A320 FLT CREW IS DIRECTED TO HOLD AT FL360. DUE TO ACFT PERFORMANCE LIMITS; HOLDING PATTERN IS WIDE AND LONG. ATC QUERIES FLT CREW REGARDING PATTERN.

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WE WERE ISSUED HOLDING OVER FAK VOR ON THE 038 DEG INBOUND; 10 MI LEGS. DUE TO OUR ALT OF ABOVE FL300; THE A320 WILL ONLY USE ABOUT 10 DEGS BANK IN THE TURN ABOVE THIS ALT. WE WERE HOLDING AT FL360. THE ONLY WAY TO OVERRIDE THIS IS TO DISCONNECT THE AUTOPLT AND HAND FLY WHICH IS NOT IN THE SOP'S FOR OUR COMPANY. THE WINDS WERE 295 DEGS AT 150 KTS; SO THE FMS COMPUTED A WIDE HOLDING PATTERN TO COMPENSATE FOR THE HIGH GS AND LOW BANK. HOLD APPROX 25 MI WIDE. ATC QUERIED US ABOUT OUR POS AND WHEN WE REPLIED ABOUT THE WINDS BEING 295 DEGS; 150 KTS; WE WERE GIVEN VECTORS. THE ONLY WAY THIS CAN BE PREVENTED IN THE FUTURE; I THINK; IS EITHER BY HOLDING AT ALTS BELOW FL300 IN THE A320; OR CHANGING THE SOP'S AT XXX TO ADDRESS THIS TYPE OF PROB WITH HOLDING AT HIGH ALTS IN EXTREME XWINDS; OR BY TEACHING ATC PERSONNEL THAT THIS TYPE OF ACFT WILL FLY A WIDE PATTERN TO COMPENSATE FOR THE HIGH GND SPD ON THE DOWNWARD LEG; WE WERE HOLDING AT MACH .74 OR APPROX 220 KIAS. BUT HAD A GND SPD OF 370 KTS ON THE TURN TO INBOUND LEG.