Originally Posted by
FCeng84
I'm glad to be able to provide some clarity. MCAS operates as a function of AOA with no regard to column position. As you state, "MCAS is to essentially negate lift (more specifically pitching moment) of the engine cowling". By cancelling out the nose up pitching moment from the cowling with increased AOA, MCAS smooths out the overall Cm-alpha (pitching moment vs. AOA) characteristic of the airplane so that column required to command a maneuver to high AOA does not decrease along the way.
But if you can achieve the high AOA state on autopilot, it doesn't need MCAS and will just put the elevator and trim where it needs to be to get the attitude it wants, just like humans should be able to do. Shut off MCAS and tell pilots to be aware of stick lightening in the, as Boeing says, envelope that you won't likely encounter.