C500 pilot expressed frustration with ATC holding instructions in ZMA airspace.

Attributes
ACN	579367
Time
Date	200304
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
State Reference	FL
Altitude	msl bound lower : 7000 msl bound upper : 11000
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	artcc : zma.artcc
Operator	general aviation : corporate
Make Model Name	Citation V
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 91
Flight Phase	descent : intermediate altitude
Flight Plan	IFR
Person 1
Affiliation	company : corporate
Function	flight crew : captain oversight : pic
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : cfi pilot : multi engine
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 150 flight time total : 4000 flight time type : 500
ASRS Report	579367
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : radar
Events
Anomaly	other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	none taken : anomaly accepted
Consequence	faa : reviewed incident with flight crew
Supplementary
Problem Areas	ATC Human Performance
Primary Problem	ATC Human Performance

Narrative:

ZMA low sector controller issued instructions and hold over the vrb VOR as published, as we were nearing the vrb VOR. I could not find a published hold on the low altitude chart nor on the approach plates for vrb, which was our filed route. At vrb, I asked ZMA if he knew where this holding pattern was published. He said it was on the high charts and on the stars to other airports, which we were not using. There was no etc issued. Fortunately, this was in VMC. It was very poor control.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: C500 PLT EXPRESSED FRUSTRATION WITH ATC HOLDING INSTRUCTIONS IN ZMA AIRSPACE.

Narrative: ZMA LOW SECTOR CTLR ISSUED INSTRUCTIONS AND HOLD OVER THE VRB VOR AS PUBLISHED, AS WE WERE NEARING THE VRB VOR. I COULD NOT FIND A PUBLISHED HOLD ON THE LOW ALT CHART NOR ON THE APCH PLATES FOR VRB, WHICH WAS OUR FILED ROUTE. AT VRB, I ASKED ZMA IF HE KNEW WHERE THIS HOLDING PATTERN WAS PUBLISHED. HE SAID IT WAS ON THE HIGH CHARTS AND ON THE STARS TO OTHER ARPTS, WHICH WE WERE NOT USING. THERE WAS NO ETC ISSUED. FORTUNATELY, THIS WAS IN VMC. IT WAS VERY POOR CTL.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 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.