ARPA (Automatic Radar Plotting Aids)
The ARPA (Automatic Radar Plotting Aids) is a mandatory course for deck officers of all ranks serving on vessels equipped with ARPA system. The course is STCW A-II/2 and A-II/1 compliant and provides the all-round understanding of system’s operational principles and navigational techniques.
Objective:
In the course of the ARPA (Automatic Radar Plotting Aids) training students acquire comprehensive knowledge about navigational and collision avoidance capabilities of the ARPA equipment available onboard as well as use the opportunity to practice operation of the system under various conditions in the safe environment of the maritime simulator.
Course content:
• Brief review of Radar Plotting course with the premium on collision avoidance;
• Types of ARPA equipment and displays;
• IMO standards for ARPA systems performance;
• ARPA Operation: target acquisition, true and relative vectors, graphic representations of targets;
• Obtaining information from APRA display;
• ARPA errors and factors affecting equipment’s accuracy;
• ARPA capabilities and limitations, risk of overreliance on ARPA;
• Performing ARPA equipment current maintenance.
Assessment: There is a 2 part assessment at the end of the course; a written test containing usually about 20 questions and simulator exercises. STCW requirements presuppose an 80% pass rate for the written examination.
Target Audience: All navigational officers.
Pre-requisites: OOW Certificate of Competency and the Radar Observer Course certificate (ROC).
Duration: 4 days.