Uploaded November 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Black Friday is Here! Save 20% through Monday. flight-insight.com/courses
A teardrop entry is often the most misunderstood and least practiced of the three hold entries — so today we’re flying a real one on an actual instrument approach.
In this video, we’re shooting the VOR RWY 8 approach into Pendleton, Oregon, overflying the PDT VOR (which doubles as the FAF) and riding the 079° inbound course to the missed approach point at 3.6 DME. After executing the climbing left turn to 4000 feet, we head direct back to the VOR — and that’s where the hold entry comes in.
You’ll learn how to:
Identify the appropriate entry before you fly it
Visualize hold geometry using the DG/HSI
Correct common mistakes about inbound vs. radial courses
Choose the proper teardrop offset (and why wind can make or break it)
Fly the timing, the outbound leg, and the intercept back inbound
See how even a “by-the-book” 30° offset can still overshoot in a crosswind
We’ll walk through the visualization step by step, showing why the teardrop entry is the correct choice from our arrival angle — and how to manage the turn, timing, OBS twisting, and wind correction once established.
If you’re training for your instrument rating or sharpening rust-breaking IFR skills, this is a perfect real-world example of why teardrops can be tricky and how to nail them with confidence.
Black Friday is Here! Save 20% through Monday. flight-insight.com/courses
A teardrop entry is often the most misunderstood and least practiced of the three hold entries — so today we’re flying a real one on an actual instrument approach.
In this video, we’re shooting the VOR RWY 8 approach into Pendleton, Oregon, overflying the PDT VOR (which doubles as the FAF) and riding the 079° inbound course to the missed approach point at 3.6 DME. After executing the climbing left turn to 4000 feet, we head direct back to the VOR — and that’s where the hold entry comes in.
You’ll learn how to:
Identify the appropriate entry before you fly it
Visualize hold geometry using the DG/HSI
Correct common mistakes about inbound vs. radial courses
Choose the proper teardrop offset (and why wind can make or break it)
Fly the timing, the outbound leg, and the intercept back inbound
See how even a “by-the-book” 30° offset can still overshoot in a crosswind
We’ll walk through the visualization step by step, showing why the teardrop entry is the correct choice from our arrival angle — and how to manage the turn, timing, OBS twisting, and wind correction once established.
If you’re training for your instrument rating or sharpening rust-breaking IFR skills, this is a perfect real-world example of why teardrops can be tricky and how to nail them with confidence.
