Thread: I *Drove* the Freedom

The picture below will explain how I *drove* the Freedom today.............


360 Degree Field-of-View Full Mission Bridge Simulator - 1

This photo, courtesy of Electric Picture, shows a center-line view of our Sperry 2100 Integrated Bridge System (IBS) full mission (Class "A") bridge simulator. The state-of-the-art visual graphics, produced by our in-house team of modelers, features Kongsberg Maritime Simulation's (KMS') Norview 3000 release 5 photo-textured graphics.

...... after having the winning bid with the Make-A-Wish Foundation on a prize donated by RCI. This part of the prize was a visit to the Star (Simulation, Training, Assessement & Research) Center in FLL.

My day started with a meeting with Graeme, the Head of Operations for the Center. He gave me a brief rundown on how the Center works with cruise ship officers, specifically addressing how RCI goes about this. RCI paid the expenses at the Center to have a bridge designed that matched that of their ships. Officers attend classes there to familarize themselves with the design and to train in manuevering the ships in and out of ports.

I next met with Jennifer, the computer programer for the simulation class and Mark, my trainer on the Bridge. We discussed which ports I would visit and what I would do at each.

Mark took me onto the Bridge and gave me a brief explanation of the screens and instruments. He then had Jennifer pop Miami up on the walls. I have to tell you, if you know the entrance into that port, you will recognize it. The view is just the same as what the Bridge officers see with the all the markings, other ship/boat traffic, even the buildings on land. They even had a blimp floating around in the sky!!

With me at the helm, he started giving me directions on using the wheel to control the ship and take it safely into port. This is where it is really good to know your port from starboard. At this time, he worked other controls while I basically just *drove.* Once we cruised past other ships already docked, we went to the turnaround basin where I got to set the propulsion controls and use the thruster to turn the ship (the controls at the very front of above picture.) Mark had Jennifer change to views behind the Bridge so I could see it from each side of the ship. It is important to use visual as well as radar screens to conduct these manuevers. After my success in this port we went to the control room where Jennifer printed off a copy of my course.

My next port was San Juan. The ship was already docked and my job was to back it out and get it turned to leave port. Again, with Mark telling me the settings for the propulsion, I had to move the ship away from the dock. When it was time for me to add the thruster in, he had me guess at what settings were needed. Fortunately I guessed correctly on most of the settings and eventually got the feel enough to know when to take it back to zero.

After safely getting away from that dock, we had to continue going back until the ship was positioned in the Anegado Channel. Then the ship had to be turned to take it safely out to sea. It was a bit difficult for me to see the mast so Mark offered up a bit more direction and I safely got the ship out to sea.

Next we went to St Thomas where I would again leave the dock. After safely pulling away from the dock, the rear of the ship needs to start a turn because you have a range you should stay within. The markings for the range are located on land so Jennifer supplied the view to that. After getting the ship properly lined up on the range, I set sail at a positon that had Mark exclaim "Damn, you are dead on." I got the ship out without hitting any rocks! Yippee!!

Once clear of Muhlenfels Pt, Mark gave me the commands to bring the ship to a safe stop, also called "crash stop." More like trying to avoid a crash really because you are watching what is all around you and should be able to anticipate whether this is needed.

When that task was completed, Mark took over to show me how to do a safe, fast 180. This would be the speed most passengers complain that they can't get pictures because the Captain is turning the ship too fast!

Training complete, Graeme rejoined Mark and I, we retrieved the rest of my printouts and went to lunch in the Centers cafeteria. Once that was finished, I thanked Mark for showing me the proper way to *drive* a ship and Graeme took me on a tour of the rest of the facility.

To be continued......

Touring the Center.......

The tour took me to the office where a young man was working on the graphics for a river in Ohio. He was programing in buildings on land along the riverfront to the specifications the Center obtained from trips to the river and also with the use of a goggled map. The Center tries to be as humanly accurate as it can be because Captains of various vessels rely on their data to safely make their way.

Next I met with Howard, the top reseacher for the Center. His job is important because not only do Captains rely on his information but so do port authorities. He is working now with authorities from some different ports on making their dock areas available to the Genesis class. The specifications that he provides can save millions of dollars in dredging costs for the islands interested in having the ship in port.

We then went on to the Engine Simulator Rooms where I received a brief explaination of how they worked. From there it was on past some classrooms where training was going on in first aid, Basic Safety, and charting.

We finished back at Graemes' office where he gave me a Star Center cup. On it are the words
"Professional Mariners Never Stop Learning!"
I Was "Refreshed At The Star Center

This is a side of cruising we never see. I am very glad that I had the opportunity to learn some of what it is like to be an officer on the Bridge!

The next part of my prize is a cruise on the Freedom, which leaves Sunday from the Port of Miami. Two ports we are visiting are San Juan and St Thomas. I will know what is going on up on the Bridge because I got to *drive* the Freedom away from those islands!!

If you would like to learn more about the Star Center, you can visit their website at
www.star-center.com

If you would like to visit the Center in FLL, call ahead and find out if they will have an open Wednesday where you can enter the control room and watch the work on the Bridge Simulator.

Micki, it sounds like you had a wonderful time. I hope the cruise is just as much fun. I can't wait to hear about cruising on the largest cruise ship in the world!

It certainly sounds like fun. Well done on your achievement. Now it's time to enjoy the cruise. Will you be "driving" the Freedom during your cruise?

What a great experience! And thank you for your contribution to the "Make a Wish Foundation"

Wow Micki, that is so awesome!! Congratulations on your "win"

Sounds like a great experience.
Enjoy you cruise on the Freedom.
We are looking forward to hearing about it.
Knowing you, I expect you will find you way to the bridge sometime during the week.

Congratulations, Micki, and thanks for posting all that info! I really appreciate all your effort.

I had no idea that Star allowed visitors. How fun that would be!

What a great experience for you Micki!!! It sounds like a lot of fun.

Micki, that's a great opportunity you had. If I remember well, this facility is on US 1(Federal Hwy and Dixie Hwy, in Dania Beach, south of the Ft. Laud. Airport.

That's exactly just the way aircraft pilots train on different types of airplanes before actually getting into the cockpit to fly one. Those are Full Motion Simulators where the Simulator will bounce around when the instructor put in a windy day to practice a cross wind landing. The airport environment and all parts of the state are there in graphical detail, just as it is in real life. I use Microsoft Flight Simulator at home, and that is as real as it gets too. We can simulate landing in rain, snow and different types of weather situations.