Quoting ChrisN:-
RWA’s translation included: "Fragmented elements and gearboxes," says the BEA
Blame google mate - the only translation I'll take responsibility for is the title of the article!
Avionista, as far as I know the BEA didn't say which pilot was sitting in which seat. I've been assuming that the normal setup - senior F/O in his accustomed (righthand) seat - applied, and further that the junior one was in the lefthand one, and also the PF. That's supported by the captain's words on leaving the flightdeck
("He's taking my place.") The point coulde be important since I understand that the standby instruments on an A330 are in a 'left of centre' position on the A330 panel - so if the main instruments were misbehaving it would have been difficult for the more senior F/O to take over, he'd have had to lean way over to his left.
Typical of the BEA on this occasion, though - they didn't provide even the simplest and least controversial information (like which pilot was flying the aeroplane) in their report.
Quoting Avionista quoting Le Figaro:-
Just after the autopilot disconnect, the pilot on the right gives a first-rate nose-which raises the unit up to 37,500 feet.
In fairness to the PF (whichever one it was) I have to remind everyone that the only 'nose-up input' he applied at the onset of the accident was immediately after the sign-off. The BEA states that the 'zoom climb' started at least 11 seconds after that - and there is no mention of the PF moving the stick either way until he applies 'nose-down' to (successfully) counteract the climb.
That strongly implies that the PF did not cause the climb - unless the A330 takes 11 seconds-plus to respond to control movements?
In any case, flying manually, on instruments, in rough weather, one would expect that there'd have been literally dozens of control movements over the period of the whole event. But the BEA chooses to mention only three or four of them?
I only hope (without much hope) that this third 'interim report' gives us a lot more 'hard information.' For a start, the BEA must already know everything that the CVR and the FDR recorded? Be interesting to see how much more they decide to tell us? Maybe 'third time lucky'.........?
PS, thanks - SaturnV must admit that I rather expected as much (or, rather, 'as little').
One immediate contradiction 'jumps out' at you:-
At 2 h 13 min 32, the PF said "we’re going to arrive at level one hundred". About fifteen seconds later, simultaneous inputs by both pilots on the sidesticks were recorded and the PF said "go ahead you have the controls". The angle of attack, when it was valid, always remained above 35 degrees.
"• Throughout the flight, the movements of the elevator and the THS were consistent with the pilot’s inputs.
If we are encouraged to believe that the THS reacted to 'noseup inputs' by pitching up, why did it not in turn respond to 'nosedown inputs' by pitching down?