Asking an R22 to hover with one onboard shouldn't be a problem. However, if this event happened in the last few weeks, there's not been much wind around - so a lowtimer would be a little more tense.
To most rotary pilots a hold is a hold. If we're in a tight spot we have to hover - if we have space we can keep airspeed. If we have headwind, we already have some forward airspeed.
In reality, a hold on the perimeters of LHR is a hover - but there has to an element of predicting when to move. As AlanM says, they need you at LHR to be ready to cross - and that means airspeed in advance. So (believe it or not) we look up finals for the approaching traffic and take a guess which gap we'll be given - and then start a slow move. If the clearance doesn't come at the obvious time, we go back to a hover or turn.
Trouble is - that's when sod's law kicks in and you get a clearance.
'course it could be they're playing a game with us......
