Malaysia Airlines revealed Monday the co-pilot of its missing jet was flying the Boeing 777 for the first time without a so-called "check co-pilot" looking over his shoulder.
Co-pilot Fariq Abdul Hamid has come under intense scrutiny, along with Captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah, after Malaysian authorities said flight MH370's disappearance was due to "deliberate" action in the cockpit.
However, nothing has yet emerged publicly to implicate the two men.
The flag carrier said Fariq, 27, had come through his initial outings in the 777 model with no issues under a standard arrangement in which a First Officer's first five flights in a new model of plane are done under the watchful eye of a "check co-pilot".
"The first five flights, the co-pilot normally flies with what we call the check co-pilot. He actually passed the first five flights. We do not see any problem with him," the airlines' chief executive Ahmad Jauhari Yahya told a daily press conference on the crisis.
Flight 370 disappeared off civilian radar about an hour into its journey from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing carrying 239 people, sparking an unprecedented international search across huge swathes of the Indian Ocean and South China Sea.
Ahmad Jauhari added that Zaharie, 53, was himself an experienced 777 examiner.
"You must realise that he (Fariq) is flying with an examiner. The captain is a 777 examiner," he added, referring to Zaharie.
Aircraft and ships from several nations are zeroing in on suspected plane debris in the southern Indian Ocean, but have been prevented from recovering anything for confirmation due to the distances involved and rough weather.
Fariq, who joined Malaysia Airlines seven years ago, was accused in an Australian television report of allowing two young South African women into the cockpit of a plane he piloted in 2011, breaching rules imposed after the 9/11 attacks in America.
Police also removed a flight simulator from Zaharie's home and were examining it for any clues.
AFP
Mon Mar 24 2014
Co-pilot Fariq Abdul Hamid joined MAS seven years ago.
Perak bakal laksana projek tanam bawang di Perak Tengah, sasar kawasan 40 hektar
Kerajaan Perak akan membangunkan projek tanaman bawang merah varieti BAW-1 di daerah Perak Tengah tahun ini.
Ketua angkatan tentera Kenya maut dalam tragedi helikopter terhempas
Sembilan mangsa lain dalam helikopter itu juga terbunuh, sementara dua lagi yang terselamat berada dalam keadaan kritikal.
Penunggang motosikal maut tercampak 30 meter dari jejantas
Mangsa mengalami pendarahan aktif pada muka dan telinga kiri, patah tangan serta kaki kiri.
Freedom Flotilla: Delegasi Malaysia dijadual hadiri latihan tanpa kekerasan Sabtu ini
Non violence training bertujuan mempersiapkan setiap peserta bagi mendepani sebarang kemungkinan sekiranya berlaku sebarang provokasi.
MATRADE rangka strategi perdagangan atasi cabaran geopolitik
Mohd Mustafa berkata, kesemua 49 pejabat MATRADE di luar negara telah diarahkan melakukan analisis mengenai pendedahan risiko geopolitik di kawasan masing-masing.
AS veto, halang PBB iktiraf negara Palestin
AS berkata sebuah negara Palestin yang merdeka harus ditubuhkan melalui rundingan terus antara Israel dan Pihak Berkuasa Palestin.
Pendigitalan penjagaan kesihatan, pembaharuan pembiayaan jadi keutamaan KKM - Dzulkefly
Pendigitalan penjagaan kesihatan, bersama-sama dengan pembaharuan pembiayaan kekal menjadi keutamaan Kementerian Kesihatan (KKM).
[LAPOR LANGSUNG] Peserta Gaza Freedom Flotilla dari Malaysia tiba di Istanbul
Kesemua mereka dijadual menetap di Istanbul selama dua hari bagi menyertai non-violence training dikendalikan FFC.
Orang ramai perlu berani lapor kes dera - Nancy
Perkara itu boleh dilaporkan secara terus melalui Talian Kasih 15999 yang dikendalikan oleh Kementerian Pembangunan Wanita, Keluarga dan Masyarakat (KPWKM).
Hamilton optimis kedudukan lebih baik di GP China
Lewis Hamilton melihat potensi kedudukan yang lebih baik dalam saingan Grand Prix yang kembali ke China buat pertama kali dalam tempoh lima tahun, hujung minggu ini.