holding patterns
Circling before landing
A holding pattern is a flight path an aircraft follows while awaiting clearance to land, typically a racetrack-shaped loop that keeps the plane safely circling near an airport.
The figurative sense dominates everyday use: any state of suspended activity while waiting for something to change.
The project is in a holding pattern until we get budget approval.
My career has been in a holding pattern for years.
Moving around a center
- runwayPaved path for planes
- airspaceRegulated overhead flight zone
- descentDownward slope or lineage
- approachWay of handling something
clearance · altitude · flight · stack · orbit · traffic · tower · cockpit
Enforced waiting period
- queueOrdered waiting line
- anticipationState of awaiting something
- suspenseAnxious uncertainty about outcomes
- standbyReady substitute awaiting use
interim · pause · hiatus · abeyance · postponement · deferral · pending · uncertainty
Act of redoing
- cycleRepeating sequence of events
- loopCurve closing on itself
- habitSettled regular tendency
- ritualCeremonial set of actions
monotony · recurrence · rut · same old · autopilot · predictability · steadiness · regularity
State of uncertain waiting
- standstillTotal cessation of movement
- gridlockComplete mutual obstruction
- impasseSituation without resolution
- stalemateMutual obstruction preventing progress
deadlock · plateau · rut · doldrums · inertia · stasis · paralysis · morass
Strategically planned
- deliberateConsciously chosen, not accidental
- positioningArranging in specific locations
- calculatedFigured out mathematically
- maneuverDeliberate tactical movement
biding time · patience · timing · chess · restraint · cautious · defensive · opportunistic
circling
Moving around a center
approach · clearance · altitude · flight · stack · orbit · traffic · tower · cockpit · pilot
delay
Enforced waiting period
- queueOrdered waiting line
- anticipationState of awaiting something
- suspenseAnxious uncertainty about outcomes
standby · interim · pause · hiatus · abeyance · postponement · deferral · pending · uncertainty · patience
repetition
Act of redoing
ritual · monotony · recurrence · rut · same old · autopilot · predictability · steadiness · regularity · going through motions
limbo
State of uncertain waiting
- standstillTotal cessation of movement
- gridlockComplete mutual obstruction
- impasseSituation without resolution
stalemate · deadlock · plateau · rut · doldrums · inertia · stasis · paralysis · morass · quagmire
tactical
Strategically planned
- deliberateConsciously chosen, not accidental
- positioningArranging in specific locations
- calculatedFigured out mathematically
maneuver · biding time · patience · timing · chess · restraint · cautious · defensive · opportunistic · measured
- aviationaircraft, airports, flying, flight, airplane
- Air Trafficair traffic control, ATC, controller, radar contact, radar tracking
- Aviation Standardsairworthiness, annexes, air traffic control, flight operations, aircraft maintenance
- Instrument FlyingIFR, flight instruments, altimeter, attitude indicator, approach
- Instrument TrainingIFR, flight simulator, radio navigation, GPS navigation, ground school
- pilotingtakeoff, landing, climbing, cruising, descending
holding patternsfinal approaches
Terminal descent paths
landing · touchdown · arrival · descent · breakthrough
holding patternsdecisive action
Firm choice, promptly executed
commitment · resolution · engagement · execution · follow-through
holding patternsflight path
Planned aerial trajectory
glide slope · beelines · flight paths · charted course · glide paths
pattern, holder, holding, uphold, withhold, holds, holdings, withholding, beholder