Narrative:

We were about 40-45 mins into the flight when the controller cleared us to tyi VOR; well off of our flight plan; and gave holding instructions. The hold was to the southwest of tyi on the 249 degree radial. We were flying with both honeywell FMS's in the 'track up' mode. By the time we got to tyi and set up the holding pattern in the FMS; we were well past the VOR. The controller told us to fly a southwest heading until we were southwest of the VOR; then enter holding. The FMS simply could not figure the problem out. After several 'near errors;' I abandoned the FMS and flew the pattern manually with raw data. A combination of very high winds; a 'clunky' FMS -- I have flown vastly superior honeywell FMS's on the B757/767/777 and MD11 -- and 'off the wall' holding instructions; late in the game; resulted in a less than precise holding pattern.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: H25 CAPT QUESTIONS FMS CAPABILITY REGARDING UNPUBLISHED HOLDING PATTERN ENTRY.

Narrative: WE WERE ABOUT 40-45 MINS INTO THE FLT WHEN THE CTLR CLRED US TO TYI VOR; WELL OFF OF OUR FLT PLAN; AND GAVE HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS. THE HOLD WAS TO THE SW OF TYI ON THE 249 DEG RADIAL. WE WERE FLYING WITH BOTH HONEYWELL FMS'S IN THE 'TRACK UP' MODE. BY THE TIME WE GOT TO TYI AND SET UP THE HOLDING PATTERN IN THE FMS; WE WERE WELL PAST THE VOR. THE CTLR TOLD US TO FLY A SW HDG UNTIL WE WERE SW OF THE VOR; THEN ENTER HOLDING. THE FMS SIMPLY COULD NOT FIGURE THE PROB OUT. AFTER SEVERAL 'NEAR ERRORS;' I ABANDONED THE FMS AND FLEW THE PATTERN MANUALLY WITH RAW DATA. A COMBINATION OF VERY HIGH WINDS; A 'CLUNKY' FMS -- I HAVE FLOWN VASTLY SUPERIOR HONEYWELL FMS'S ON THE B757/767/777 AND MD11 -- AND 'OFF THE WALL' HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS; LATE IN THE GAME; RESULTED IN A LESS THAN PRECISE HOLDING PATTERN.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.