Swiss helicopter simulator manufacturer Loft Dynamics has opened its North American headquarters and virtual reality (VR) flight simulator training hub at a building adjacent to the ramp at Santa Monica Airport in Southern California. The full-motion Loft Airbus H125 VR flight simulation training device (FSTD) combines real helicopter controls, avionics, and switches with a VR view of the outside world to accurately replicate real-world flying.
Loft's FSTD costs a fraction of the price of a full-flight simulator and fills a niche for training helicopter pilots at a time when slots at traditional training centers are hard to find and much more costly. The Loft device can train pilots in maneuvers that are too dangerous to attempt in a real helicopter and a variety of realistic scenarios such as a medevac flight to a challenging location surrounded by vehicles and people.
The company also announced that the Los Angeles Police Department is buying a Loft H125 simulator for in-house pilot training. “Loft Dynamics’ sims use cloud-based software, allowing us to add new and applicable training scenarios regularly,” said LAPD Air Support division chief pilot Kevin Gallagher. “Additionally, the sim’s full-motion technology precisely replicates the motion of a helicopter in-flight, and the visual technology accurately simulates instrument meteorological conditions. These features are critical to providing our 50+ pilots, who fly around the clock, with the type of conditions and maneuvers they often encounter. With the sim onsite, our pilots can regularly and safely train to maintain proficiency in these essential skills.”
“We recognized a significant unmet demand to experience our technology in person in the U.S.,” said Fabi Riesen, founder and CEO of Loft Dynamics. “Establishing a physical space became the obvious solution, making it more accessible to fly our sims, practice a range of maneuvers, and fully grasp the power of VR technology in this capacity."
The Loft facility is located on the southeast side of Santa Monica Airport on Donald Douglas Loop, in the building that used to house the Typhoon restaurant.