Alaska Airlines has announced an investment in Loft Dynamics to develop the first hyper-realistic, full-motion Boeing 737 VR simulator, aiming to enhance pilot training and inform future training solutions across the industry.
In a first for global airlines, Alaska will lend expertise from its industry-leading training program to inform development of next generation simulators. The investment in Loft Dynamics was made through Alaska Star Ventures, Alaska’s corporate venture capital arm.
The potential VR simulators could revolutionize pilot training with their immersive, high-fidelity experience and compact size, allowing for more frequent and efficient skill refinement.
Ushering in the next era of pilot training, Alaska Airlines has announced an investment in Loft Dynamics an industry leader in virtual flight training and the developer of the only FAA- and EASA-qualified virtual reality (VR) helicopter flight simulator. The investment made through Alaska Star Ventures, Alaska’s corporate venture capital arm, will support development of the first hyper-realistic, full-motion Boeing 737 VR simulator, using extended reality (XR) technology and techniques, with the goal of enhancing Alaska’s pilot training program and informing future training solutions across the industry.
Traditional full-motion simulators have long been the gold standard for airline training, providing an essential and proven method for pilot instruction. However, their substantial footprint, high cost, and operational constraints limit scalability and accessibility. As airlines, operators, and regulators seek more flexible solutions, VR is emerging as a powerful and influential solution.
Alaska is supporting Loft in the development of a Boeing 737 full-motion VR flight simulator with the financial investment and the expertise of its flight operations training department. As part of this partnership — and once the VR simulators are developed, built and approved — Alaska and Loft aim to install them at individual Alaska bases for pilot training. These state-of-the-art simulators will feature:
Six-degrees-of-freedom full-motion platform with improved pilot motion cueing that replicates real-world physics, force feedback from flight controls and all haptic sensations of the aircraft.
A 360-degree panoramic 3D view, providing correct visual cues inside and outside the aircraft.
Advanced full-body pose tracking, allowing pilots to see their hand and body movements in real-time within the VR environment.
Customizable training scenarios and environments, enabling pilots to practice any situation, condition, and maneuver safely and realistically.
Compact size, requiring 1/12th the space of legacy full-flight simulators, allowing for increased accessibility and flexibility.
Virtual demonstration mode, which lets instructors record immersive lessons — including visuals, audio and control inputs — for pilots to replay and learn from during future simulator sessions.
LoftSPATIAL app for Apple Vision Pro, which, when connected to the simulator, enables pilots to use spatial computing to train anytime, anywhere.
The eventual Boeing 737 VR simulator will be submitted to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for approval — likely in the next few years. In the interim, Alaska and Loft plan to explore training enhancement opportunities for pilots that would function as a supplement to existing FAA-required training.