With the introduction of the PMDG DC-6 in MSFS, to say nothing of an assortment of propliners in other sim platforms, it will be necessary to be able to retain at least the VOR, and preferably the NDB structure of the US (and perhaps the worldwide) navigation system.
VOR’s are being decomissioned at an accelerating pace, and to properly fly even in the late 20th century environment we will need a VOR and NDB structure that replicates the airspace system as it was at the height of radio navigation, just prior to the widescale introduction of GPS and IRS domestic navigation. It would be nice to also have access to at least a collection of charts and approach plates from that era, although that can still be accessed in other ways at this point.
Is it possible to create a nav database for the USA, say, as it existed around 1980? With all of the VOR’s, airways, intersections, and so on. If so, would there be some way (other than a standalone separate installation of the simulator, as is possible with XPlane) to keep such a database intact and free from updates? This would be a great addition to all platforms, especially with the increasing popularity of “golden age” add-ons, which would include even the early jets up through the early wide bodies.