This isnt the time for internal squabbling.I dont know about others but I find posts from the self-appointed experts just as annoying as repeated enquiries about the ACARS LAV message.And they want to restrict contributions to this type of thread to pilots only..Last 2 constructive posts came from A330 tech and Fly by wife(#765) so go figure.Its all guesswork,all speculation,we know that.What is the alternative?Enforced silence.Is that better?
Naturally,the picture of an almost pristine and complete VS bobbing in the Atlantic and the report that bodies have been found 85kms apart seems like a smoking gun but I'll go along with ELAC(for now) and accept that they may not have encountered weather,lost airspeed and perhaps attitude reference and got their VS torn clean off in the ensuing upset.I see 411A was shot down in flames but what he said is correct.Use rudder(significant amount) for anything other than x-wind/asymmetric flying in a commercial transport and you do so at your own peril.Not suggesting AF crew did this(just in case ELAC
is still in"police" mode).
The Air Caraibe incident needs to be examined(the value of a precedent in any investigation is immeasurable) and focus maintained on the ACARS messages.