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This week, CAVU’s David Hazell delivered a powerful message to drilling and safety leaders at the IADC Well Control Conference of the Americas, held in New Orleans, August 19–20.
Speaking on Day 1 during the Well Control Training session, Hazell presented:
“Enhancing Well Control Training through Simulation and Crew Resource Management (CRM)”
Hazell—a former Royal Air Force squadron commander and Top Gun instructor—shared personal stories from his military aviation career, including a near-death ejection that underscored the life-saving power of simulation-based training. He connected those lessons to the drilling environment, where high pressure, split-second decision-making, and teamwork are just as critical.
“I survived that day not because I was clever, but because my training took over,” Hazell said. “And that training didn’t happen in the air. It happened in a simulator. That’s what we’re now bringing to the world of well control.”
While most well control training today covers the technical fundamentals, Hazell emphasized the need to go further—to train not just individuals, but teams, for the real-world challenges of the rig floor.
By combining high-fidelity simulation with Crew Resource Management (CRM) principles, operators can:
His talk drew strong engagement from operators, regulators, and training leaders, many of whom expressed a renewed interest in embedding human performance principles into their own safety programs.
CAVU and the RelyOn Leadership Academy have already put this approach into action through custom training programs across the globe. A recent series of simulation-based WOCRM sessions in Hundvåg, Norway, yielded measurable gains in skill retention, team coordination, and response time under pressure.
📘 Want to see how it works in practice?
Read our full case study on Well Control Simulation Training here:
👉 View the Case Study
The response to Hazell’s session reinforced a clear message:
It’s time to evolve how we train for well control.
CAVU, through the RelyOn Leadership Academy, is proud to help lead that charge—building stronger teams, safer operations, and a proactive safety culture across the energy sector.
If you missed the session and would like to learn more or schedule a meeting with David Hazell, get in touch on LinkedIn.
Hazell—a former Royal Air Force squadron commander and Top Gun instructor—shared personal stories from his military aviation career, including a near-death ejection that underscored the life-saving power of simulation-based training. He connected those lessons to the drilling environment, where high pressure, split-second decision-making, and teamwork are just as critical.
CAVU's David Hazell is set to speak at the IADC Well Control Conference ont he topic of “Enhancing Well Control Training through Simulation and Crew Resource Management (CRM)” -- in this presentation David will discuss challenging the status quo of training in high-risk environments—and propose a bold, proven alternative.
CAVU partnered with an offshore client to eliminate life-altering injuries by transforming how teams communicate before, during, and after high-risk work. Through coaching, trust-building, and a focus on Life Saving Rules and Actions, we helped crews identify and mitigate serious hazards in real time.
CAVU, the RelyOn Leadership Academy, is proud to announce our participation in the upcoming International Energy Week (IEW) 2025, held July 15–17 at the Borneo Convention Centre in Kuching, Sarawak. We’ll be exhibiting alongside our trusted partner, Daya Singa Sdn Bhd, a long-standing leader in Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) solutions across the region.
CAVU CEO Dave Burnham brings his leadership and commitment to service to the Wings Over America Scholarship Foundation as the newest member of their Board of Directors.
CAVU was proud to participate in the Lamar University Spring 2025 Research Expo, an event hosted by the Office of Undergraduate Research to showcase the innovative work of undergraduate and graduate students from Lamar and surrounding institutions.
CAVU's David Hazell is set to speak at the IADC Well Control Conference ont he topic of “Enhancing Well Control Training through Simulation and Crew Resource Management (CRM)” -- in this presentation David will discuss challenging the status quo of training in high-risk environments—and propose a bold, proven alternative.
CAVU partnered with an offshore client to eliminate life-altering injuries by transforming how teams communicate before, during, and after high-risk work. Through coaching, trust-building, and a focus on Life Saving Rules and Actions, we helped crews identify and mitigate serious hazards in real time.
CAVU, the RelyOn Leadership Academy, is proud to announce our participation in the upcoming International Energy Week (IEW) 2025, held July 15–17 at the Borneo Convention Centre in Kuching, Sarawak. We’ll be exhibiting alongside our trusted partner, Daya Singa Sdn Bhd, a long-standing leader in Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) solutions across the region.
CAVU CEO Dave Burnham brings his leadership and commitment to service to the Wings Over America Scholarship Foundation as the newest member of their Board of Directors.
Hazell—a former Royal Air Force squadron commander and Top Gun instructor—shared personal stories from his military aviation career, including a near-death ejection that underscored the life-saving power of simulation-based training. He connected those lessons to the drilling environment, where high pressure, split-second decision-making, and teamwork are just as critical.
CAVU's David Hazell is set to speak at the IADC Well Control Conference ont he topic of “Enhancing Well Control Training through Simulation and Crew Resource Management (CRM)” -- in this presentation David will discuss challenging the status quo of training in high-risk environments—and propose a bold, proven alternative.
CAVU partnered with an offshore client to eliminate life-altering injuries by transforming how teams communicate before, during, and after high-risk work. Through coaching, trust-building, and a focus on Life Saving Rules and Actions, we helped crews identify and mitigate serious hazards in real time.
Hazell—a former Royal Air Force squadron commander and Top Gun instructor—shared personal stories from his military aviation career, including a near-death ejection that underscored the life-saving power of simulation-based training. He connected those lessons to the drilling environment, where high pressure, split-second decision-making, and teamwork are just as critical.
CAVU's David Hazell is set to speak at the IADC Well Control Conference ont he topic of “Enhancing Well Control Training through Simulation and Crew Resource Management (CRM)” -- in this presentation David will discuss challenging the status quo of training in high-risk environments—and propose a bold, proven alternative.
CAVU partnered with an offshore client to eliminate life-altering injuries by transforming how teams communicate before, during, and after high-risk work. Through coaching, trust-building, and a focus on Life Saving Rules and Actions, we helped crews identify and mitigate serious hazards in real time.
CAVU, the RelyOn Leadership Academy, is proud to announce our participation in the upcoming International Energy Week (IEW) 2025, held July 15–17 at the Borneo Convention Centre in Kuching, Sarawak. We’ll be exhibiting alongside our trusted partner, Daya Singa Sdn Bhd, a long-standing leader in Health, Safety, and Environment (HSE) solutions across the region.
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