World first simulator panel training

Jim from the UK achieves a world first – recognised panel time in the saturation diving supervisor training simulator

In this article we examine changes to the ADAS and IMCA Offshore supervisor scheme, which now allows the acceptance of simulator panel time.

World first – Recognised Closed Bell time in a simulator

In May 2014 we had the privilege of working with Jim, who had flown in all the way from his home town in the UK to undertake his final panel hours, using the ADAS Dive Supervisor Training Simulator.

Jim had nearly finished his hours to become a fully qualified saturation diving supervisor, with time running out to complete his panel time. He contacted IMCA, who confirmed that he was able to undertake all his remaining hours in the simulator – he needed 36 hours, which he could achieve with 18 hours simulator time with the 2:1 ratio approved by IMCA last year. Jim contacted ADAS and the search for a fully qualified bell supervisor to supervise the panel hours began.

Thank you to everyone who responded, and a special thank you to Don, who supervised the panel time; John, who assisted as operator/simulated dive team, and Bronwen, who developed the program and operated the simulator. Thanks also to Professional Diving Services for their support. We were pleased to also be able to demonstrate the simulator in action to about  18 inspectors from the Worksafe authorities from Victoria, NSW and Queensland.

The panel time session went very well, and we now have the first officially recognised panel hours completed in the saturation diving supervisor training simulator. So if you see someone with the ADAS stamp in their logbook, you’ll know that they have completed simulator panel hours.

If you need a bit more panel time to finish off your qualification, or if you would like to gain the extra experience and knowledge of problems and emergencies you can’t try out on real diving operations, contact ADAS.

The simulator is run on a cost recovery basis, and trainees or companies may provide their own supervisor to supervise the panel time to assist in keeping costs down.

Simulator background and further information

2010:

ADAS introduces the world-first dive supervisor training simulator.

2011:

Industry trials and evaluation.
International award for “the most impactful use of technology worldwide in support of learning” in the IMS Global Consortium  Learning Impact Awards in 2011.
Supervisor courses at TUCF in Perth utilise the simulator as a training tool from late 2011.

2012:

Simulator demonstrated to around 100 diving industry participants in the UK and Norway with 98% of the 69 visitors surveyed saying that they would support the use of simulators as a training tool for dive support personnel.
The air diving supervisor training simulator first used for air diving panel time in late 2012.

2013:

Saturation diving supervisor training simulator first used to train a saturation diving supervisor trainee.
PDS commences use of the Melbourne based simulator to support the training of chamber operators.

2014:

Simulator used for the first time for saturation diving supervisor panel time.

You can view more information about panel time and offshore supervisor training and view videos of the simulator at the ADAS learning site – go to http://offshore.adas-online.org  and log in as a guest, or create an account.