Nonstandard holding patterns use which turns?

• A. Nonstandard patterns use left turns
• B. Nonstandard patterns use right turns
• C. Nonstandard patterns use alternating turns
• D. Nonstandard patterns use none of the above

Answer: (A)

Nonstandard holding patterns use left turns. In instrument flight holds, the default setup is right-hand turns (a clockwise racetrack). When a nonstandard pattern is required, the turns are reversed, so you fly a counterclockwise pattern with left turns on each leg. This change simply describes the direction of the turns, not the inbound course or timing, which stay governed by standard hold procedures. The other options don’t fit because standard holds use right turns, and alternating turns isn’t how a holding pattern is defined.