For 25 years, Scandlearn has been at the forefront of aviation online training, transforming how professionals learn, grow, and succeed. What began as a small idea between two pilots making online training more accessible has grown into a global leader in e-learning solutions. Join us as we look back on the story of Scandlearn—from its humble beginnings to the innovative powerhouse it is today.
How it all began
The story of Scandlearn started in 1998 when Johan Selin, a tech-savvy student at the national flight school was introduced to CBT (Computer-Based Training) by the owner and also chief ground instructor Bertil Tensing. After a classroom lesson, the two discussed the challenges of traditional training methods, which were inconvenient for many crew members and extremely challenging for operators. At the time, classroom training was the standard, creating significant pain points for both aviation professionals and their organisations.
CBT courses were a novelty in aviation, delivered on large Video tapes (VHS) and later DVD formats. These courses were hard to access, and for most operators, having such solutions in-house was a distant dream. A CBT with different topics could eliminate the need to relocate crew between bases for training, while also providing the flexibility for individuals to complete their training remotely if they couldn't attend in person.
This approach even offered a "green transition" element, reducing travel and its associated carbon footprint. Certificates could be gathered online, replacing the cumbersome old-school methods and streamlining processes. At a very early stage, both recognized the potential and agreed to explore the opportunity to change how flight and cabin crew were taught. As they analysed the smart solution and considered how it could apply to their own needs, their conversations turned into brainstorming sessions. What if they created their own CBT system? Why not?
With their combined skills, Bertil and Johan decided to try. All development and deliveries were handled by Johan, while Bertil authored the course content. Bertil brought extensive experience from his time creating training materials for aviator students and teaching at the flight school. Johan, with his technical skills, designed the menus and player, ensuring technical excellence.
Together, they produced courses on DVD discs, which quickly gained traction and interest within their network. Training managers from different airline operators, who frequently met at the same seminars and meetings, eagerly adopted the format and shared ideas within their close-knit community.
A Pivotal Collaboration That Shaped Scandlearn Journey
Their first major success came through a collaboration with Britannia Airways (which later merged with TUI Airways). Britannia Airways training manager captain Göran Freij realized the opportunity to have dangerous goods training on a DVD instead of doing the training in classroom with a teacher. Göran asked Bertil and Johan if they could create a dangerous goods training which they accepted to do.
When the course was ready Göran had been promoted and the new training manager captain Leif Bielk was as devoted as Göran and implemented Scandlearn dangerous goods training on Brittania Airways intranet in Stockholm. Leif was devoted to Scandlearn for many decades until retirement and meant a lot to us in the start-up phase. Göran, who made this all happen, started working full-time for Scandlearn 24 years later after retirement, forming a nice full circle to this story.
The pioneering shift to online training
As Scandlearn reputation grew, My Travel, which later evolved into Thomas Cook, and eventually Sunclass Airlines, presented a new challenge. During its MyTravel days, the organisation needed internet-based training solutions to streamline their processes and improve accessibility. Recognising the industry’s shift toward digital Johan transitioned Scandlearn from a desktop application to a web-based application. This innovation marked a pivotal moment in Scandlearn journey.
The Scandlearn brochure from 2006
The platform’s initial features, such as user reporting and a hybrid interface combining web access for learners and desktop applications for administrators, revolutionised aviation training. By 2003, Scandlearn was producing Flash-based online aviation courses with detailed animations, laying the groundwork for the e-learning solutions we know today.
Growing beyond training materials
By 2010, Scandlearn had moved into a dedicated office space and modestly began scaling operations. The company grew its team, starting with its first employee, Walter. That small but dedicated team worked tirelessly, often in unconventional spaces like a garage storage office. Summers were spent enduring the heat without air conditioning, while winters required bundling up in gloves to keep working through the cold. These challenges only strengthened their commitment to building something extraordinary.
Johan and Bertil's vision expanded beyond simply creating online training materials. It was during this time that Scandlearn launched its very first Learning Management System (LMS), a comprehensive, fully web-based platform tailored to the unique needs of aviation professionals. This innovation eliminated the need to send out DVDs for every new course launch or update, significantly streamlining operations and accessibility. This milestone solidified Scandlearn’s position as a trusted partner in the industry, setting the stage for future growth and innovation.
Slide to Compare: Drag the slider from left to right to explore the transformation from LMS2 to LMS3.
Adapting to modern expectations
In November 2012, I joined Scandlearn full-time after contributing to various small projects over the years. With my background in marketing and animation, my initial role focused on driving marketing efforts and developing online training materials in Adobe Flash.
In the next article, I’ll delve deeper into how we came up with our innovative ideas. For now, I’ll share this: Scandlearn’s innovation has always been rooted in a commitment to listening to clients and addressing their needs. This principle traces back to Johan and Bertil’s early days, shaped by countless hours spent delivering training.
While Johan and Bertil embraced the possibilities of online training to replace the burden of relocating to classrooms and relying on heavy training books, the aviation industry faced another challenge. The training, as expressed by countless pilots and managers, often felt dull and uninspiring. During a time when technology was rapidly advancing and modern platforms like streaming services and apps were setting new standards for user experience, the aviation online training visual format lagged behind. People began to ask: Why does aviation training look so outdated while everything else feels modern and innovative?
Innovation through philosophy
The turning point came when a client posed the question, Why shouldn’t training be fun? This sparked a pivotal brainstorming session in the conference room, which I remember even today, where we allowed ourselves to think boldly and creatively about how training could evolve.
Why shouldn’t training be fun? This sparked a pivotal brainstorming session in the conference room, which I remember even today, where we allowed ourselves to think boldly and creatively about how training could evolve.
The values that emerged were combinations. Training needed to combine training compliance with a format that was fun, captivating, and enjoyable. This mission became our driving force: to stay creative and think outside the box. We researched how different formats, visuals, and interactive elements could enhance engagement and make learning more effective.
I’ll reveal more of this journey in our next blog article, but today, this philosophy continues to shape Scandlearn. It has driven us to explore cutting-edge methods for creating impactful training experiences, balancing creativity with the strict compliance standards required in aviation. This commitment remains at the heart of everything we do.
25 years of progress—and beyond
Today, Scandlearn stands as a leader in aviation training, providing a comprehensive platform that empowers organisations to train, engage, and inspire their teams. From the first CBT courses on DVDs to interactive, web-based solutions, Scandlearn has continually reimagined what’s possible in training.
But the journey doesn’t stop here. As we celebrate 25 years of innovation, we look to the future with the same curiosity and drive that started it all. Together with our clients and partners, we’re excited to continue shaping the future of aviation training.
Explore more
Want to learn how Scandlearn creates engaging, effective training solutions? Stay tuned for our next blog: ‘Training Should Be Fun!’—We Listened, and Here’s What We’ve Built.
