Originally Posted by
etudiant
Just wondering whether there is some way to alert the pilot that the autopilot is working outside of the normal parameters.
Yes, it is called scanning the instruments. In this particular case, the difference in N1 and deflection of control surfaces (which in the -500 is mirrored by column deflection) should be a fairly obvious sign that not all is going to plan. IF things are monitored properly, the pilots should be ready and alert by the time the A/P gives up and throws everything to their lap. Of course some are more capable of handling this than others, the rule of averages as had been discussed before.