These Mini-Ships Teach Pilots How to Navigate Major Waterways | National Geographic

when you look at the ships you may think

when you look at the ships you may think that they’re small toys but the minute

that they’re small toys but the minute

that they’re small toys but the minute you get on it the power is to scale to

you get on it the power is to scale to

you get on it the power is to scale to the size and it becomes very real very

the size and it becomes very real very

the size and it becomes very real very quickly when we build a new ship the

quickly when we build a new ship the

quickly when we build a new ship the first question is is this ship correct

first question is is this ship correct

first question is is this ship correct is it close to the reality the length

is it close to the reality the length

is it close to the reality the length and the width and the drops of the

and the width and the drops of the

and the width and the drops of the shipping people are reduced by a scale

shipping people are reduced by a scale

shipping people are reduced by a scale of 1 in 25 so a 250 meter ship which is

of 1 in 25 so a 250 meter ship which is

of 1 in 25 so a 250 meter ship which is a big ship will be 10 meters here the

a big ship will be 10 meters here the

a big ship will be 10 meters here the history of this place goes back to the

history of this place goes back to the

history of this place goes back to the 50s later on SO came to us they had a

50s later on SO came to us they had a

50s later on SO came to us they had a problem in changing of the size of the

problem in changing of the size of the

problem in changing of the size of the ships going from roughly 50 thousand ton

ships going from roughly 50 thousand ton

ships going from roughly 50 thousand ton to two hundred thousand ton their

to two hundred thousand ton their

to two hundred thousand ton their captains were a bit anxious about that

captains were a bit anxious about that

captains were a bit anxious about that because they had no simulators no

because they had no simulators no

because they had no simulators no computers in the 60s so they were

computers in the 60s so they were

computers in the 60s so they were looking for place where they could

looking for place where they could

looking for place where they could anticipate on this and as engineers we

anticipate on this and as engineers we

anticipate on this and as engineers we didn’t know if that would work but we

didn’t know if that would work but we

didn’t know if that would work but we told them okay come and try and that was

told them okay come and try and that was

told them okay come and try and that was a big success so from there we started

a big success so from there we started

a big success so from there we started in 1967 we opened the place and after

in 1967 we opened the place and after

in 1967 we opened the place and after that we took

that we took

that we took we receive mainly violets now about 80%

we receive mainly violets now about 80%

we receive mainly violets now about 80% of the people coming here before we

of the people coming here before we

of the people coming here before we receive are 200 people per year which is

receive are 200 people per year which is

receive are 200 people per year which is a very small school as a port engineer I

a very small school as a port engineer I

a very small school as a port engineer I would be ashamed of designing a boat

would be ashamed of designing a boat

would be ashamed of designing a boat like this it is full of difficulties and

like this it is full of difficulties and

like this it is full of difficulties and that’s the aim of our training we have

that’s the aim of our training we have

that’s the aim of our training we have here the locks one of them here is a

here the locks one of them here is a

here the locks one of them here is a Panamera the new Panamera 50 55 meter

Panamera the new Panamera 50 55 meter

Panamera the new Panamera 50 55 meter wide and so the ships can go around here

wide and so the ships can go around here

wide and so the ships can go around here around this waterway horrible is a great

around this waterway horrible is a great

around this waterway horrible is a great place to come in we can tweak our skills

place to come in we can tweak our skills

place to come in we can tweak our skills we can do things here that we couldn’t

we can do things here that we couldn’t

we can do things here that we couldn’t do with real live ships but we do it to

do with real live ships but we do it to

do with real live ships but we do it to scale here so it’s on real time

we have Russians here we have pilots

we have Russians here we have pilots from Brazil that of course myself from

from Brazil that of course myself from

from Brazil that of course myself from Canada so even over lunch and dinner we

Canada so even over lunch and dinner we

Canada so even over lunch and dinner we talk about different scenarios different

talk about different scenarios different

talk about different scenarios different ships different cruise it’s it’s a good

ships different cruise it’s it’s a good

ships different cruise it’s it’s a good learning experience we try to

learning experience we try to

learning experience we try to concentrate on what is more difficult to

concentrate on what is more difficult to

concentrate on what is more difficult to do on the simulator so in order to be

do on the simulator so in order to be

do on the simulator so in order to be complimentary the difference may be

complimentary the difference may be

complimentary the difference may be found especially in what seafarers

found especially in what seafarers

found especially in what seafarers called interactions between two ships

called interactions between two ships

called interactions between two ships when they’re at close quarters when they

when they’re at close quarters when they

when they’re at close quarters when they meet in a canal when they are close to a

meet in a canal when they are close to a

meet in a canal when they are close to a bank and that at this time cannot really

bank and that at this time cannot really

bank and that at this time cannot really be computed correctly but here

be computed correctly but here

be computed correctly but here everything’s so we reproduce shallow

everything’s so we reproduce shallow

everything’s so we reproduce shallow waters Bank effects and currents and

waters Bank effects and currents and

waters Bank effects and currents and also waves

usually when we build a new new ship we

usually when we build a new new ship we tried to ask the captain of the real

tried to ask the captain of the real

tried to ask the captain of the real ship to come over and to go on the lake

ship to come over and to go on the lake

ship to come over and to go on the lake with our model and just do things you

with our model and just do things you

with our model and just do things you know it’s a few hours when he comes back

know it’s a few hours when he comes back

know it’s a few hours when he comes back we ask him

we ask him

we ask him is it okay and if he says with some

is it okay and if he says with some

is it okay and if he says with some tears in the eyes it’s my ship then I’m

tears in the eyes it’s my ship then I’m

tears in the eyes it’s my ship then I’m happy