Alaska Airlines invests in Loft Dynamics, the company behind the world’s only FAA- and EASA-qualified virtual reality (VR) helicopter flight simulator. The investment, made through Alaska Star Ventures, marks the airline’s first step into developing full-motion VR simulation for fixed-wing aircraft.
The partnership will support the creation of the first hyper-realistic, full-motion Boeing 737 simulator using extended reality (XR) technology, with the aim of advancing Alaska Airlines’ pilot training capabilities and influencing future industry standards.
“Alaska has a long history of pioneering aviation advancements… Now, by investing in the development of full-motion VR simulators, Alaska is once again moving the industry forward,” said Fabi Riesen, Founder and CEO of Loft Dynamics.
Traditional full-flight simulators remain a core component of commercial pilot training but are often expensive, bulky, and limited in availability. Loft’s next-generation VR technology offers a compelling alternative — compact, cost-effective, and immersive — capable of replicating real-world flight scenarios with a high degree of fidelity.
“With the potential of Loft’s hyper-realistic VR simulator, we could be transforming commercial pilot training as we know it today,” said Capt. Jeff Severns, Managing Director of Flight Operations Training at Alaska Airlines.
“These VR simulators could provide a fully immersive, high-fidelity, data-driven experience — all in a device compact enough to fit in a standard office.”
By enabling more frequent, flexible, and scalable training sessions, the VR simulators could help address the global pilot shortage while maintaining the highest standards of aviation safety and training efficiency.
Alaska Airlines will contribute not only financial support but also the operational expertise of its flight operations training department. Once the Boeing 737 VR simulator is developed, approved, and certified, Alaska and Loft plan to install the simulators at Alaska’s training bases for hands-on pilot instruction.
This partnership continues Alaska’s legacy of innovation and demonstrates a forward-looking commitment to improving both pilot proficiency and training accessibility in a rapidly evolving aviation landscape.
