the conference.

An excellent record of the historical development of these conferences is contained in the "History of Radar Simulators" by Willem Burger which was published in IMIA Newsletter No.17 (1990). The interested reader is recommended this both for its insight and for the inimitable writing style that many navigators will be familiar with, from prior experience of Burger's "Radar Observers Handbook".

Table 1: A Historical Record of Past Conferences

Primary Themes

The primary themes of the Conferences have centred on the need to share experiences so that re-invention is reduced, and on the need to develop a certain standardisation in the training of watchkeepers and masters of deep sea ships. Such salient issues have been briefly dealt with below, and the various Proceedings may be consulted for more detailed information.

Regional Surveys

In recent sessions, these have been a regular feature and in the most recent session at Vancouver a standard format for gathering information was used. Such surveys are usually handled by a coordinator who then presents the report at the Conference. The high density of simulation facilities in Europe can mean that European reports can be very extensive. In other areas such as Africa, comparatively little information is available, primarily due to communication difficulties.

Debriefing and Effective Exercises

These are both popular subjects and some excellent papers are to be found in these fields. They reflect the desire for improving the methodology of facilitating simulator training, although there has been a traditional reluctance for participants to submit exercises for inclusion. The papers on debriefing methods offer considerable and specific guidance for those starting off in the field.

Casualty Investigation

This has been a very consistent feature of the Conferences where papers are submitted on the outcome of investigations carried out on the simulator of actual casualties. These reflect the important role that simulation can play in determining the true causes of casualties. Most simulator instructors have an advantage in such investigation, as their experience with students gives them considerable insight into the casualty formation process. At the same time, the simulator provides an ideal mechanism for depicting the important time/event relationships in a repeatable manner.

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