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Flydubai Pilot Smit Machchhar's Old Video Goes Viral: "Focus On Flying, Not Selfies"
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News18•30-09-2026, 22:27
Flydubai Pilot Smit Machchhar's Old Video Goes Viral: "Focus On Flying, Not Selfies"
- •An old video of Flydubai pilot Smit Machchhar advising aspiring pilots to prioritize experience over social media image has resurfaced after a mid-air emergency.
- •Machchhar, reportedly injured in a cockpit brawl on Flydubai flight FZ1073, emphasized focusing on "why you fly" rather than where or what aircraft.
- •The incident involved a violent confrontation between pilots, leading to the flight's diversion to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, and triggering emergency signals.
- •Smit Machchhar, a former SpiceJet pilot with over 13 years of experience and 9,750 flying hours, joined Flydubai in June 2022.
- •Passenger accounts described screams and chaos during the incident, which prompted Israel to scramble fighter jets due to fears of hijacking.
Key Questions Answered
Nearly a year before a mid-air emergency, Smit Machchhar advised aspiring pilots to prioritize gaining experience, refining aviation skills, and focusing on why they fly rather than chasing specific airlines, aircraft types, or social media image and selfies.
Flydubai flight FZ1073 diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, after a violent altercation broke out in the cockpit between the captain and the co-pilot while traveling from Dubai to Tel Aviv.
Smit Machchhar is a direct-entry captain who joined Flydubai in June 2022 after spending more than 11 years with SpiceJet, bringing over 13 years of commercial flying experience and thousands of logged hours on Boeing 737 aircraft.
