Loft Aircraft Training - Loft Dynamics, a Swiss startup that creates virtual reality (VR) simulation technology for helicopter pilots, has raised $20 million in funding from US venture capital (VC) firms including David Sachs' Craft Ventures, Sky Dayton and Up Ventures.

In 2016, Zurich-based Loft Dynamics developed a series of simulators for the most common helicopters, including the single-turbine Airbus H125. Through this, novice pilots can participate in realistic training scenarios, including night flights and proficiency checks, as well as forced recoveries to simulate system failures and other problems.

Loft Aircraft Training

Loft Aircraft Training

In addition, after the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) approved Loft Dynamics' Airbus H125 flight trainer in May, pilots can now earn training credit for time spent in the simulator.

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The company said its platform would go some way towards addressing the global pilot shortage, which has been exacerbated by the pandemic as pilots choose to retire early or change careers, opening up more training opportunities and reducing many of the costs associated with leaving. in a real helicopter.

Plus, Loft Dynamics says its simulator is one-tenth the size of a traditional simulator, making it easy to scale without the need for custom-built equipment.

Other companies are using VR simulations to solve similar labor shortage problems or enhance existing training programs. VRAI is developing technology to support training in the offshore wind industry, for example, and FundamentalVR recently raised $20 million to help train surgeons in VR.

With an additional $20 million in bank and a new name, Loft Dynamics is now well positioned to expand beyond Europe and into the lucrative US market.

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"After years of growth, we are ready to make Loft Dynamics a global company and take our technology and training solutions to the world," said Loft Dynamics founder and CEO Fabi Riesen in a press release. "This funding comes at a time of great need as we are able to meet the demands of flight schools and accelerate the reach of the types of aircraft we support." There's a new option for pilots looking to learn about the Cessna Citation 560XL. LOFT, the 142nd flight training operation in Carlsbad, California, is expanding its offerings from the current Citation 525 and Citation 560 (Citation V) programs to include initial and refresher courses for the 560XL.

I recently had the opportunity to fly the new 560XL LOFT full flight simulator. Built by Aeronautical Systems Engineering (ASE) in Odessa, Florida, the new ASE 2000 Series Level D simulator features the latest visual appearance and electric drive and control loading technologies. LOFT v-p Richard Sears put me in the proper seat while marketing director Colleen Yantos ran the simulator. Yantos put us on JFK's runway 22L. Our flight will be short: take off Runway 22L, then vector to ILS on the same runway. The graphics on the RSI Visuals EPIC-View D-Series visuals in this simulator are some of the highest quality I've ever seen.

The Primus 1000's flight deck layout and avionics take some getting used to. Sears calculates our performance data (weight, V speed, etc.) and I feed that data into the avionics. Meanwhile, Yantos is putting the finishing touches on the simulator — weather, lighting and other settings.

Loft Aircraft Training

The levers were pushed full forward and we were off the runway with 7,300 pounds of thrust. Richard made the call and when he said "Vr" I was back on our launch pad. It's time to quickly step up the positive tempo, gears, and close. In order to stay below 200 kiasim, the power must be reduced immediately.

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Yantos directed us to ILS. I fly hand-held and the simulator has very smooth feedback. We load the ILS into the FMS and are ready to approach when the approach reference speed is loaded. Yantos installed the ceiling just a few hundred feet over a decision height of 212 feet. We left early, and Sears made a visibility call, and I kept my head down to a minimum. We went downstairs and used the inverter and we both had smiles on our faces. Short and fun exercises.

LOFT and ASE worked on this simulator for two years, renting Citation Excel and equipping it for data acquisition, which required a change to the Experimental category. ASE then retrieves the data needed to develop a flight model for the LOFT simulator.

LOFT is simultaneously developing its course program pending approval from the FAA. The next step is for the FAA's National Simulator Program to create sims that accurately represent the aircraft, including accurate sound levels on the flight deck. Following this approval, the FAA's FSDO program in San Diego will review the program, observe the entire course with students, and if all meet their approval, add the course to LOFT's Part 142 certification. Partnered with Carlsbad, California-based LOFT as another strategic partner to provide Cessna Citation simulator training for AVIAA members. The partnership builds on LOFT's 15 years of training experience on the Citation line of business jets, providing live flight instructions to Cessna Citation and CJ pilots throughout the training process. The LOFT Part 142 simulator training program is now available to the growing number of AVIAA members operating Citation C Series business jets.

"AVIAA is the only global group purchasing organization working on all aspects of fleet procurement," said Matthew Smith, AVIAA's Chief Business Development Officer. “We strive to create a culture of safety in our community, so it's important to work with a trusted training partner. We have a large number of Citation aircraft in our fleet, so it was a perfect fit to partner with LOFT and their Citation training specialists. This partnership will ensure our operators receive the essential training they need at the best cost.”

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LOFT recently added a new Cessna 560 Level D simulator based in southern California, adding to the variety of training courses and schedule options they offer. All training at LOFT is conducted by flight instructors who are career flyers and professional pilots. LOFT is headquartered across the street from McClellan-Palomar Airport (KCRQ) and only three miles from the coast of the Pacific Ocean.

"We at LOFT pride ourselves on our dedicated initial and refresher training for CJ and Citation, and our partnership with AVIAA allows us to offer pilot instruction to their members in a relaxed and professional environment," said Colleen Yantos, LOFT Marketing Director. "All of our courses are taught with a proprietary curriculum and state-of-the-art technology to provide the best training experience for pilots, whether they are seeking an entry type rating, ATP certification, SIC training, or insurance-approved refresher training."

AVIAA organizes business aviation services into "seven main pillars" or categories, a strategy they believe will provide the highest value to their global membership. They work with leading fuel suppliers to achieve competitive prices and coordinate with insurance market leaders to provide hull, liability, employee benefits and other insurance products. They have established partnerships with service providers for scheduled or non-scheduled operations and train pilots and crew. Additionally, they work with FBOs and ground operators, including hotels, vehicles, and drivers to negotiate the best member rates for ground services and provide information services in the cabin or on the flight deck. Finally, AVIAA supports its members "off the plane" with aviation department services such as employee insurance, payroll, hardware/software, and crew recruiting.

Loft Aircraft Training

"As our community grows, we recognize the importance of providing the highest level of training to our members and training partners who are able to adapt to the unique and ever-changing needs of operations," added Smith. “LOFT is a natural partner to complement our portfolio with its expertise in training pilot simulators, as well as the significant number of AVIAA members who fly Citation aircraft. Insurance and crew training is an important operational pillar that provides economies of scale for AVIAA members.

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AVIAA has experienced significant growth in 2019, with an expanded supply chain that now supports a fleet of over 1,000 aircraft. The fleet increased significantly in January 2019, when AVIAA acquired Convolus to add more than 150 aircraft, bringing several EU carriers into AVIAA's fleet and further expanding AVIAA's global presence.

Dan Pimentel is a private pilot and former aircraft owner who has been flying since 1996. As an aviation journalist and photographer, he has covered all aspects of the general and business aviation community for a long list of major aviation magazines, newspapers and magazines. website. He has never met a plane he doesn't like and has written about his love of aviation for years on his blog, Airplanista. For 10 years till 2019, he hosted the popular social media gathering show "Oshbash" at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh.

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