Regarding the HUET training and its inherent shortfalls with regard to realism and the number of people it can take in benign environments, I do feel that if EVERY employee of ALL involved companies did the dunker drill, even once, it would do a lot to drive some of the changes that the system so clearly needs. If people are only involved in making policy and not partaking in their decisions, they tend to lose touch with reality.
The first Offshore Survival course I did was a 3 day affair that involved a day actually working with the dinghies and a (rather old) lifeboat out in he bay with a rather brisk breeze. The highlight of the day was actually being winched into a 61 to experience what it was all about with the rotor wash and noise while bobbing about in the oggin.
For myself, this was part of qualifying as rear crew in the 61 for winching and cargo ops and as a "trolley dolly" for 19+ pax, but the rest of the participants were one Pilot and "Oilies".
Needless to say, that never lasted long once the bean-counters had regained their breath. Now it's a day in class and a dip in the pool with a simulated winch and safety divers etc.
Subsequent highlights have been doing the wet drills with a gang of wagon dragons from one of the domestic airlines...
