Developing the new Coal Services’ Virtual Reality Training module was a collaborative effort between Coal & Allied, Coal Services and Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service.

The safety training does not replace traditional piloting or rescue operator training, but instead focuses on improving safety awareness amongst rescue helicopter crews in their unique operating environment.

Coal & Allied’s Hunter Valley Operations provided detailed information about the mine site and its emergency response plans, to make the simulation as realistic as possible.

Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service General Manager Richard Jones said that this was an important development for the Service as training and simulation activities with the mining community for Pilots and Crew can only help improve the safety and efficiency of retrieval work.

The mining industry has been a key partner of the Service for a long time.