MUMBAI: Long before Captain Smit Machchhar became the pilot who fought through serious injuries to help save 174 people aboard a flydubai flight, friends and neighbours knew him as a calm, cheerful and down-to-earth man who was always willing to help.“Smit is the most calm, composed and down-to-earth person you could ever meet,” said Capt Dharav Gosalia, a friend who has known Machchhar since their flying school days.On Wednesday, that composure was tested at altitude when flydubai flight FZ1073, carrying 174 people from Dubai to Tel Aviv, came under attack inside the cockpit. According to Israeli officials, Machchhar’s co-pilot stabbed him and attempted to crash the aircraft. The plane reportedly plunged nearly 14,000 feet in less than 30 seconds.Seriously injured, Machchhar managed to regain control of the aircraft and open the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew to overpower the attacker. The flight eventually made an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. Machchhar, 39, is recovering in Abu Dhabi.Those who knew him said his response in the crisis reflected the personality they had seen for years.“He is one of the calmest and most fun guys possible,” said a friend, a B737 pilot who requested anonymity. “Maybe it is his upbringing. He is always in fun mode, but he is family-oriented too.”
‘Everyone went to him when they had a problem’
Machchhar earned his commercial pilot licence from Mainland Aviation College in New Zealand in the late 2000s. His classmates soon came to rely on him whenever they struggled with their studies.“Anyone with a problem in air navigation, aircraft technical or any subject went to him,” the pilot said.His career later took him to flydubai, where he became a Boeing 737 captain and line trainer.His willingness to help was not limited to colleagues. Friends said Machchhar treated loaders, engineers, ground staff and catering workers with the same respect he showed fellow pilots.At M D Bhatia School, where he completed Class 10 in 2003, school friend Bhavin Jethva remembered him as “straightforward, bindass”.“He didn’t like to lie. He was never fake and he couldn’t pretend,” Jethva said.Another childhood friend, Amit Soni, who played cricket with Machchhar, recalled him as cheerful and lively.Former classmates have since been posting prayers for his recovery on their WhatsApp group. “We are proud of him,” Jethva said.
From Tilak Nagar to the cockpit
Machchhar lived at Swastik Heights in Mumbai’s Tilak Nagar until around 2022. Neighbour Laxmikanth Joshi recalled several small gestures that reflected his helpful nature.After returning from Kenya, Joshi realised he had bought too little coffee to share with friends. Machchhar arranged for a pilot colleague to bring more.Joshi also remembered Machchhar rushing to a hospital after returning to India when his father underwent bypass surgery about six months ago. He stayed with him through the treatment.During Independence Day and Republic Day celebrations in the society, Machchhar also helped residents with the flag-hoisting arrangements. Joshi recalled that he taught them how to tie the rope properly so that “one pull and the flag unfurled”.Machchhar moved to Dubai around 2022 after leaving SpiceJet. He and his wife, Sonal, have two children, Krishay, 2, and Ziva, 9.His parents informed residents of their society through a WhatsApp group late Wednesday that he was recovering after the attack.As tributes poured in from across the world, US President Donald Trump called Machchhar a “hero”. Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised his courage and presence of mind, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the captain’s actions helped prevent a catastrophic mid-air disaster.For those who knew him before the headlines, however, Machchhar remains the same person they remember — the calm pilot, the cheerful friend and the “bindass” Mumbai boy who was always ready to help.
