Flights feel like the real deal

EAGLE - It's as close to the real thing as many of us will ever get -- simulation flying.

The idea to build a simulation airport, or “simport,” came to an Eagle man about five years ago and now it's a reality.... a virtual reality.

Eagle SIMPort has four hydraulic simulators that give participants a 3D view of a virtual world without leaving the ground.

"Flight simulation has been in my blood ever since I was a young kid. Or since computers came out with simulators,” said Bill Altman, owner of Eagle SIMPort.

They were all built with his own hands.

Years ago Altman tried to join the Navy during the Vietnam War, and he was rejected because he had a stigmatism.

He became a commercial pilot and then began experimenting with simulators.

"The first one we worked on for about four years,” said Altman.

Altman says his simulators can mimic almost any plane. He tells us pilots come in to have fun and to sharpen their skills.

"We can change the weather to really adjust the aircraft for all conditions,” said Altman.

The instruments used are exactly like what would be found in a real aircraft.

Sim-pilots can fly from Boise...to Seattle...to Hong Kong.

It's so real the Department of Homeland Security even paid him a visit to make sure everything was on the up and up.

Eagle SIMport is in the process of getting FAA certified so pilots can actually log real flight time hours towards their pilots license.

Atwell hopes to one day franchise his simport across the nation.

For more information, visit their website at www.flyonenow.com or call 284-2727.