cjam,
thank you for your post and your research to dig out my background.
I'm not judging anybody, I'm just stating my astonishment towards this rewarding and I can promise you I'm not alone.
I don't need to be an astronaut to state that letting an AP fly an engineless aircraft on the glide is not an usual strategy. I bet the crew realized lately there was such an issue and that they didn't have so much choices when the AP disconnected.
I'm politely coming with questions regarding the actions the crew may have performed (for which they were rewarded) and I would expect a professional like you to help me through technical answers, but all I get are comments about my experience which according to you isn't enough to allow me to ask... As you recommended I'm asking to learn and I would appreciate if you could share your experience with my humble one by elaborating on why letting an AP flying a dead stick approach is a better strategy. I'm sure you did lot more of cruising hours than I did, so I respect you for that.
This is the ONLY thing I'm politely asking (and please understand that I'm not criticizing the crew). Please come straight to this point and save me from other personal comments.
Thanks and regards,