the larger Operators continue to favour this training being delivered by their own, or indeed external Instructors, some of whom have never flown the type or ever offshore.
I have been in all of the seats of the Simulator, front and back, and worked at two different Sim Training operations.
At the first we did Classroom, Systems Trainers, Sim and Flight Instruction.....thus we got outside and actually flew the machine. Granted, always in a Training role. At the second there was no flying beyond a once a year Jolly in something the factory had available.
Both Operations maintained high standards, did offer good value for money, and had experienced pilots. Neither place had a complete staff of good instructors for many reasons.....at one it was the need for multi-lingual capable "Instructors" which certainly narrows the choice of candidates for the job with language ability being the Trump Card.
One place had self imposed limits on what could be taught, what wording could be used, and very strict limits on compliance to the approved course of instruction. Over time, one could in fact recite the Training Manuals verbatim as a result.....but dared not risk stepping an inch outside that neatly drawn Box.
At the first place.....one passed muster or one did not get the Stamp of Approval....no matter one's place on the Customer's Totem Pole. I failed the Chief Pilot of a major oil company with no squawk from my Boss. At the other...that would never have flown (so to speak).
I have seen the use of both internal company instructors and customer instructors during Sim Training. I favor using Sim Company Staff and not the Operator's own Instructors as it affords a "Third Party" review of both individual Pilots but also Company SOP's, Checklists, and Emergency Procedures.
I would also suggest the Sim Company and the Customer ensure the Sim Instructor has the background, training, licenses, and Check Pilot status with the Operator so that the Sim Training is part of the Operators Training/Check Program.
That is being done today at some Sim Operations.
It has to be far cheaper and more efficient to have a "Central" source of Training being performed by Contractors using modern state of the art Sims than to try to replicate that service in-house.
I too endured the years that Helicopter Sims were knock offs of Airplane Sims....with the usual problems of trying to adapt a Fixed Wing Visual to the Helicopter Sim. The synching of the Visual Display to the Aircraft Sim was especially difficult to cope with.....as there is that very slight delay that even Computers cannot defeat (or could not in my time).
Even with all the problems.....as long as the Cockpit Indications exactly mimic the actual Aircraft re Systems Operation in all Modes, normal and other, the Sim can be the most useful method of learning the Aircraft.
The real key to achieving the maximum benefit to Sim Training is funding.
Until the Oil Companies, Operators, and the Sim Operators come together to establish Minimum Standards and settle upon exactly what level and scope of training is necessary we shall have the same situation Geoffers describes.
Someone has to pay for Training.....and until there is a steady, constant, sufficient flow of money to fund the Training System....nothing will ever change much in the Sim Training world.