Nose,
The procedures are, of course, still applicable in a NON-radar environment. And for tests and checkrides too I suppose. But the truth is, in a radar environment, we're still watching you on radar, esp if you're squawking 7600. Even with an electrical failure, we're able to track a primary target pretty well. Of course, you should maintain last assigned altitude until reaching the IAF, and THAT might require a turn or two in holding to get down, but controllers in general would rather have you out of the way ASAP. But since you mention the "real" world, let's look at my airspace for example. (KAUS)
Every arrival is coming in on a STAR or airway, which means you'll wind up at either the VORTAC, or a fix at the end of the STAR which is still 20 miles from the airport. Every STAR says "Expect Radar Vectors". Every approach, ILS or GPS, says "Radar Required." There's not *One* published non-radar (pilot nav) transition from the STARs or VOR to any of the IAFs. EVERYTHING is predicated on Radar vectors to the Final Approach Course, or a Visual.
Could you use GPS or VOR to navigate to the FACs? Of course, but which one? We've got four ILS finals, but only two are turned on at any one time. (North Flow or South Flow). How do YOU know which are turned on? You could guess from the TAF, but may be wrong. If we're landing on the 35s, and you go to the 17L final, will you know to "hang loose" until we recognize what you're doing, land our last arrivals, and switch the localizers?
Actually, as you noted, it's VERY unlikely you'll have a reliable ILS receiver if both Coms are out. Perhaps you have a working hand-held GPS. In any event, if you lost the entire electrical system, which is what more often happens with GA aircraft, then you're praying it's VMC here in AUS, or you just wasted a lot of fuel flying here, when you should have diverted towards VMC WX as soon as you determined the electrical system packed up and left. At least, that's what *I'll* do.
BTW, I also don't know what alternate you filed, and really don't care unless you go miss. Then, your alternate becomes whatever the heck you want now, regardless of what you filed, I'll simply ask "Say intentions", and go from there. The airlines often check with dispatch and make a new plan based on fuel remaining and WX at the time. The new alternate may not be within 200 miles of the*Filed* alternate.
Believe me, this stuff freaked me out too when I became a controller. I was amazed at how much stuff was different from what I expected.
The last NORDO aircraft I saw was a Mooney with complete electrical failure. He was IMC until about 25 miles NW of here, then he passed three perfectly good GA airports north of AUS in VMC, flew to the final for 17L, then broke it off at around the LOM, (don't know when he began a descent,) circled around a couple miles east of the field for five minutes, couldn't see the green light from the tower, (which are impossible to see in daylight beyond a mile or so maximum anyway), then flew off south, and landed at HYI. End result, we had to delay some traffic for nearly 15 minutes while guessing what he'd do next. No big deal in the end, but a PITA. The last one before that was a T-37 a year ago who actually DID loose coms only, squawked 7600, flew racetracks east-west at 3000' for 15 minutes in real night IMC deciding what to do next, then finally figured out his radio problem, re-established coms, and then asked for another "pratice approach". Not hardly friend, this will be an ILS full stop....
