❗️UAE president honors Flydubai pilot who helped foil alleged 'terror attack' Smit Machchhar, the Flydubai pilot credited with helping foil a 'terror attack' aboard a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv last month, received a medal from the president of the United Arab Emirates on Tuesday. UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan presented Machchhar and the other crew members with the First Class Order of Zayed II, “in recognition of their courageous efforts to ensure the safety of passengers,” his office said. The president also commended “the crew’s courage and professionalism in ensuring the safety of passengers and securing the aircraft, affirming that protecting people’s safety and security remains a top priority for the UAE.”