Many simmers like flying the latest aircraft with modern glass cockpit avionics. Other simmers like the challenge of using Microsoft Flight Simulator to re-create the experiences of pilots from the golden age of aviation, long before the introduction of GPS to civilian flying, when aviators relied on map & compass skills, dead reckoning, pilotage, star fixes, and — if they were lucky — ground-based radio navaids like VOR and ADF.
Born in Iran and now living in Canada, Capt. Arash is one such simmer. Along with his viewer community The Compass Club, Capt. Arash has been embarking on a multi-year journey to circumnavigate the world in a steam gauge Cessna 172 using only legacy navigation techniques (no GPS). Every leg of the voyage is broadcast live on his Twitch channel.
We recently caught up with Capt. Arash to discuss his love of simming, old school navigation, real-world flying, and even the recently-completed PlayStation 5 beta test.
How long have you been part of the flight simulation hobby, and what was your first sim? Do you have any favorite memories about using flight sims when you were younger?
I have more than 28 years of sim experience. My first limited experience goes back to when I was a kid and playing with a flight simulator on my Dad’s Commodore 64. I was too young to remember the actual title of it, but I do remember how fascinating it was for me to control a plane in such primitive software, even though I had very limited understanding of all the instruments and numbers shown on the display. When my Dad bought our first Windows-based PC back in 1997, my cousin gave me his copy of MSFS 4.0 on a 3.5-inch floppy disk and I started learning about the basic aircraft instruments and practicing takeoffs and landings around the famous Chicago Meigs Field. If I close my eyes, I can clearly see the iconic UI and the downtown Chicago waterfront in MSFS 4.0. It didn’t take long until I bought MSFS 98 when it became available in my area (I still have its original CD) and I started spending a lot of time flying around the world, learning about VOR navigation and ILS approaches, etc. Basically, the start of my serious simming experience.
When I was in my last year of high school, my family had planned a vacation to go to Singapore and Malaysia, but I was unable to go with them due to school and preparation for university admission. So obviously, I was not happy about it; however, I used their itinerary and re-created the flight plans in Microsoft Flight Simulator so I could virtually travel with my family to southeast Asia. I remember doing the math to make sure that my departure and arrivals matched the exact times of my family’s flights and to make it “as real as it gets.” It might sound funny, but even though I missed that vacation with my family, it really felt amazing to be able to virtually accompany them.
While many sim pilots enjoy using GPS and “flying the magenta line”, you’ve purposely adopted a more retro approach and choose to use legacy navaids such as VOR, ADF, dead reckoning, and even celestial navigation. What was your inspiration or motivation for choosing to use these older systems instead of the ease and convenience of GPS?
Full disclosure, I do use GPS when I occasionally fly with modern airliners in the sim. But yes, when I fly with GA aircrafts, or older airliners, I actively seek out ways to only use legacy navigation methods and instruments. That’s because not only do I enjoy flying with and controlling my aircraft by going from point A to point B, but I also enjoy how the journey is done, including the navigation part of it. In fact, it gives me an extra sense of accomplishment when I do the navigation myself as opposed to relying on the GPS software to tell me which direction I should go and for how long. Perhaps it’s related to my background in physics, math, and engineering which gives me joy in solving problems. Of course, sitting behind my desk lacks the physical sensation and feeling of flying, in terms of g-forces, having a full field of view of the world, etc., but I feel using the basic “six pack” and other analog instruments and also doing the math and plotting to go to my next waypoint gets me closer to the actual spirit of flying.
You also asked about celestial navigation. This is actually a relatively new skill that I have learned, thanks to our amazing and creative collective community of flight simmers! Three years ago, when my friend, Alyson Johnson, was planning to re-create Amelia Earhart’s attempted around-the-world flight, in MSFS 2020, we had some discussions together and agreed how amazing it would be to do it as authentic as possible by also incorporating celestial navigation, which was a major and crucial skill to have during that era. So, I started learning more about this amazing skill and heavily consulted with Eric van der Veen (a.k.a. CelestialNavigator in the community) to learn the ins and outs of it. After a couple of months studying and some practice flights, I felt confident that I can act as Amelia Earhart’s navigator, Fred Noonan, and help Alyson to complete the virtual re-creation of this historical event. And to this day, it has been the most amazing journey and collaboration I have had when it comes to flight simming! The sense of achievement and adventure is truly unique and unmatched and I always use it as a prime example of why I enjoy using the legacy navigation methods.
In your around-the-world in a Cessna 172 livestream series, have you encountered any unique challenges that arose from not using GPS? Have you flown through any areas/regions that don’t have VOR stations, for example?
Yes, many times! For example, if you fly over the vast deserts of Australia, there is nothing to help you with navigation, except prominent landmarks that can be identified on your VFR charts, so you have to plan your flight with enough care and attention to them in order to successfully navigate your way to your destination. Or while flying from the east coast of Australia to New Zealand, over the Tasman Sea, using only dead reckoning can be very risky as winds can push you away from your desired path and miss the tiny islands along the way, while using celestial navigation can drastically improve your accuracy and confidence. And of course, this also requires meticulous weather observations as lack of visibility can really jeopardize your journey.
You’ve previously done some real-world flying with an instructor pilot. How did flight simming prepare you for that experience? What did you notice was the biggest difference between flying a Cessna 172 in MSFS at home vs. flying in a real Cessna 172?
In my experience, when I was in a real Cessna 172, even for the first time, I found almost everything familiar to me. Nothing was a mystery or surprise. From the verbal interactions with the instructor, the communications with ATC, the aircraft instruments, even the way the aircraft responded to my control inputs, all seemed familiar and predictable. I’m not exaggerating when I say it felt like home, but more immersive. On the other hand, the biggest difference was the presence of haptic feedback and experiencing the g-forces, which made me realize that the real flying experience could be, in some areas, easier than in a flight sim. Because I didn’t need to watch my instrument as often to see if I’m banking or pitching or yawing correctly or not. It was mostly possible to keep looking outside and just feel the aircraft’s movements. Somewhat similar to driving a real car vs a driving/trucking simulator. Of course it is never a replacement, but I think having so many hours of serious flight simming, definitely makes it a lot easier for someone who wants to pursue a flying career, or just obtaining their recreational license, or perhaps speeds up the process and potentially saves them a lot of money by quickly learning the essential skill, without the need to repeat the lessons. Once you become familiar with the basic concepts and know what to expect by simming, then learning and mastering the skills in real life becomes second nature.
Despite being a long-time PC simmer, you’ve recently been posting on social media about your experiences participating in the PlayStation 5 beta test. What are your thoughts on using MSFS on a console, and do you have any advice for the incoming group of new simmers who will be trying MSFS 2024 for the first time when it releases on PS5 in December?
I believe flight simming and aviation enthusiasm should be independent from a specific platform. Some people like to have a hard-core experience, and some people like to keep it casual. Some people like to experience extra challenges by using legacy navaids, some people like to use modern ones. But regardless, it needs to be accessible to everyone, because it can be life or career defining. People can get motivated to start their career based on the experiences they have when they are younger. But we all have seen how something like the cost of a high-end PC can be a prohibitive factor to start this hobby, while a gaming console can be a huge help and starting point. I have seen first-hand how individuals were so eager to join the flight sim community but didn’t have a powerful enough PC to do so. I’ve been asked countless times by my viewers whether or not MSFS is available on PS5. My brother is one of those viewers and when I showed him the first trailer for MSFS on PS5, he was genuinely so excited!
I also had a very positive experience with the sim on this new platform. It really exceeded my expectations in terms of stability, performance, and graphics quality and I’m so excited to witness a lot more aviation enthusiasts being able to join the amazing flight sim community. My advice to these new simmers is to not feel shy to ask as many questions as needed from the experienced simmers. That’s how we learned in the past and we will be very happy to pass on the knowledge. Join the communities, make friends, and watch how they fly so you can maximize your joy. Also, start with training missions in MSFS 2024. They are great for beginners! And learn to fly with small and simple planes first and master them before jumping into the larger and more complicated ones. This way, you can experience the true spirit and nature of flying and navigation in its more basic and pure form. The larger and complex aircrafts will always be there for your entertainment and to tinker with their systems.
Simmers can watch Capt. Arash on his Twitch channel or follow him on Bluesky. You can also follow his YouTube channel which features his own theme song composed by community member CIACowboy.
