The article doesn't really state why one would do this, so here's my reason: I'm the sort of person who likes to challenge myself to geometrical problems, but I'm not good enough at it to do any higher maths.
Flight simulation, or, more specifically, finding my way around the sky by radio navigation aids scratches that itch. The procedures involved are precisely solving simple 3D geometrical problems on the fly.
> The article doesn't really state why one would do this
The most fun HN submissions are the “because I can” type posts, no need to state that.