Flying Was Not Smit’s First Choice

Hyderabad:For Captain Smit Machchhar, who drew international attention following the dramatic cockpit incident aboard a Flydubai flight, flying an aircraft was not his childhood dream, and when he decided to choose aviation as a career, his mother had opposed it out of fear.

"Aviation was not like a childhood dream. It came along much later in my life," Macchhar said in a podcast conversation with Zalak Mehta in October 2025, which resurfaced after the Flydubai incident. He had initially pursued studies connected with his family’s textile business before an aviation seminar during his management studies introduced him to the possibility of becoming a pilot.

Machchar said his mother was initially apprehensive about the career choice in part because flying itself frightened her and because becoming a professional pilot was a much less familiar career path in India at the time.

However, his father responded differently. “My father asked me if I would be able to become a pilot, I said yes. He then asked me to figure it out.”

Machchhar eventually travelled to New Zealand for pilot training. He said the training cost roughly Rs 16 lakh to Rs 17 lakh at the time, compared with costs that can now exceed Rs 80 lakh.

After he became a pilot, Machchhar’s parents, who once had reservations about aviation, had themselves become regular air travellers.

His first commercial flight, from Bengaluru to Delhi, brought another lesson. Machchhar said he was frightened not by flying itself, but by the responsibility that came with operating a passenger aircraft while still undergoing airline training. He later reflected that nervousness could itself lead to mistakes and that remaining composed was essential in the cockpit.

Subsequently, Machchhar built his career around the Boeing 737 family. He joined SpiceJet in 2011 and spent about 11 years with the Indian carrier, eventually becoming a senior commander and line training captain. He moved to Flydubai in June 2022 as a direct-entry captain. He has roughly 9,750 hours of Boeing 737 flying experience.

Speaking about his experience with the Boeing 737 MAX and the uncertainty pilots felt after two fatal crashes involving the aircraft type led to its worldwide grounding, Machchhar said he was initially excited about flying the newer aircraft, but the crashes created uncertainty even among professional pilots.

Machchhar laid stress on the importance of separating the cockpit from home life. When in uniform, the pilot had said, his attention was entirely on the job. Once outside the aircraft, however, he tried to stop thinking about aviation and devote time to his family.

“Give personal life equal importance — it will help you fly longer,” he advised aspiring pilots.

For young people, who are considering aviation careers, Machchhar stressed the importance of education, particularly mathematics and physics.