Okay, after perusing through this multi-page thread of, frankly, mostly useless and uninformed speculation and, in some cases, pure garbage, I have a few items to contribute:
Background: my first Boeing was the 737-200 and 300, left seat on the 757 and 767, currently flying the 737NG, never been closer to a Max than across the ramp. I have never operated MS Flight Sim. Multiple carriers, all overseas for the last 12 years. I spent a year flying the NG at ET a few years ago. Total flying career 32 years and counting.
First: ET pilots. I entered ET right at the introduction of the MPL program for FOs. As far as I know their new pilots are still graduating under the MPL: program. For those who don't know what that is, it's Multicrew Pilot License. It consists of 70 hours of actual airplane flight time and 130 hours of simulator. The pilot does not have a CPL. So the 200 hour copilot is plausible, though unless the Captain was an instructor the FO probably had a little more time than 200. I sometimes got a fresh FO with a grand total of 230 hours, having been signed off as meeting the standards. Here's the truth - none of them could fly an airplane. Plain and simple. No exaggeration, just the plain truth. There were multiple times I flew with an FO who, after almost a year on type still couldn't fly worth a darn. I'm not talking the finer points, I'm talking basic airmanship. Next, local captains. Most are competent but ET had (probably still has) difficulties with new upgrade captains. they move up the ranks strictly by seniority. After a year or so on the Q400 or 737 they go to junior FO on the widebody, then senior FO on the widebody, then back to the Q400 or 737 for upgrade. Big culture shock, big step backwards on technology, big change in route structure. Their upgrade line training program typically took 4 or 5 times as long as a current & qualified captain. There's a big difference between logging time droning along for 12 hours vs. short-haul. Not throwing rocks but I usually see a large quality gap between FOs who came from short-haul vs. long-haul. As was said previously, Addis is a captain only airport and almost certainly the captain was PF. Lastly on the pilot side, CRM is mostly non-existent there, it is very much a top down cockpit culture, though that probably was not a factor here.
Next, the FAA: I'm certainly glad that PPRUNE has, in three days, solved the crash! Hallelujah! The NTSB and local crash investigators need not even show up. The big uproar that the FAA has not grounded the Max is a good thing. It means they are doing their jobs, not acting rashly and on pure emotion, rather basing any decision on facts when they come. I notice that EASA has not issued a grounding order (which they certainly can). Considering that the bulk of the Max fleet is operating in the US and Europe, what on earth are they waiting for? (that's sarcasm, by the way). Maybe they are waiting for some actual data to come forth before condemning the aircraft. Maybe they know something we don't. Hmmmm....
Next, MCAS: I'm not weighing in on this as I have exactly zero more facts than anyone else. I do have a few questions though concerning the final few moments of both the ET crash and the Lion crash. Both times the aircraft was in day VMC conditions, both seemingly experienced speeds much higher than what could and should be considered normal for level flight at low altitude, so what gives? I can certainly tell my airspeed by looking out the window, regardless of how many alarms at whatever obscene volume are blaring any time. If the data is to be believed, 330+ knots at around 1000AGL to me means someone forgot the cardinal rule: fly the airplane. Pitch, power, and if possible (it was) look out the damn window!
Next, basic airmanship: If I have, simultaneously, an A/S and/or ALT disagree, stick shaker, and an increasing need for backpressure on the yoke, my first action is to fix the flight control issue and that means assuming a trim problem. I can handle the airplane all day long without an altimeter or airspeed indicator (in VMC conditions) but aircraft control is first, second and third on the to-do list. Maybe airmanship is not taught anymore (it's not but that's another story) but basic airmanship teaches us that even in an airplane without a trimmable HS, a mistrimmed airplane will be harder to control at higher speeds. So grab the thrust levers and use them. Set pitch and power. The 737 can be flown, albeit with a lot of force required, with the pitch trim at either stop, but at full nose down the control forces will be massive at high speeds. Couple that with the elevator force diminishing with higher airspeeds and it may reach a point where at speeds above barber pole you may run out of elevator. I was taught this years ago, though I know it is not taught anymore. Moral: fly the damn airplane.
I could chime in on lots more but frankly, why bother? Based on most of what I've read (and could stomach) the PP needs to be removed from PPRUNE.