
• D. Do nothing.

Answer: (A)

When you’re preparing to enter a hold in the FMS, you need the autopilot to use normal bank authority to get the aircraft turning at the standard rate and to intercept the hold path accurately. The 1/2 Bank switch on the Flight Control Panel limits bank angle to about 15 degrees, which greatly reduces the turn rate. At higher cruise altitudes like FL310, a reduced turn rate can prevent the aircraft from properly capturing the inbound leg and following the hold geometry, leading to a sluggish or mis-tracked entry. Deselecting 1/2 Bank allows the autopilot to command the full bank angle and execute the standard-rate turn necessary to establish the hold cleanly. Simply putting the autopilot in HOLD won’t guarantee a proper entry if the bank is capped by 1/2 Bank, and doing nothing won’t set up the hold at all.