Post-retirement, the man combined all his knowhow on aviation, gathered spare parts from local markets and even recycled seats from a bus.

Over the past couple of decades, countries in the Middle East have managed to touch the stars with their proactive attitude towards embracing technology and developing capabilities of their own, to enter the modern space race alongside powers like the US and China. Following successful satellite launches and the achievements of UAE’s maiden mission to Mars, astronauts from the region are also busy sharpening their skills to carve out a place for themselves at the international space station.

From space travel to tourism in the time of corona, virtual reality’s popularity has skyrocketed as a crucial tool for online meetings, auctions, exhibitions and visits to historical sites recreated in the digital realm, through a set of devices for an immersive experience. As the world has been busy exploring VR and AR ecosystems for gaming and entertainment, a Jordanian man built a flight simulation mechanism right downstairs in his basement, to make sure that he could continue to touch the sky from the safety of his home.

The 76-year-old with a passion for flying had even taken flying lessons way back in the 70s, and had started gliding into the digital realm in 2006, when he downloaded a software, which allowed him to take virtual flights on his computer. Post-retirement, the man combined all his knowhow on aviation, gathered spare parts from local markets and even recycled seats from a bus, to build his very own cockpit to create a realistic experience.

After spending hours flying over Beirut and US through his PC, Malhas now has a screen that features forests, rivers and deserts below, and can also tweak the climate surrounding him through the settings. With help from a couple of friends who are engineers, the flying enthusiast managed to complete work on his simulator in three years.