For Captain Dharav Gosalia, the story of Smit Machchhar is not simply about a dramatic aviation emergency. It is about a friend he has known since they were around 20 years old, when the two were neighbours in Ghatkopar, Mumbai, and began their flying training in New Zealand.
When Gosalia first heard what had happened inside the Flydubai cockpit, his immediate reaction was one of disbelief. He said the news gave him goosebumps.
The two pilots have travelled through much of their careers together. Machchhar was Gosalia’s senior during their flying training, and the pair later worked together at SpiceJet for six years, flying Boeing 737 aircraft.
Their professional journeys eventually separated. Machchhar moved to Dubai and joined Flydubai in 2022, while Gosalia went on to fly Boeing 777 aircraft for Air India. Their friendship, however, continued through WhatsApp, phone calls and messages, where they would talk about routes, destinations and their families.
A Pilot With Years of Experience
Machchhar had built substantial experience before the incident. According to media reports, he had accumulated more than 9,750 hours of flying, including over 6,400 hours as pilot-in-command.
Gosalia remembers him not only as an experienced pilot but also as someone who helped others entering the profession.
Machchhar taught new recruits, supported younger pilots and shared knowledge gained during his own career. Gosalia described him as a disciplined flier.
He also remembers Machchhar away from aviation. The two would meet during layovers in places including Milan and Bangkok. When they were back in Mumbai, they would sometimes play tennis-ball cricket.
To Gosalia, Machchhar — whom friends and colleagues call “Smit Mac” — has always been an outgoing and jovial person.
Training That Becomes Instinct
Gosalia believes years of training played an important role in preparing Machchhar for difficult situations.
Some of that training came from former Indian Air Force pilots who later moved into commercial aviation. Gosalia said this type of training places emphasis on focus, discipline and motor skills. He also explained the practice known among pilots as “chair flying.”
During chair flying, a pilot sits in a chair and mentally rehearses an emergency procedure. The pilot goes through the sequence mentally while moving their hands towards the positions where the relevant cockpit switches and controls would be located.
The purpose is to make the movements instinctive so that there is less hesitation when an actual emergency leaves very little time to react.
The Situation Machchhar Faced
Those skills were put under extraordinary pressure on Wednesday. Machchhar was commanding a Flydubai Boeing 737 Max flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv when another pilot reportedly attacked and stabbed him inside the cockpit.
The aircraft was subsequently diverted to Tabuk in north-western Saudi Arabia. Machchhar was taken to hospital after the aircraft landed there. The Indian embassy in Riyadh said Machchhar was in stable condition.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later called Machchhar a “true hero”, saying that he had saved the lives of 180 people and prevented what he described as a “catastrophic mid-air disaster.”
An Emergency With No Ordinary Checklist
For Gosalia, the incident highlights a difficult reality of aviation training. Pilots have established procedures for situations including engine failure, fire and loss of cabin pressure. But there is no conventional checklist for another person attempting to overpower the pilot inside the cockpit.
Gosalia said the precise sequence of the confrontation will become clearer through the aircraft’s flight data and cockpit recordings. What he emphasised was the responsibility Machchhar carried as the commander of the flight and the pressure under which he had to make decisions.
For Gosalia, courage was an essential part of responding to a situation that represented a threat to life.
A Friendship That Began Before Their Flying Careers
The incident has also made Gosalia reflect on the person he has known for decades. From their days as young neighbours in Ghatkopar to their flying training in New Zealand, their years together at SpiceJet and their later conversations from different parts of the aviation world, Gosalia has watched Machchhar’s career develop over time.
Their connection continued even after they moved to different airlines and different aircraft. Now, Gosalia sees his friend’s experience during the Flydubai incident as an example of courage under extreme pressure.
He said, Smit has taught a courage to everyone, adding that if pilots ever face a similar situation, they will do the same.
Gujarat Honour for Machchhar
Machchhar’s actions have also brought recognition from his home state.
The Gujarat government announced that he would be honoured with the Visisht Gujarat Garima Award for his courage during the Flydubai incident.
Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel announced the state honour on Thursday, October 1.
For Gosalia, however, Machchhar remains more than the pilot at the centre of an extraordinary aviation incident.
He remains “Smit Mac” — the old friend from Ghatkopar, the senior pilot he knew during training, the former SpiceJet colleague and the person whose courage has left a lasting impression on those who have known him throughout his flying career.
Also Read: ‘True Hero’: Gujarat Pilot Smit Machchhar Stabbed Mid-Air, Family Awaits His Recovery
