wiggy
After 38 actual episodes, the statistics are in dire need of revamp.
I am not content with the seeming "sureness" of most that Pitot ICE was in play, we'll find out. I think it is likely, but who knows?
you say:
"Devils advocate, historically do we know that the tubes in question (Thales?) were statistically significantly more liable to failure than the pitot tubes that were going to replace them and/or the pitots used on similar designs (e.g.777).
( Background: I've bashed around in military jets and the likes of the 747 and the 777 for over 15 k hours and never, ever had pitot icing - so what gives with the A330, is it really that fragile)?"
After rollbacks by TRENT7's, it took a hull loss and some very lucky people to get the Heat exchangers modded.
I am here to tell you that the "Mystery Fuel" was a propagandistic device.
So, beware of those who want us to stare like automatons at the "Certs".
All the proper people were aware of the UAS episodes, as they were of TRENT Fuel Plumbing issues. It took 228 living breathing souls to sacrifice themselves for the bottom lines of the ones who are guilty of inaction.
I may be the only person on Earth who sees it this way. I couldn't care less.
If not Pitots, then Training. Lack of follow through by Airbus on training syllabus for pilots not up to speed on the vagaries of Automatic Controls in LOC? Automatic controls in Loss of Control? Can we spell Oxymoron?