Dear Aviator,
There is currently not enough information available to me to answer that question. I have not read the accident report and I am not and do not claim to be an aircraft design or test engineer or testpilot. So I simply don't know. HOWEVER, it would seem very unlikely to me that AI would increase the alpha available much above alpha max since that won't increase the lift available. What they might tweak a little is the reaction TIME. Someone made a very good point about the elevator being a bit slow in responce. It is however not possible to make a FBW system with zero responce time since the processors although extremely quick still need some time to "think". There also needs to be some lag and/or limit overshoot built into the system since if you make a totally "stiff envelope protection system this could result in violent oscillations since the system will not allow any overshoots and will thus move the controlls into the "below limit" position to quick. I think it is a good thing that AI are prepared to change and devellop their FBW system. Compare it to your flying skills. The worse pilots there are are those who think they have nothing to learn because they've passed a certain number of hours. Skills are something you devellop during your whole lifetime. There is nothing like a "born pilot". In much the same way, systems need to be develloped.
Open your mind...
PS: Whats it doing now, have you at all read my responce?? Even if the pilots would have totally overridden the computers, they could have only made the situation worse. Alpha max is an AERODYNAMIC limit that provides you with the maximum lift coefficient available. Pulling the stick further aft increases the angle of attack and decreases the Cl wich would result in the sink rate increasing!
[This message has been edited by Frederic (edited 02 June 2001).]