DFC
A bit patronising if FullyFlapped turns out to be an experienced pilot with a lot of time on type, and if he took the right approach, with the right frame of mind. It doesn't take a test pilot.
I have landed (on a private flight I hasten to add) with a 30G40 at 70 degrees from runway heading, in an aircraft with a demonstrated crosswind component of 17 kts. BUT (and notice it's an important but) I had several hundred hours on type. I had landed before on a huge, wide runway in slightly lighter crosswind, so I knew the capability, and I flew for a go-around. Had the conditions not been perfect in the flare I was ready with the throttles, I had accepted that I was probably going to have to climb away to take the (short, grass but into-wind) cross runway.
When I was become an FI my instructor sent me up in a 26-kt crosswind in an aircraft with a demonstrated crosswind of 12 kts. He knew it was easily capable.
Demonstrated crosswind components were never meant to be limits, or they would be called such. They are recommendations intended to show what a mediocre pilot would be able to cope with and not break the aircraft, and as a sensible limit for most commercial operations (the operations manual will make the demonstrated crosswind a mandatory limit) to give greater safety margins.