 KUALA LUMPUR — The pilot of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 enjoyed flying the Boeing 777 so much that he spent his days off tinkering with a flight simulator of the plane he had set up at home, current and former co-workers said. Captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah, 53, had always wanted to become a pilot and joined the national carrier in 1981. Airline staff who worked with the pilot said Capt Zaharie knew the ins and outs of the Boeing 777 extremely well, as he was always practicing with the simulator. They declined to be identified due to company policy. “He was an aviation tech geek. You could ask him anything and he would help you. That is the kind of guy he is,” said a Malaysia Airlines co-pilot who had flown with Capt Zaharie in the past. Capt Zaharie set up the Boeing 777 simulator at his home in a suburb on the outskirts of the Malaysian capital where many airline staff stay as it provides quick access to the Kuala Lumpur International Airport. Pictures posted by Capt Zaharie on his Facebook page show a simulator with three computer monitors, a tangle of wires and several panels. “We used to tease him. We would ask him: Why are you bringing your work home?” said a pilot who has known Capt Zaharie for 20 years. Capt Zaharie had over 18,000 hours of flying experience, having flown Fokker F50s, Boeing 737s and the Airbus A300 in over three decades with Malaysia Airlines. And his passion for aviation went beyond the Boeing 777. Other photos posted up by him on Facebook show he was an avid collector of remote-controlled, miniature aircraft, including a lightweight twin-engined helicopter. Capt Zaharie was certified by Malaysia’s Department of Civil Aviation as an examiner to conduct simulator tests for pilots, said several officials from Malaysia Airlines. “He knew everything about the Boeing 777. Something significant would have had to happen for Zaharie and the plane to go missing,” said another Malaysia Airlines pilot who knew Capt Zaharie. “The Boeing 777 doesn’t just stall like that,” added a former Malaysia Airlines pilot who now works for a rival airline. “It is one of the safest planes out there. It doesn’t just fall out of the sky like that.” Via: Todayonline
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