From textile engineering to cockpit hero: Indian pilot wins praise after flydubai drama

Indian pilot Smit Machchhar, hailed as a hero for preventing a crash of a flydubai jet bound for Israel, has garnered widespread praise for his bravery. The 39-year-old, who has nearly 10 years of flying experience, was reportedly stabbed mid-air by the co-pilot in an attempt to crash the plane carrying 174 people. Machchhar, who had initially aimed for a career in his family's textile business, discovered his passion for aviation at the age of 19 while attending a seminar.

He later trained in New Zealand and joined SpiceJet, where he rose to the rank of line training captain, before moving to flydubai in 2022. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Machchhar a "true hero" and said he showed immense courage and unwavering resolve to protect the lives of others despite being seriously injured.

The veteran captain, who has logged over 9,750 flying hours, arrived in aviation relatively late and prefers to keep his love for flying separate from his personal life, stating that once he exits the cockpit, he focuses on his duties and moves on.