Harvesting, the virtual way

Waiariki Institute of Technology tutors Mark McNaught, seated, and David Batterham, back, try out the new John Deere harvester simulator under the guidance of Cable Price equipment sales specialist Terry Duncan.

The simulator has been donated by John Deer to the institute as a pilot project. It fells virtual trees, strips branches and cuts stems to length using joysticks, switches and buttons, then transforms into a virtual forwarder, loading and towing the cut logs.

It will be used for training and at promotional events such as career days, starting with the opening of the school's new building and gasification plant on September 5 and then at the Forest Industries Expo until September 7.