Interesting, PJ (many thanks for the link). I disagree (from a position of ignorance on the AB system!) with your 'doubt' of a 'relationship' - ignoring the trigger for a/p dropout, we appear to have a similar manouevre induced by the FCS and not the crew, resulting a (co-incidental) 'arrival' at FL380 after a 6000fpm zoom during which the IAS decayed below Vls. OK, I'm easily swayed by these things, but???????
I do not understand why the alpha reached 'alpha-prot' all on its own? It then goes on to say that if the sidestick is left untouched in pitch, alpha remains at alpha-prot, and that application of full back stick would take it to alpha-max and that a determined nose-down input is required to stop this. So, this a/c,all on its own, raised the nose to alpha-prot and climbed - with no crew action to cause it. The report goes on
"For 18 seconds after the autopilot disengaged the aircraft remained within 200 feet altitude of FL 360 but once AoA law was invoked at 14:21:50 hrs, the aircraft’s attitude began to pitch nose-up. The pitchup trend continued for 17 seconds reaching a peak of 15° nose-up shortly before the first nose-down sidestick command was applied. Throughout this phase the aircraft climbed rapidly (reaching a peak rate of about 6,000 ft/min) due to the increase in lift created by the flight control system’s capture of alpha prot. The aircraft reached its apogee at FL 384 at 14:22:28 hrs where the airspeed had decayed to 205 KIAS and 0.67 Mach even though full thrust had been applied."
I then am told that there is no indication in this system to the crew that this 'law' has been invoked? I am struggling to see, through my ignorant eyes, why this is not relevant to 447? I know, different type and 'history', but is there not an Occams Razor lurking here?