The reason AF447 had the problem is when the AP threw the flying to the PF, he didn't respond properly and zoomed it up into a stall. Knowing how to hand fly at high altitude acurately would have saved the day but apparently he couldn't. I don't know how hard flying at altitude with a side stick is but it is quite doable with a yoke. Have done it quite a few times. Sometimes we dispatched with AP inop with FAA blessings.