When I did my IMC course, I got the whole way through the course without paying for a single approach, except for the test itself. And I was based at an airfield without any approaches.
What we did was, for non-precision approaches, do them away from the airfield. For example, for a VOR/DME approach, all you need is a VOR/DME, you don't need a runway. Just add 1000' or 2000' to all of the altitudes on the approach plate.
ILSs are a little more difficult, but I was fortunate to be based not too far from Farnborough. Farnborough ATC are a great bunch of people - they won't let you pre-book an ILS, but if you're airborne and ask for one they'll let you do it free of charge, traffic permitting. I was never denied the ILS throughout the whole course, but was occassionally restricted to going around not below 400' because of traffic on the runway.
No idea if that would be acceptable for an IR course, though, or if any schools actually do anything like that?
FFF
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