Hi machinbird,
It is also claimed in the ALTER writeup that the AF447 pilots were following the prescribed recovery procedure. The language used indicates an actual flight test was performed.
My only reservation is that the document reads more like a polemic than a sober aviation document, touching on everything from the kickbacks paid on French arms sales in Pakistan to the Habsheim crash. In that event, it notes the pilot had not been made aware that the engines on this aircraft had a much longer response time than what he had been accustomed to. This seems a stretch to me,
afaik both the IAE as well as the CFM engines on the A320 take several seconds to spool up, but there may be a difference. If anyone knows the specifics, it would be a simple credibility test.