The ACE Training Centre announced it has trained the first two Brunei national paramedics in its initial search-and-rescue (SAR) winchman training.
Graduates Attraba Sufiandi and Sahreme Bin Idris, employees of Brunei Shell Petroleum Company Sdn Bhd (BSP), spent almost a month at ACE to complete their helicopter SAR training requirements through a combination of classroom-based learning, utilization of the multiple simulation devices and flying in Toll’s Bell 412.
The ACE Training Centre houses a unique combination of simulation devices that were critical in providing an immersive learning environment. The virtual reality Complete Aircrew Training System (CATS) introduced the two students to flight procedures regarding “conning and clearances” and confined area landings while the live hoisting training tower (LHTT) and the Wet Winch simulator ensured both trainees learnt the skills and procedures that are critical to being a SAR winchman.
The water training facility includes the METS 30 Winch platform with wind, wave and sound generation. This proved invaluable to the development of the two students allowing them to learn, practice and develop the vital skills required to effectively rescue a casualty from the water, in a safe but expedient manner.
Mario Testa, a visiting aircrewman instructor/examiner from BSP, said: “In a simulated environment you are able to stop the clock, stop the noise and the distraction and get to the heart of the teaching. In this environment the learning is 100 percent enhanced on what you can achieve under a helicopter. The progress the lads have made is remarkable and that is testament to the Instructors and staff at the ACE facility and also Att and Reme themselves. They have given 110 percent over the four weeks and I, as well as the staff back in Brunei are immensely proud of their achievements.”
Jamie Mitchell, head of search-and-rescue for Brunei Shell Petroleum, said: “We were impressed by the facilities and safe, professional approach to training that Toll have delivered and we are delighted to see the fantastic results that Attraba and Sahreme have achieved through both their own hard work and determination and the tireless efforts of both the Toll and BSP SAR training staff. We look forward to continuing this close relationship between Toll and BSP.”
Sufiandi and Idris completed 17 intense days of training at ACE, which included five days in a live aircraft. Senior aircrewman instructor Brett Tappin commended the students: “I am immensely proud of them, they are smart and talented guys who are blazing a trail. They came here having never flown in a helicopter and embraced the learning, the pace and the environment. They took all their learnings from ACE and applied them it in the field, I wish them well on their journey.”
Brunei Shell Petroleum is a dynamic, world-class company and one of the biggest energy companies in Asia. They were looking for a training facility to conduct initial helicopter paramedic winchmen training because the first phase of Winchman training is critical to laying down the muscle memory required to operate efficiently and safely. This takes a lot of repetition and repeated instruction that proves very expensive and difficult using the S92 helicopter. Synthetic training was identified as the preferred pathway to pursue and Tolls ACE facility in Bankstown could provide the required course.
Sufiandi and Idris are now the first pre-hospital qualified Bruneian Paramedics to have attended and completed this course. The next three months will include a Sikorsky S-92 conversion course made up of day and night winch training, mission management, forward looking infra-red training as well as continuing to develop their all-round crewman skills.
