originally posted by Bearfoil ...
Controls that require airflow parallel to their surface are useless in vertical mush. Especially when trying to move a stubborn 150 tons
Agreed. So unless there was sufficient forward motion through the air, the V/S would have no stabilizing effect, and neither would +/- 4° of rudder. Likewise
HN39's comment regarding a yaw to starboard and the right wing dipping slightly because of the V/S moving to port would have caused a small roll effect, also comes unstuck.
The scenario of a high vertical acceleration with a small nose up pitch and wings nearly level, equates more to a slowly rotating flat spin where all the control surfaces had no affect because of the lost lift and the vortex created. The fact that the BEA reported that damage to the hull was symmetrical leads me to believe that the aircraft's heading nearly matched the real direction of "flight" [travel] at the point of impact.
HN39;
Your description of the forces involved on the V/S at the point of impact is appreciated. They have of course exceeded the magical "36 g"!
mm43