"Unfortunately, in order not too scare the living daylights out of the work force, the dunker is a very gentle affair in a warm swimming pool. I can assure you the military version is much more realistic but half the workforce wouldn't pass the course. Where do you draw the line of realism against risk? "
A question if I may? In 1988 I did the dunker course at Yeovilton when I was an apprentice with Normalair Garrett. It was a "fun day out" as part of the activities of the apprentice and students association. I distinctly remember there being two north sea workers who did the course with us, and two trainee Jungly pilots as well. Now, assuming they were there "for real" and we were just filling empty seats in the dunker, is there any reason to suppose I didn't undergo the dunkings just as they did? No allowances could be made for a bunch of civvies having a bit of fun when their were real trainees taking part could they?
I remember it being tremendous fun (because my life wasn't on the line!) and remember doing the dunking upright with lights on, inverted with lights on and inverted in darkness. I also remember with some pride being given a thumbs up by a safety diver when one of our managers panicked in the inverted scenario and pushed past me to get out, when I paused to allow him to egress in front of me.
I only ask out of interest at the comment about how much more realistic the military one is over the civilian one, has something changed since my fun day out? I don't remember it being particularly onerous as long as you kept your head. . . all allowances made for the fact that I may have only participated in a part of the course and not the full monty of course.