. >> captain zaharie and me, we go back about 30-odd years we started flying together. >> nick huslan a former chief pilot for malaysia airlines. >> my wife is a chief stewardess. so if my wife is onboard the aircraft, i would like zaharie to fly the plane, then, because i've got great confidence in the guy. >> and there was real confidence in the aircraft they're about to fly, the boeing 777. >> it's a great airplane. it's got a sterling record of safety. >> that aircraft is actually the pinnacle of all the aircraft that i have flown, and the automation is just fantastic. >> for any critical electric or hydraulic system that would fail, there are two or three backup systems. after making their final preparations, the pilots are ready for pushback. at 12:32 a.m., the pilots taxi to the runway. cleared for departure, flight 370 takes off for a 5 1/2-hour scheduled flight to beijing. >> the human control, direct physical control on the controls, will probably cease after the landing gear goes up, the flaps goes up, and it goes on autopilot. >> by 1:00 a.m., the crew and 227 passengers o