Flydubai axe attack: Aircraft ‘30 seconds’ from crashing in dive, relief crew were heroes, pilot trainer says

Senior Business Reporter·NZ Herald·6 Oct, 2026 07:00 PM4 mins to read‌An aviation expert says the Flydubai Boeing 737 flew outside its limits after the attack on Captain Smit Machchhar (inset).Security screening for pilots and the relevance of the axe in the cockpit are under scrutiny after the Flydubai hijack attempt.Airline pilot and Massey University School of Aviation chief executive Ashok Poduval said relief crew on board Flight 1073 faced extraordinary challenges. “They did a fantastic job, recovering the