Capt. Smit Machchhar, flydubai hero pilot, was always 'two steps' ahead: ex-colleague
Capt. Smit Machchhar’s experience and instinct to prepare for any eventuality helped prevent what could have been an “unimaginable” disaster, a former colleague said. The flydubai captain is credited for helping save the lives of 174 passengers when he opened the cockpit door despite suffering life-threatening injuries in an attack by his co-pilot. The incident began several hours into flydubai…
Former colleague Capt. Dharav Gosalia praised the extraordinary skills of flydubai Captain Smit Machchhar, saying his ability to anticipate potential problems helped save the lives of 174 passengers during a terrifying cockpit attack. The incident occurred on flydubai Flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv on September 30, when Machchhar's co-pilot allegedly attacked him with a crash axe, attempting to seize control of the aircraft.
Despite suffering life-threatening injuries, Machchhar managed to open the cockpit door, enabling passengers and off-duty crew to overpower the attacker. Gosalia, a longtime friend and former colleague, explained that Machchhar's habit of staying "two steps ahead" of the aircraft was instrumental in his response, as it instilled within him a readiness to react promptly to any situation.
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