Archive · 1 Oct 2026
How Aviation Seminar Led Captain Smit Machchhar Into Cockpit
Smit Machchhar did not always plan to become a pilot.
He first studied textile engineering because his family had a textile business.
He then studied management to learn how to help run that business.
When he was about 19, he attended a seminar about aviation.
The seminar made him think that flying could be his career.
He went to New Zealand for pilot training.
Later, he worked for SpiceJet for about 11 years.
He joined Flydubai in June 2022 as a captain.
His profile says he has flown Boeing 737 aircraft for more than 9,750 hours.
Smit Machchhar became interested in aviation around age 19, rather than during childhood.
He initially studied textile engineering and management to prepare for his family’s textile business.
An aviation seminar during his management studies encouraged him to pursue pilot training.
Machchhar trained in New Zealand and later spent about 11 years with SpiceJet.
He joined Flydubai as a Direct Entry Captain in June 2022 and has logged over 9,750 Boeing 737 flying hours.
- Who
- Captain Smit Machchhar, a commercial pilot.
- What
- He changed from pursuing his family’s textile-business path to becoming a commercial pilot.
- When
- He became interested in aviation at about 19 and joined Flydubai in June 2022.
- Where
- He trained in New Zealand and later worked with SpiceJet and Flydubai.
- Why
- An aviation seminar introduced him to flying and prompted him to consider it as a career.
- Initial studies
- Textile engineering, followed by management studies
- Career turning point
- An aviation seminar during his management studies
- Pilot training location
- New Zealand
- SpiceJet tenure
- About 11 years
- Flydubai role
- Direct Entry Captain, beginning June 2022
- Aircraft experience
- More than 9,750 flying hours on Boeing 737 aircraft
- Earlier training role
- Senior Commander and Line Training Captain at SpiceJet