The newest tenant of the 1881 Smith's Grain Store in Harbour St does not match the eccentric artistic vibe for which the Oamaru area is now known.
The New Zealand Airline Academy has taken a six-month trial lease at the grain store, and this week installed a certified flight simulator.
While the new tenancy was ''a bit radical'', Mr Clark said student pilots training on high-tech equipment in the historic area fit with the area's growing vibrancy.
Further, with plans to create a tourism experience, the airline academy could be another drawcard for the area.
Mr Clark had spoken to neighbouring tenants, and everybody was on board.
''I kind of like the juxtaposition, really, of a penny-farthing sitting there,'' Mr Clark said.
''I think everyone can see that there could be some good spin-offs from it for their own businesses.
''It's going to drive foot traffic, we would hope - it's a positive for everybody.''
New Zealand Airline Academy chief executive Jonathan Manuel confirmed there were plans to create an attraction with the simulator, but his student pilots based at Oamaru Airport would receive 20 hours of training on the machine.
When purchasing the machine, the company had contacted the Waitaki District Council, which put him in touch with the trust.
Pacific Simulators director of operations Russell Hubber was on site on Tuesday to oversee the delivery of the machine.
Mr Hubber, who founded the business, said he had watched users of the flight simulator lean as if they were flying, and some users had even become airsick. ''It's full immersion,'' he said. ''When you walk into this it's like walking into a real aeroplane. It's got a 180-degree visual, all the instrumentation - all the switches and knobs - everything interacts just like a real aeroplane.''
