See Figure 1 for the general design of a racetrack procedure. The inbound track normally becomes the intermediate or final segment of the procedure.” (PANS-OPS Volume II, Part 1, Section 4, Paragraph 3.4.2). “The racetrack procedure has the same shape as a holding pattern but with different operating speeds and outbound timing. This is very similar to how a “hold-in-lieu of” procedure turn is used in the U.S. Racetrack procedures may also be specified as an alternative to reversal procedures to increase operational flexibility.” (PANS-OPS Volume II, Part 1, Section 4, Paragraph 3.4.1). The term racetrack procedure refers to procedures used where “sufficient distance is not available in a straight segment to accommodate the required loss of altitude and when entry into a reversal procedure is not practical. This article will discuss and define racetrack procedures, as well as provide a better understanding of the coding challenge faced by Jeppesen. Now, Jeppesen has removed the coding completely, concluding no other solution can be identified. However, it was discovered that unsafe maneuvers could arise because of this coding if the racetrack procedure was entered at certain angles. Those codes were Jeppesen’s attempt to emulate the racetrack procedure using defined ARINC 424 “path-terminator” codes (explained later in this article). Until now, pilots could expect to find charted racetrack patterns in the FMS database, as procedures coded for coupled entry.

Jeppesen has recently changed charted racetrack procedures.

Icao pans ops holding speeds