Level-C means you'll have to go fly the real thing to get your landings. Level-D all the landings can be done in the simulator.

Heres a pretty good article from our friends at AOPA.

ABCs of Simulators - AOPA

Surprisingly little in some cases. I worked on them for a number of years. One simulator I had experience with could be changed from a Level C to D with flight panel change and by re-booting the host computers with a different software package. It changed the physical device from one variant to another on the same basic airframe i.e., a 737-200 to a 737-300 as an example. Took about 15 minutes. Each had a separate certification from the FAA even though it was the same simulator.

Good to reduce supply, not eliminate supply. It will be an interesting experiment.

For a complete understanding of FSTD's (Flight Simulation/Training Devices, including Level A-D Full Flight Simulators) please see AC 120-40 and 14 CFR Part 60.

It the difference between night and day. Really it is. :D

Anyone have a list of airlines currently offering this course?

None. Really with all the folks who took the test pre August it'll take the airlines a while to work through the pool.

The blog says there were normally 500 ATP writtens a month. I'll bet that number was doubled over the summer so the total number for the year should be close. Real problem will start in a year.

That ABX DC9 sim was built new in the early 2000s. My understanding at the time was that it was capable of being Level D certified but they only certified it as Level C for their program. The visuals are the continuous wrap-around type and it does full daytime. Much better visuals than the 767 sim in the next bay and a fast improvement over the Level B DC9 sim that it replaced. First time I got in that sim I was able to fly a visual traffic pattern with very little reference to the instruments.