Keen chef, oddball inventor, and toy aircraft fanatic: Home life of MH370 pilot Captain Zaharie who posted 'Time to take passion to next level' comment before vanishing

  • MH370's pilot Captain Zaharie oddball inventor and keen chef from Penang
  • Captain loves flying toy aircraft including a seaplane marked 'RESCUE'
  • Recently boasted online about his simulator with 'awesome view'
  • Zaharie has a 27-year-old architect daughter living in Melbourne, Australia
  • Friends are horrified by idea 'good hearted' man accused of hijack
  • Strange online post by Zaharie 'looking for buddies to share this passion' and said it was 'time to take to the next level of simulation. Motion!'

By Candace Sutton

PUBLISHED: 21:57 EST, 16 March 2014 | UPDATED: 00:52 EST, 17 March 2014


He is a keen chef, prankster, oddball inventor and so passionate about flying that when he wasn't in the cockpit of a real Boeing 777, he was flying a toy one or other remote control aircraft in his home collection.

And Captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah, the pilot of MH370 now under close investigation as the possible hijacker of the missing aircraft, made a strange online post soon after building his 'awesome' flight simulator, which is now in the custody of Malaysian authorities.

As the Malaysian government seem set on accusing Captain Zaharie, of being a political fanatic who flew the Boeing 777 off course, friends and family insist he was a 'good hearted' man who loved nothing better than cooking up dishes from his native Penang.

Keen chef, prankster, oddball inventor and so passionate about flying that when he wasn't in the cockpit of a real Boeing 777, Captain Zaharie was flying a toy one or other remote control aircraft in his home collection

Keen chef, prankster, oddball inventor and so passionate about flying that when he wasn't in the cockpit of a real Boeing 777, Captain Zaharie was flying a toy one or other remote control aircraft in his home collection

Captain Zaharie, whose 27-year-old daughter Aishah (pictured above with her father) lives in Melbourne and is believed to be an architecture graduate of both Victoria's Deakin University and the International Islamic University of Malaysia, was also passionate about his home built simulator

Captain Zaharie, whose 27-year-old daughter Aishah (pictured above with her father) lives in Melbourne and is believed to be an architecture graduate of both Victoria's Deakin University and the International Islamic University of Malaysia, was also passionate about his home built simulator

Captain Zaharie in an undated photograph taken on a boat trip

Captain Zaharie in an undated photograph taken on a boat trip

Aircraft obsessed pilot Captain Zaharie was flying this Cataline PBY plane (above), an amphibious aircraft with the word 'RESCUE' painted on top of the aircraft, and other remotely-controlled craft, when he wasn't sitting in his home f;light simulator or the cockpit of a Boeing 777

Aircraft obsessed pilot Captain Zaharie was flying this Cataline PBY plane (above), an amphibious aircraft with the word 'RESCUE' painted on top of the aircraft, and other remotely-controlled craft, when he wasn't sitting in his home f;light simulator or the cockpit of a Boeing 777

Aishah Zaharie, who lives in Melbourne, is being comforted by friends as the search for flight MH370 continues and theories about her father, the plane's pilot Captain Zaharie, are mulled over by Malaysian authorities
Friends of Aishah Zaharie (above, left) have pleaded with the online community to pray for her father, Captain Zaharie, the pilot of missing Flight MH 370, as investigators wonder whether the flying-obsessed inventor was behind the apparent diversion from the Boeing 777's intended route

Aishah Zaharie (above), who lives in Melbourne, is being comforted by friends as the search for flight MH370 continues and Malaysian authorities mull over theories about her father, the plane's pilot Captain Zaharie

Pictures have emerged of Zaharie posted on various social media sites and blogs cooking up a traditional rice vermicelli soup dish called bihun, a tofu sambal and a fish curry.

The captain's pictures also include the toy craft he reportedly loved to fly: a remote controlled version of the Bell 222, a lighweight twin-engined helicopter, and a toy Cataline PBY plane, an amphibious aircraft with the word 'RESCUE' painted on top of the aircraft.

The father of three, whose 27-year-old daughter Aishah lives in Melbourne and is believed to be an architecture graduate of both Victoria's Deakin University and the International Islamic University of Malaysia, was also passionate about his home built simulator.

A message posted to an online flight simulator community by Captain Zaharie (above, with his home simulator) asked for 'buddies' to contact him about his 'awesome' simulator to take it 'to the next level. Motion!'

A message posted to an online flight simulator community by Captain Zaharie (above, with his home simulator) asked for 'buddies' to contact him about his 'awesome' simulator to take it 'to the next level. Motion!'

Posted by Captain Zaharie on Facebook, the missing pilot's photographs of the (left to right) butter prawns, curry fish and broccoli mushroom dishes he cooked at home in the family's apartment in a luxury gated community outside Kuala Lumpur

Posted by Captain Zaharie on Facebook, the missing pilot's photographs of the (left to right) butter prawns, curry fish and broccoli mushroom dishes he cooked at home in the family's apartment in a luxury gated community outside Kuala Lumpur

Another dish served up by the captain, chief MH 370 pilot Zaharie was also a passionate cook of Malay dishes from Penang, such as this tofu Sambal he cooked and photographed

Another dish served up by the captain, chief MH 370 pilot Zaharie was also a passionate cook of Malay dishes from Penang, such as this tofu Sambal he cooked and photographed

When he wasn't cooking, piloting Boeing 777s for Malaysian Airlines or 'flying' in his home simulator, Captain Zaharie flew toy aircraft like this remote-controlled model of the Bell 222, a lightweight twin-engined helicopter

When he wasn't cooking, piloting Boeing 777s for Malaysian Airlines or 'flying' in his home simulator, Captain Zaharie flew toy aircraft like this remote-controlled model of the Bell 222, a lightweight twin-engined helicopter

After building a flight simulator from this software (above), Captain Zaharie joined an online community called X-Sim and posted a message about the 'awesome view' on his simulator and asking for 'buddies' to join him as it was 'Time to take to the next level of simulation. Motion!'

After building a flight simulator from this software (above), Captain Zaharie joined an online community called X-Sim and posted a message about the 'awesome view' on his simulator and asking for 'buddies' to join him as it was 'Time to take to the next level of simulation. Motion!'

Seized by Malaysian investigators in the wake of the Flight MH370's disappearance, the simulator was constructed by Zaharie from video game software including the ASUS Direct CUII and Rampage IV Extreme motherboard.

Police are investigating the significance of the pilot's association with Malaysian opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim, who was jailed immediately prior to the departure of MH 370.

Zaharie had joined an online flight simulator community called X-Sim and after making his simulator, in November 2012 he posted a message about its 'awesome view' inviting 'buddies' to get in touch so they could take the simulator 'to the next level of simulation. Motion!'

'Elo guys, zaharie here,' says the post.

'Awesome view on 3 panasonic 32 in. LCD HDMI and and 3 touchscreen Dell 21 inches for main (MCP) , center pedestal, overhead panel.

'Time to take to the next level of simulation.Motion! looking for buddies to share this passion.

'Capt Zaharie Ahmad Shah, BOEING 777 MALAYSIA AIRLINES.'

Besides aviation, Zaharie also has a YouTube channel he used to upload video guides he made about his oddball inventions and home repairs, including a method of saving electricity by tuning the air conditioner, fixing the icemaker in his refrigerator and fixing a leaking window in his son's house.

As Malaysian authorities investigate the possibilities of MH 370 pilot Captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah being a religious fanatic who may have deliberately steered the Boeing 777 off course, friends urged others to support Zaharie's family and painted a picture of a loving and 'good-hearted' man

As Malaysian authorities investigate the possibilities of MH 370 pilot Captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah being a religious fanatic who may have deliberately steered the Boeing 777 off course, friends urged others to support Zaharie's family and painted a picture of a loving and 'good-hearted' man

Captain Zaharie Ahmad Sha (pictured, right) with his wife and daughter, Aishah, was a loving man with an obsession or flying who would not have crashed the missing Malaysian Airlines Boeing 77, friends say

Captain Zaharie Ahmad Sha (pictured, right) with his wife and daughter, Aishah, was a loving man with an obsession or flying who would not have crashed the missing Malaysian Airlines Boeing 77, friends say

Instagram photograph of MH 370 co-pilot Fariq Abdul Hamid, who along with Captain Zaharie, is under investigation as Malaysian officials grasp for an anser tro their missing Boeing 777

Instagram photograph of MH 370 co-pilot Fariq Abdul Hamid, who along with Captain Zaharie, is under investigation as Malaysian officials grasp for an anser tro their missing Boeing 777

A blog post supporting Zaharie said 'he truly has a good heart' and was 'an avid chef' who shared 'different dishes for those around him just like a true Malaysian and Penangite'.

The blog talks about the fact Zaharie, who most recently was living in a luxury gated community in Shah Alam, outside the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur, originally came from the northern state of Penang, whose residents are colloquailly called 'Penangites'.

Family posts on Twitter and Instagram by Captain Zaharie's nices and nephews, begged for their uncle to 'come home, we need you'.

Twitter user @HanifahTj posted: 'Uncle @ZAHARIES once told me 'anything you do,don't give up' and that's when I don't give up on him'.

Members of Australia's Malaysian community posted suportive messages, including â€@MuslihahMazlan who tweeted: 'Stay strong Aishah Zaharie n family. Pliz pray for MH370.  Especially to my friend Aishah who's dad was the captain of the flight'.

Zaharie, a Muslim, was a subscriber to atheist Richard Dawkins's Foundation for Reason and Science site and English comedian Eddie Izzard's site.

He also like the YouTube videos of a Russian prankster, who showed how to play party tricks like giving someone an electric shock and placing a plastic cockroach in a roll of toilet paper.

Flight simulator expert, Ian Pero, managing director of Flight Experience, Sydney, told the MailOnline Zaharie was what was called a 'home simmer', one of the ten per cent or more of pilots who had flight simulators in their home.

He said Mr Zaharie's reference to 'Motion!' in his blog post was the dream of all 'home simmers', to have a flight simulator that moved than was a fixed base device.

But it probably never would have happened, because the costs of full motion simulators are enormous, up to $30 million,' Mr Pero said.

'We have sold simulators to sheikhs and even they only get fixed base simulators.'


Comments (53)

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I would hate to see what they'd print about me if I was pyscho-profiled. I'm pretty normal but I'm sure that could be so easily twisted into making me a 'fanatic' or 'fantasist' or 'odd ball'.

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"was constructed by Zaharie from video game software including the ASUS Direct CUII and Rampage IV Extreme motherboard." This needs to be quoted in the interest of preserving DM logic and reasoning.

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I think the pilot rang the Malaysian PM and said that unless they release the Opposition Leader from jail for being a bummer he would steal MH370 but the PM didn't believe him. That is why the PM is so nervous. Oh well that's another conspiracy theory to consider.

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Yes, a remote control aircraft with the word RESCUE on it................Terrorist if ever I say one. Good job DM, maybe you could look into the backgrounds of a few other pilots too............?

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SO NOW ....having lots of model aircraft, and love cooking makes him a hijacker ? When will all this CRAP stop......he is a pilot so why wouldn't he like a flight simulator and models and stuff. BUT wait a moment.. did you know that cooks love cooking and have lots of food and cook books.. some even have a restaurant.....WOW....what a revelation that is

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Starting to think that although it could have been the captain and first officer behind the controls, I am now wondering if the plane was being directed by someone else in the cockpit and that the captain is not guilty!

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So does wearing a 'Democracy is dead' T-shirt make him a terrorist? If it does I must be a terrorist too because he's RIGHT - democracy IS dead. Just look around you. All the wealth and power is held by a handful of families while the rest of us simply have to sweat and graft and do as we are told by our lords and masters.

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4 pictures of his daughter who is not involved in this at all - why?? Also his interests and hobbies show he is normal , not an oddball! Says more about DM reporter than it does the pilot!

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so he's been tried already and found guilty. based on what?

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He looks like a normal, intelligent, extremely nice guy from the information above.

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