Ex-Israeli Pilot Calls Flydubai Incident Security Failure, Praises Passenger Heroism
Translated & summarized from Channel 9 by baba
Former Israeli Air Force pilot Shmuel Gordon called a recent Flydubai flight emergency a security failure, crediting passenger heroism and sufficient altitude for saving the plane. He criticized Israeli security agencies like the Mossad and Shin Bet for a lack of preparedness and routine oversight. Gordon praised the bravery of passengers, including Yaniv Hayon, who helped stabilize the aircraft. He called for a unified security authority for Israeli air travel and suggested increased security measures on flights.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Former Israeli pilot Shmuel Gordon called the Flydubai incident a security failure.
- Gordon praised passenger heroism, including Yaniv Hayon, for helping stabilize the aircraft.
- He criticized Israeli agencies like Mossad and Shin Bet for routine security lapses.
- Sufficient altitude and the presence of reserve pilots were crucial to the plane's survival.
- Gordon called for a single authority to oversee Israeli air travel security.
- He suggested placing two guards on each flight to prevent future incidents.
A former Israeli Air Force pilot, Dr. Shmuel Gordon, described the emergency on a Flydubai flight as a "failure" of security systems, attributing the aircraft's survival to a combination of factors including sufficient altitude, passenger intervention, and the presence of reserve pilots. In an interview with Channel 9's Boris Belodubrovsky, Gordon emphasized the critical role of altitude and time in such emergencies, noting that the plane would likely have crashed at a lower altitude. He dismissed reports of an engine being shut down, suggesting the primary threat was disabling the autopilot. Gordon highlighted the bravery of passengers, particularly an Israeli named Yaniv Hayon, who managed to enter the cockpit and help stabilize the aircraft by pulling the control column, an action Gordon deemed physically possible for someone with basic aviation knowledge. Gordon criticized Israeli security agencies, including the Mossad and Shin Bet, for a "routine" approach that led to the incident, stating they should have anticipated such a scenario and that urgent meetings should have been held to revise protocols. He also noted that damage to the plane's tail was coincidental and not related to the flight's emergency. Looking ahead, Gordon predicted that terrorism will continue but stressed the need for a single responsible authority to oversee air travel security to and from Israel, suggesting measures like placing two guards on each flight. He expressed astonishment at the passengers' heroism, calling their actions "unique and outstanding."
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