Simulators
The Academy was a pioneer in the use of simulator based training to develop the skills of seafarers and now has some thirty years of experience to draw upon.
On the Ship’s Bridge Simulator, navigation officers practice passage planning, emergency response and team resource management, whilst their engineer colleagues work in the Engine Room Simulator developing systems management and team working skills.
The handling of potentially dangerous bulk liquid cargoes can also be practiced using the Liquid Cargo Handling Operations Simulator, which simulates the load and discharge cycle of oil, gas and chemical tankers.
These advanced simulators create a realistic environment in which to investigate potentially dangerous situations and explore the ‘what if’ scenarios in complete safety. The lessons learned can then applied to the real life operation of ships to enhance safety and improve efficiency.
As the world’s off-shore oil fields were developed the Academy began to offer the safety training necessary for all personnel working off-shore. This included how to escape from helicopters that have crashed landed into the sea using a helicopter Underwater Escape Trainer, installed in a specially designed pool near to the Warsash Campus.