If you are not currently flying Part 121, you will do the sim. Fly a table top yoke on flight sim and you'll be fine ...

As for class dates, so far Brasilia classes confirmed on 9/30, 10/28 and 11/25. They've attached a CRJ new hire class to the 9/30 and 10/28 classes so far. The classes for both aircraft aircraft are scheduled to continue at 1 a month for the "foreseeable future", as they say.

Hope that helps. I'm simply relaying information, I do not have any actual involvement in the class planning processs.