Part 2/10:
The aircraft, a modern and reliable model, was loaded with passengers who were blissfully unaware of the tension brewing in the cockpit. The crew that night was experienced; the captain and first officer each had over 8,000 hours of flying time, with considerable familiarity with the A340. The procedure required that two augmenting pilots be present in the cockpit during critical pre-flight checks. Despite this, chaos ensued as the cockpit buzzed with activity—five crew members were at work.