Second annual Loft Fest showcases the future of flight training and safety

We hosted our second annual Loft Fest last week, and it was an extraordinary gathering of leaders and innovators in global aviation. The pilots, operators, investors, and builders who joined us shared exciting insights about how we can transform flight safety through innovation, and we deeply appreciate the opportunity to connect with so many brilliant people who share our passion for aviation. We couldn’t be more grateful to all those who made the event so exceptional, and we’re already looking forward to next year.

Here’s a recap of Loft Fest 2025:

Day 1: SkyMaster Summit, Loft Dynamics HQ

This year’s Loft Fest got underway at our HQ in Dübendorf, where guests joined us for the SkyMaster Summit—an event for operators and pilots to learn about cutting-edge innovations in flight simulation technology and showcase their skills in the cockpit.

After getting a behind-the-scenes look at how Loft Dynamics is building a new paradigm for flight training with VR, guests had an opportunity to experience our newest features with simulator challenges and maneuvers. Head of pilot training at Airbus Helicopters, Yann Guérin, showed guests how LofTWIN virtual demo mode works, while Air Greenland chief flight instructor Marco Peyer demonstrated best practices for introducing pilots to VR simulation.

Day 2: Stratosphere Symposium: Beyond Imagination, Air Force Center, Dübendorf

The 2025 Stratosphere Symposium was a remarkable day of unveilings, demonstrations, and insights from some of the brightest luminaries in aviation. Over 100 guests discovered the latest features of revolutionary VR technology that’s driving a seismic shift in flight training, learned from fascinating voices across our industry, and connected with global leaders in aviation.

Here are a few highlights:

• Craft Ventures’ Sky Dayton moderated a wide-ranging fireside chat titled “The Innovation Paradox: Can Authorities Drive Change?” The panel featured David Solar from EASA and former FAA administrators Michael Huerta and Randy Babbitt, who discussed how aviation regulators can update policies to keep pace with the technological changes in flight training and meet the growing global demand for pilots. EASA and the FAA are working together closely, and partnerships between regulators have the power to accelerate innovation. Huerta and Babbitt agreed that regulations should prioritize training quality over quantity, and this shift can unlock a new era of efficiency, accessibility, and training effectiveness for pilots.
• Loft Dynamics founder and CEO Fabi Riesen delivered a presentation that covered several major company milestones: EASA’s qualification of the first VR FSTD in 2021, the qualification of the first mobile device in 2022, the rapid global expansion of the simulator fleet in 2023, and the groundbreaking FAA qualification in 2024. The presentation focused on the next chapter in this story of surging innovation: the introduction of the Loft Suite. This full-stack suite of tools allows pilots to train from anywhere at any time, connects all devices on the cloud, and enables data sharing and global access to tools like virtual demos. Guests witnessed the Loft Suite in action during a live capability show that demonstrated the power of networked flight training.
• Alaska Airlines Head of Corporate Development Pasha Saleh was joined onstage by Riesen to announce a pivotal new partnership with Loft Dynamics. Alaska has placed an order for five full-motion Boeing 737 VR simulators, which the airline will help Loft Dynamics develop. These simulators provide a critical alternative to the costly, cumbersome, and inefficient full-flight simulators currently on the market. With a global pilot shortage looming, airlines, operators, and regulators are seeking more flexible solutions. VR represents the next wave of pilot training, and by partnering with Loft Dynamics, Alaska Airlines is yet again at the forefront of innovation in the industry.
• Loft Dynamics CTO Christian Marty took the stage with Riesen for a chat about the future of the company and announced the introduction of all-new VR eyewear. This eyewear is much smaller and lighter than current VR headsets, but it offers even more vivid visuals than ever before.
• Simon Wittinger is an experienced helicopter pilot and instructor who has flown in extreme environments around the world—from Greenland to the Swiss Alps. He had a conversation with Ray Lamas, our North American VP, about what it takes to fly in the mountains and best practices for training pilots to be safe in unforgiving conditions. They discussed Wittinger’s Mountain Flying Handbook, as well as how Loft Dynamics VR simulators can be used to train both students and experienced pilots in mountain flying.
• In his inspiring talk “Journeys beyond the Kármán line,” Swiss pilot and astronaut Claude Nicollier gave us a front-row seat to what it was like to venture into space on vital missions like repairing the Hubble Space Telescope.
• The legendary helicopter test pilot Didier Delsalle delivered a heart-racing presentation about becoming the first and only pilot to land on the summit of Mount Everest.
• Jenna Gygi is a wingsuit world champion and coach who has done over 5,000 wingsuit jumps. She delivered an awe-inspiring presentation about wingsuit flight, which covered everything from the psychological factors involved to principles of risk management.
• During the breakout session, guests had an opportunity to visit EuroTube, Cellsius, or Dufour Aerospace. EuroTube is a Swiss non-profit research organization dedicated to developing hyperloop technology. Cellsius is a student-run project to develop hydrogen-powered and electric aircraft. Dufour Aerospace is a pioneering developer of eVTOL aircraft working to meet the advanced air mobility needs of tomorrow. Last year, Loft Dynamics forged a partnership with Dufour to develop its first VR eVTOL simulator.
• Loft Dynamics customer Air Zermatt brought an H125 to give guests a closer look and take pictures.
• We held our first-ever Loft Awards! The Pilot Awards went to Julie May from Air Zermatt and Manuel Gruber from Heli Austria. Airbus received our Stratosphere Partnership Award. And our SkyMaster Instructor Award went to Robby Jansch from VMT.
• The international comedy sensation Rob Spence was our host, and his electric presence on the stage kept us laughing all day.
• We ended the evening with a three-course Swiss dinner and drinks, and there was even a concert from the Loft Band!

Loft Fest 2025 was even bigger and better than last year. Guests learned all about how we’re constantly pushing the horizons of VR flight training with new features like LofTWIN, the introduction of our H145 simulator, and our expansion into the fixed-wing market with our new Alaska Airlines partnership. Guests took an active part in an essential dialogue about shaping the future of flight simulation, and we emerged from the event with more conviction than ever that technology is driving a revolution in aviation training and safety. To everyone who showed up and made Loft Fest 2025 such a success: thank you so much. We’ll see you—and hopefully many new faces—next year!