Originally Posted by
jedinein
Of course, when in actual IMC with a partial panel, someone had better be actively dying in order for me to accept a holding pattern, and then I'm demanding 10 mile legs, controller calling my turns, the no-gyro vectors, finding out where the alternates are and their weather, and so on. Even though I think I can handle it, there is no reason to not ask for the additional levels of monitoring and assistance. Pilots regularly die when partial panel.
Partial Panel Holding??? I have one word for that: "Unable"
Make them give you vectors. I think most controllers are savvy enough not to assign holds to an airplane with an instrument emergency.
But that's a good graduate-level scenario, and I fully agree that sticking with a briefed plan (or an approach you are familiar with) is a far better answer than improvising in IMC.