Smit Machchhar Educational Qualification: Indian pilot Captain Smit Machhar is being hailed as a hero after surviving a stabbing by his co-pilot in the cockpit of a Flydubai flight and helping to thwart an alleged attempt to crash the plane. He has undergone surgery and is in stable condition.
The other pilot, whose identity is yet to be confirmed, was arrested by Saudi authorities after the plane landed safely. Leaders including Narendra Modi, Donald Trump and Benjamin Netanyahu have praised his courage.
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Who Is Smit Machchhar?
Machchhar is from Ghatkopar East in Mumbai and lives in Dubai for work. He has served as a captain on flydubai's Boeing 737 fleet since June 2022, according to his LinkedIn profile. His brother is also a pilot, flying with Akasa Air, and has reportedly recently joined flydubai as well.
Smit Machchhar Educational Background:
After school, Machchhar joined a textile engineering course linked to his family's business. He then switched to management and earned a bachelor's degree in business administration from the Welingkar Institute of Management (June 2007 to April 2008). At 19, an aviation seminar during that course showed him what he wanted to do. His mother was scared of the choice, while his father took it calmly. He trained in New Zealand at a cost of roughly Rs 16-17 lakh, as he said on the podcast Bonafide Banter with Zalak Mehta.
Smit Machchhar Career Journey:
He joined SpiceJet in Mumbai in 2011 and spent 11 years there, rising to senior commander and, in November 2020, line training captain, a role in which he trained and assessed other pilots. In June 2022 he moved to flydubai as a direct-entry captain, a route that lets airlines appoint pilots who already hold captain positions elsewhere.
He has over 13 years of commercial experience on the 737 and more than 9,750 flying hours on the 737-800 and 737 MAX 8 and 9, including over 6,400 hours as pilot-in-command at SpiceJet.
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PM Modi, Trump, And Netanyahu Hail Indian pilot As a 'hero':
On Wednesday, Netanyahu described Machhar as a "real hero," stating, "Despite being stabbed and seriously injured, he fought back, resisted, opened the cockpit door, and helped passengers and crew subdue the attacker—thereby averting a horrific mid-air disaster."
Despite being stabbed and seriously injured, he fought back, resisted, opened the cockpit door, and enabled passengers and crew to overpower the attacker, preventing a catastrophic mid-air…
— Benjamin Netanyahu - בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) September 30, 2026
Following the incident, Machhar underwent surgery and is in stable condition, while the second pilot—whose identity has not yet been confirmed, was arrested by Saudi authorities. Leaders from around the world, including PM Modi, praised the Indian pilot and called him a "hero."
Modi wrote on X, "Captain Smit Machhar is a hero. Despite facing extreme danger and sustaining serious injuries, he displayed immense courage and unwavering resolve to save the lives of others. His bravery saved hundreds of lives and averted a major tragedy."
Trump also called the pilot a "hero," noting that he managed to open the door, fall backward, and shout for help.
What Happened on Flight FZ 1073?
The flight was heading from Dubai International to Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport on Wednesday morning when an altercation broke out on the flight deck, according to flydubai. Netanyahu said that as the plane approached Israel, one pilot stabbed the other and tried to crash it. The aircraft dropped over 17,400 feet in two minutes during the struggle.
Despite his injuries, Machchhar fought back and opened the cockpit door. A crew member and a passenger then subdued the attacker and stabilised the plane, which diverted to Saudi Arabia and landed safely. All passengers are safe, and the suspect is being questioned.