Originally Posted by
IO540
The present system does the former. If your vac pump packs up and you go partial panel, you don't tell ATC you have a problem (because you are a proper JAA licensed hero and this character-forming event will only help to grow the proper JAA certified hairs on your chest) and you bust your gut trying to make the best of a bad job.
Interestingly in my last checkride, with an FAA/JAA instructor and line training captain, after the vacuum pump failed I got a series of 'now what are you going to do?' questions until eventually I confessed that in real life I would declare a PAN. He then promptly had me call ATC and with a practice pan no gyro approach (I think he felt it would be good practice for ATC just as much as for me to suddenly have this bit of reality).
He later followed up with 'discovering', right as I was missing the approach, the failed pump had started a fire! Trying to get to the extinguisher while going around at minimums on partial panel got me my moneys worth - I had asked for a challenging review !!! more fool me.