Retired Navy pilot Matthew “Whiz” Buckley revealed today that the hijacked flydubai flight exceeded

Retired Navy pilot Matthew “Whiz” Buckley revealed today that the hijacked flydubai flight exceeded its maximum operating speed by a staggering 100 knots while plunging 20,000 feet in just 30 seconds.

But just how extreme is that?

An additional 100 knots is approximately 185 km/h (115 mph). According to Buckley’s account, the Boeing 737 MAX 8 was flying that much faster than its maximum operating speed.

The Danger: Commercial jets are built tough, but they have operating limits. Exceeding those limits can increase the risk of structural damage and flutter - dangerous aerodynamic vibrations that can potentially cause catastrophic failure.

The Miracle: If these reported figures are accurate, surviving such a rapid descent and recovering safely is extraordinary.

The fact that the passengers and crew reportedly managed to subdue the attacker, allowing the pilots to recover from the dive, is an absolute miracle