Why Simulation

Halldale Group is the sole provider of information focused on technology enhanced training for multiple user communities, globally. We deliver information through live and virtual events, print, digital and electronic formats on any platform, anywhere, and at any time the safety critical end user needs it.

Our team of training and simulation experts, as well as our corporate media team, have lived and breathed simulation and training for decades. They have designed, sold, assessed and used training equipment, built training curricula and depended on the quality of their own training through their career.

We aim to serve two communities; those who train their individuals and teams and those who provide training services and equipment.

For those who train we aim to provide the latest information and best practices in training and the training technologies available.

For the training service and equipment providers we provide unequalled access to global simulation and training markets, via print, voice, video and live events.

A short, modern history of Simulation & Training

At the start of Halldale’s involvement in the world of “technology enhanced training” or S&T nearly 40 years ago, simulation was largely the preserve of the defence community. Devices were highly expensive and usually one off, or short run, bespoke systems design to run as stand alone training tools.

They were usually bundled with the purchase price of the bigger system and thus ‘given away’ as part of the package; if training was thought of at all. Often failure of the man machine experience and the resulting cost and casualties drove eventual training and device deployment.

Many companies spun off their training departments into new profit centers or offloaded them, frequently to the staff running them, as stand-alone businesses. Mostly because the business model is so different to that of big ticket defence platforms being long term, service and ROI driven.

Today, simulation is used in the design and development of new systems and the training devices and curriculum are deployed prior to the deployment of the device. Often those devices are networked enabling training of widely geographically dispersed teams, without leaving home.

Airline Training

The global airline drive to safety from the 1980’s is well known and their stellar safety improvement to today has many other enterprises from rail to medicine looking to the airlines as an example of best training practice.

Rightly so, because although Nuclear power may post even higher levels of safety and performance, the commercial aviation model is a better fit for most other enterprises which are also subject to detailed regulation and required to provide their services at reasonable cost.

The move from flight training in the aircraft to the use of the Full Flight Simulator as a training and qualification device was announced to the world c.1988. at the time mandated for ‘flag carriers’ but rapidly adopted by smaller regional carriers. US Regional airlines moved to Simulation in 2000.

Over the past two decades simulation costs have fallen and both methods of training and platforms have spread Simulation across the airline community to flight attendants, maintainers, traffic controllers and across the airport, terminal and apron.

The immediate future

Continued improvement in computing power vis NVIDIA, is combining with 5G internet, XR technologies and AI/machine learning. This will allow global, personalised, sustainable, standardised, training and assessment of the most difficult skills, to be made available enterprise wide in multiple languages, to different cultures, 24/7. Most critically of all it will be provided affordably!

Why Simulation for Improved Training

Public tolerance of avoidable error is minimal.

The cost of error is ever more damaging, both in terms of direct cost and in equally damaging loss of reputation and brand value.

Either can be fatal to a company shown to be operating to lower than optimal accepted standards.

For business owners -you need the maximum value from your investment in high value equipment from day one of delivery so the ability of your workforce to operate the equipment immediately and perfectly is required. Equipment failure is costly, so rapid repair and excellent maintenance training is key to maximizing ROI.

Consumers expect and deserve the service they purchase, transport medium, hospital, facility, they visit to provide safe and effective service while they are with them.

As an Operator; soldier, pilot, mining engineer, oil and gas worker or ocean going sailor; in fact anyone carrying out difficult or dangerous work in potentially hazardous conditions, you have the right to expect not only the best equipment but the best training possible in its use so that you can complete your task safely and successfully.

For the Regulator, government employee, you need your area of responsibility to work seamlessly and stay out of the news. Your electors expect the same.

Today, more than ever, the old airline maxim is even more applicable;

“If you think training is expensive try paying for an accident.”