The news conference was conducted in both French and English and in several instances the French explainations (translated) seemed more detailed.
The captain seems clearly to believe that this is a mechanical problem, and that fuel at takeoff, fuel management, and/or computer systems are not responsible.
Althought it wasn't entirely clear (given that not every answer has a one to one correlation with the question and the mix of languages... I took the captain to say that (although) they do this type of simulation ...(but that) he had not (yet) and that this was his first encounter with this situation.
Either he or the first officer indicated they arrived over the island just before dawn (in very good weather) at about 15,000 so they had a bit of a cushion.
Minimal hydraulics, slats (no flaps), basic instruments. Flight crew seem to have lost no confidence in the aircraft or any of the operational or regulatory systems... rather they seem to be saying that the outcome provides an endorsement of the system(s).
Maybe they take a little comfort from the success NASA has had bringing it's birds home succesfully. A great job done any day of the week!
I think I'll go back and read the story of the Air Canada 'Gimli Glider'... it's a great yarn for anyone that has an interest in the flight deck.
GWAI