"Fly Dubai".. Simulating a 17,000-foot Aircraft Descent in Less Than Two Minutes

- Commercial airline pilot Aaron Murphy and his colleague Angelo Peterson showcased what a sudden descent of 20,000 feet in less than 35 seconds looks like, using a flight simulator. During this descent, the simulator emitted a continuous sound warning of exceeding the allowed speed, which the pilot described as akin to a "dive."

Murphy told colleague Erin Burnett from Oq News: "When I saw pictures of the plane on the ground with part of the rudder torn off, I felt an immediate sense of horror and chills." He added: "The vertical fin was the lifeline, as it provided the plane with stability in its trajectory."

Flight tracking data shows that the incident involving the Flydubai aircraft - during its flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv - caused it to suddenly descend by 17,400 feet in less than two minutes, before being diverted to Saudi Arabia. Passenger Adam Bolo - who was on the Flydubai flight with his wife and two young children - recalled the moments of terror he experienced during the plane's sudden descent following the attack that occurred in the cockpit.

Bolo told Oq News that the initial turbulence seemed at first "like just a normal air bump," adding: "But after one second, I felt that the rate of descent and its acceleration were not normal." He continued: "The electricity, entertainment system, and air conditioning system on the plane stopped working.

Passengers who were standing in the aisle or heading to the restrooms fell; everyone who was not seated fell to the ground. It was like the craziest roller coaster ride, but a thousand times more intense."