Over ten thousand operations by the Soccorso Alpino are carried out annually, primarily by helicopter. Future rescuers are trained through simulated experiences at Leonardo’s Training Academy in the company’s historic Sesto Calende (Varese, Italy) site. A report by TGR Lombardia, edited by Silvia Zerilli, describes the training experience of future medical crews.

Simulating to prepare future rescuers for different scenarios, both normal and unpredictable. This is the purpose of Leonardo’s Training Academy in Sesto Calende, which features an advanced simulation environment that reproduces helicopter rescue operations for crew training in a safe and controlled setting.

The medical crews experience practical demonstrations performed with the help of virtual reality devices. The many advantages include safety, cost savings, reduced environmental impact and lower noise pollution. One hour of virtual flight is equivalent to one physical hour. This also enables the trainees to obtain the required certifications to be able to operate.

The training experience, described by Michele Cucchi, Helicopter Rescue Instructor for Leonardo Training Academy and helicopter technician for Soccorso Alpino, and Andrea Caglià, Medical Crew Instructor for Leonardo Training Academy, anaesthetist and resuscitator, emphasises that these simulated scenarios occur frequently in real-life, particularly in summer, throughout the Alps and Apennines.