Level C/D night time towards FAA ATPL requirements

[Dupre]

Does any "night" time done in a level C/D sim count towards the night time requirement for an FAA licence?

Reason I ask is I am considering an a320 type rating in the USA and would like to use the checkride as my FAA ATPL issue (I don't currently hold any FAA licence). I have 65hrs night with well over 45 takeoffs and full stop landings - so I fall short of the requirement by 10 night hours. If I can hit two birds with one stone in the sim it makes life much easier!

Had a search of the FARs and found 61.159(a)(5) "Not more than 100 hours of the total aeronautical experience requirements of paragraph (a) of this section may be obtained in a flight simulator..." Now paragraph (a) includes 1500TT, 500X/C, 75 IF, 250 PIC and 100 Night.

So ultimately my question becomes: is "total aeronautical experience" limited to the 1500hrs requirement? (i.e. if you have 1400TT plus 100 sim you're OK). Or can up to 100hrs sim time be put toward any of the other hour requirements (e.g. if you have 400 X/C plus 100 sim X/C; or 50 night plus 50 night sim you're OK).

Apologies for sort of going around in a circle... but grateful for any knowledgable replies!

[Gomrath]

Here is a breakdown of FAR 61.159 which might be a bit easier to read:
1,500 hours MINIMUM TOTAL TIME which must include:
----500 hours cross-country
----100 hours night flying
----75 hours IFR comprising:
---------Actual OR Simulated
---------Maximum of 50 hours of Part 142 Simulator/Flight Training Device
---------Maximum of 25 hours of Simulator/Flight Training Device may be
---------applied if NOT in accordance with Part 142
----250 hours PIC which must include:
---------100 hours cross-country
---------25 hours night flying
-----No more than 100 hours in Part 142 Simulator/Flight Training Device may be
-----applied toward TOTAL TIME for ATP
-----20 night takeoffs and landings may be applied toward one hour of night
-----flying, up to 25 hours of credit toward night flying

So one question to ask is was your Sim time undertaken as part of an approved course conducted by a training center under Part 142 of the Code of Federal Regulations?

If it wasn't then none of that Sim time would count anyway.

[Dupre]

Yes, Thanks Gomrath - by the way you've re-written "Total Time for ATP" I take it that the answer is No, night time in a sim cannot be counted towards the 100 night requirement (or down to 75 night with 45 t/o and full stop ldg).

Yes the course is approved under part 142.