Sunfish
With all due respect....bollocks.
Firstly.....nothing at all stopping instructors using lower level devices as a pre-aircraft training element.
And......CASA has introduced simple mandatory requirements for simulator training. And yep....lots of squeals from people who should know better saying "but it hasn't got the ACME glass cockpit" and "why can't we do it in the aeroplane like we always did?".
There would not be a single inspector in CASA with the vested interests you list....and by the way just out of respect please remember they just lost a highly valued and respected colleague.
You folks want CASA to stay out of the cockpit and let the professionals do it properly.....til something happens then you want CASA right back in there.
There have been some good points made in this thread. And they are in line with directions the industry (including sim manufacturers, CASA and training organisations) are moving toward. But if for example the use of some generic AATD was mandated as well as actual aircraft handling......be sure that you're not posting the next day about CASA over-regulating. Same if CASA said you had to use the simulator for a similar type. "Oh the cost!!!"
Just remember.....probably 95% of the passengers traveling today will be flown by pilots for whom simulator training is mandatory and aircraft training forbidden. Ranting about CASA "not caring" is hardly likely to get that number closer to 100%.
Now please get out of the way and let actual professionals further improve the system.