Hi DozyWannabe,
That said, if the pilot doesn't like what autotrim is doing all he or she has to do is keep their hand on that trim wheel.
True, but that is not in any QRH / FCOM procedure. Additionally, in all laws (except Direct Law) the elevators will attempt to maintain the last requested pitch attitude (1g value) even when stick free. So there would still be no "feel" in pitch that the aircraft was slowing down. Deprived of reliable airspeed indications and pitch feel, I believe the crew would have had a more difficult task to avoid a stall than if they had been in a conventional aircraft.