After trying to read through the many pages here I have a couple of points/questions that I would like to bring up....
1. If this situation came about due to one of the factors belonging to the pitot tubes and it was indeed similar to previous documented cases then...can and will they not retrieve the ACAR's fault reports, or even the status/ecam faults to see if there is a similar sequence of events being triggered and recorded at the start of this sequence?
2. If as the situation progressed and they eventually found themselves in direct law trying to control the a/c with the joystick....how much of an effect can moderate to severe turbulance along with the possibility of unusual attitude have on controlling a joystick? Is there not the extreme possibility of the joystick being bumped constantly with the hand while trying to use the thumb and finger to control this situation. Being on Boeings for 12 years (727 and 757/767) and never flown a Bus I would find it seeming difficult to maintain a steady hand in this situation whereas with a control column you have much better chance of dampening the turbulent effects with your body and thus lessoning the chance of overcorrecting and let alone misguided imputs at every bump. Is this a plausible and sensible thought?
As a side note I am also currently studing to take my JAR exams to convert my FAA ATP and I must say this is all so very fitting in application...in a serious and sobering way.