A320Rider:
one of my students asked me why on the bus, the holding pattern use "inbound course"in the FMCG when holding course are based on a OUTbound leg.
I can not answer!!!!!.
The Bus FMS is correct. You always hold inbound on-course.
For unplanned (i.e., uncharted) holding the controller is supposed to give you one of eight cardinal compass and the holding course, such as a radial, airway, NDB bearing, etc. If the direction of turns is omitted then it's right turns.
Example,
hold at ABC VOR, southeast, on the 135 radial. The holding fix is the VOR, the inbound holding course is 315, and right turns are made.
Eample,
hold at ACMEE Intersection, west on Victor 999, left turns. Say that V-999 is the 260 radial of ABC VOR at 25 miles. The holding course is 080 inbound on V-999, with the DME counting down to 25 arriving at the holding fix.
It has always been a confusing subject for pilots that haven't been drilled in the subject. A common mistake is to mistake the direction of holding issued by the controller as the direction of the turns; i.e. left or right.