Crazy' FlyDubai landing explained by Israeli pilot, who offers steps to prevent future crises

A former Israeli helicopter pilot turned aviation cybersecurity CEO, Eliran Almog, said FlyDubai Flight 1073 was “crazy” to land safely after a violent midair attack that nearly became a hijacking. Almog described the terrifying physics and cockpit-control sequence after authorities said an alleged stabbing by a copilot—identified as 29-year-old Hamam al-Hammami, an Omani national—sent the jet plunging more than 14,000 feet in 30 seconds. Capt. Smit Machchhar was seriously injured but reportedly opened the cockpit door, letting Israeli passengers subdue al-Hammami. Almog urged continuous psychological screening and resiliency checks for flight crews, not one-time testing, citing growing geopolitical and family-stress risks.