Loft Dynamics develops Boeing 737 simulators for Alaska Airlines

(CONNECT) Loft Dynamics has been commissioned by Alaska Airlines to develop a new simulator for training pilots on Boeing 737 aircraft. The airline, which is based in the Seattle metropolitan region, has announced that it will invest in Loft Dynamics via its venture capital arm Alaska Star Ventures. Alaska Airlines supports Loft with financial resources and the expertise of its training department. As soon as the VR (virtual reality) simulators have been developed, built and approved, Alaska Airlines and Loft plan to install them at individual airline bases for pilot training.

The hyper-realistic and fully mobile simulator will work with virtual and augmented reality (XR) technologies. "With flight safety a top priority and a global pilot shortage still looming, this partnership paves the way for airlines worldwide to train the next generation of outstanding pilots more efficiently and effectively than ever before," Fabian Riesen, founder and CEO of Loft Dynamic, is quoted as saying.

A big advantage of this new device from Loft is that it is "compact enough to fit in a standard office," explains Captain Jeff Severns, Alaska Airlines' Managing Director of Flight Operations Training. "This accessibility would allow pilots to train more frequently and hone their skills more efficiently." His company is looking forward to "becoming Loft's first customer for fixed-wing aircraft". Loft, which was called VRM Switzerland until December 2022, specializes in simulators for helicopter training.

Alaska Airlines' Head of Corporate Development, Pasha Saleh, emphasizes that "this technology will enable us to bring important training closer to the pilot base. This would reduce unnecessary travel and time." It represents a "paradigm shift and has the potential to drastically improve the quality of training for professional pilots". ce/mm