Loft Dynamics is world’s first VR flight sim training device to win FAA qualification
Loft Dynamics, the global leader in virtual reality (VR) flight simulation training devices (FSTDs), has announced that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has qualified its VR simulator — the first FAA-qualified VR FSTD in the United States.
This achievement is a landmark in aviation safety and a pivotal step in bringing advanced flight simulation technology to pilots and operators nationwide amid intensifying demand for pilots.
It also cements VR’s increasingly influential role in the future of U.S. pilot training. Outside the U.S., Loft Dynamics is the first and only VR simulator to achieve qualification from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).
For the first time, U.S. helicopter pilots can train and receive credit toward pilot ratings on an FAA-approved VR FSTD, provided it is a Loft Dynamics VR FSTD.
This qualification allows the simulator to be used not only for training in engine failures, abnormal and emergency procedures, and instrument approaches but also for challenging manoeuvres such as sling load operations, pinnacle operations, and more.
The FAA’s rigorous qualification process requires FSTDs to be evaluated in accordance with 14 CFR Part 60 and meet extensive operational requirements.
The FAA evaluated Loft Dynamics’ VR simulator using its Airbus-approved H125 VR FSTD at Marshall University. Qualified as a flight training device, Loft Dynamics’ H125 VR simulator features a full-scale virtual replica cockpit, a panoramic 360-degree view, verified flight modelling, and a six-degrees-of-freedom motion platform that accurately simulates flight visuals, movements, and scenarios.
These FSTDs are smaller and significantly more cost-effective than traditional simulators. All pilots in the U.S. are required to train regularly in an aircraft or flight simulator, which is why the qualification of Loft Dynamics’ simulator is a crucial step toward helping more operators conduct this training and address the growing pilot shortage, and why regulatory agencies are embracing and mandating the use of the company’s FSTDs.
Last year, the FAA installed Loft Dynamics simulators at its William J. Hughes Technical Center (WHTC) to advance the safety, efficiency, and environmental sustainability goals of its Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen). As part of this initiative, the agency uses the simulator to conduct vertical flight safety research, including engaging hundreds of test pilots to fly the simulator.
The FAA’s approval of the first VR simulator shifts pilot training paradigms, expanding access to the most immersive, customizable, and scalable training solutions. This is also a pivotal moment for Loft Dynamics, as the company is already developing electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) and airplane simulators, broadening its industry impact and value.
“The FAA’s and EASA’s unprecedented qualifications of our technology reinforce the safety and fidelity of VR for pilot training,” said Fabi Riesen, founder and CEO of Loft Dynamics.
“It provides a tangible path to solving the world’s pilot shortage and cultivating the next generation of high-quality pilots. We’re not paving this path alone; we’re grateful for Airbus Helicopters’ conviction in Loft Dynamics, dedication to achieving FAA qualification, and commitment to making our FSTDs available to the masses.
“We’re grateful to the FAA for their support and commitment to improving the trajectory of simulation technology and pilot training. This is an important initial step for modernising pilot training, and it also signifies a broader industry shift toward leveraging our VR technology to address global challenges.”
