SaturnV
"No one disputes that the crews of the LH ahead, and the IB and AF459 following, deviated based on what they saw on their radars. The unanswered question is what did AF447 see on its radar that led them to continue on the track, and only attempt a slight deviation when they were in the middle of the 'cloud'."
No one knows what they saw or what they understood it to mean.
My concern is why they didn't deviate sooner, and raises the question to me, that there is sort of a cultural issue regarding minimizing the potential hazard a thunderstorm poses. It exists also on this web site whereby the automation and it's "Protections" will save the day.
If a pilot is forbidden to "hand-fly" the plane at altitude in clear weather conditions, and then in a turbulent circumstance is forced to do it, with very limited resources, no airspeed etc, I think it is literally impossible.
This airplane is very fragile having 32 plus adventures with loss of pitot info and subsequent auto failures, and to venture anywhere near major storms is irresponsible.