KLM Brings Flight Simulation Expertise to Healthcare Training

KLM has partnered with the DUTCH initiative to share its decades of experience in flight simulator training with the healthcare sector, aiming to enhance the training of medical professionals in the Netherlands.

 

On October 8, KLM welcomed members of the Technology Expert Panel of DUTCH (Digital United Training Concepts for Healthcare) to its simulator centre at Schiphol-East. The visit included a tour of the facility and a hands-on flight simulation session, offering healthcare stakeholders a firsthand look at KLM’s advanced training methods.

A New Approach to Medical Training

Healthcare in the Netherlands faces a growing need for new professionals, but current training is conducted entirely in real-world environments. The DUTCH program, supported by the National Growth Fund, aims to change that through simulation-based training, much like the aviation industry has used for years.

KLM, which has long relied on simulators for pilot and crew training, is now contributing its know-how to help hospitals, educational institutions, and other partners create more effective and scalable healthcare training methods.

Cross-Sector Collaboration for Public Good

The DUTCH expert panel includes representatives from high-stakes sectors such as petrochemicals, maritime, software, nuclear, and aviation — all of which rely on precision training and safety-critical systems.

“Simulator training has enabled us for many years to prepare our colleagues for working in the air through realistic scenarios. It is incredibly valuable that we can now use this knowledge and experience to give the healthcare sector, where simulation is still emerging, a flying start,” said Arnoud Wellhüner, Chief Flight Instructor at KLM and KLM’s representative in the DUTCH program.

With this initiative, KLM underscores its broader commitment to innovation and social responsibility beyond aviation.