John Watson from Yarnell, Centre County says the Bellefonte Airport’s virtual reality flight simulator is great for young people, as it will be easier for them to take off and land in real life after doing it here.

“The video really helps with the kids now days, they’re playing video games, all the time and this is a very good start,” John Watson, from Yarnell, said.

Folks at the airport first watch the virtural reality flight, which was recorded from a real flight, and then they fly the plane with the simulator.

“The whole idea is to generate the interest, whether it’s from a ten year old to somebody who’s middle aged we want people to fly,” Jeff Elnitski, Co-Owner at Bellefonte Airport, said.

Jeff Elnitski Co-Owner of Bellefonte Airport says the VR simulator saves the airport more than $2,000 in training costs they would have spent teaching people to fly in a real plane.

Watson says it can help take away itimidation people may have about flying an aircraft.

“I think it’s very interesting to start somebody on that,” Watson, said. “Let them have an idea what it’s like.”

Elnitski, says because of this VR simulation at Grange Fair this year, four people have signed up to take flight lessons at Bellefonte Airport.