Originally Posted by
FCeng84
MCAS is able to do its job with 2.5 degrees of stabilizer up to Mach 0.4 and less than 1/3rd of that at cruise. That MCAS can insert more stabilizer motion that this design limit is beyond its design requirements. There is not a control power deficiency as there is plenty of elevator to counter the design levels of stabilizer that MCAS needs.
There is plenty of elevator to counter MCAS, but has the pilot enough strength to pull the control column to do so, even when speed increases to 380 kts, given that the artificial feel increases with speed ?
It seems the only chance not to crash, if manual trimming was not possible due to elevator up forces, would have been reducing power, airbrakes out, to cut the speed, then flaps down to kill MCAS and use electric trim again...