CBP Will Train Pilots Using VR Simulators for First Time

Loft Dynamics’ flight simulation training devices are about 12 times smaller than traditional simulators.

Jack Daleo

Thursday, November 13, 2025 at 10:00 AM ET

Verified

Edited By:

Travis Tingle

U.S. Customs and Border Protection will deploy Loft Dynamics’ Airbus H125 virtual reality simulator for pilot training. [Courtesy: U.S. Customs and Border Protection]

Key Takeaways:

CBP is the first U.S. federal law enforcement agency to adopt virtual reality (VR) flight simulators for pilot training, acquiring Loft Dynamics' FAA/EASA-qualified Airbus H125 simulator for its Air and Marine Operations unit.
The VR simulators offer a safer, more cost-effective, and efficient training method compared to live flights, allowing pilots to practice complex, high-risk scenarios without real-world dangers or logistical constraints.
This adoption by CBP signals a broader paradigm shift towards immersive VR training in aviation and public safety, building on earlier adoption by the LAPD and indicating growing industry interest from regulators and commercial airlines.

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Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will be the first U.S. federal law enforcement agency and first branch of the Homeland Security Department to train pilots using virtual reality (VR) flight simulators.

On Wednesday, Swiss VR flight simulation training device (FSTD) provider Loft Dynamics announced that CBP’s Air and Marine Operations (AMO) unit awarded a contract to its partner, Davenport Aviation, for delivery of Loft’s Airbus H125 simulator—the first of its kind to be qualified by both the FAA and European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).