At what distance above which aircraft in port holding must descend outside of 10 NM?

• A. 5 NM
• B. 12 NM
• C. 7 NM
• D. 10 NM

Answer: (C)

In port holding, descent from the holding altitude follows a fixed step-down point to keep sequence and energy management predictable for inbound aircraft. The standard point to begin descending is seven nautical miles from the ship. Starting descent at this distance gives enough lead time to complete the descent and transition to the inbound leg while maintaining proper spacing from other traffic and staying aligned with the carrier’s approach flow. Descent points at five, ten, or twelve nautical miles don’t align with the established timing and spacing needs of the harbor hold, so seven nautical miles is the correct point.