Dani
TTex600, you are absolutely correct that yokes connected to a stearing surface offer direct feedback from the very surface. While this is true in a DC-9 or a Boeing 737, this is no longer the case in any wide body aircraft since the last 40 years or so.
True, but it is no argument here. All of those aircraft have an artificial airspeed dependent control force. It´s not relevant how the feel is generated, wether by cabels and pulleys or by speed augmented springs or weights.
Dani
The DC-10 was the very first aircraft that had no direct mechanical connection to the stearing surfaces anymore. A lot of conservative pilots (i.e. most pilots) were crying out loud, but since then everyone took over this technology. With the only exception, that AI (not AB, AB is Air Berlin) replaced the cables to the hydraulic servos by wires and control computers.
A very unfortunate example. All the DC 10 had also an airspeed dependent control force feedback. The feedback could be used in manual mode (the feedback could be manually increased or decreased) or in AUTO mode.
MAN SLEW Selector Provides manual control, when elevator feel selector is at MAN and changes the Q variable load feel input of the elevator controls. Elevator feel must be manually changed by use of the MAN SLEW selector to maintain ELEV-FEEL-REF IAS in agreement with air plane IAS. DECR—Holding the selector at the first dot provides manual electrical control of one of two electrical motors to decrease the reference air speed indication and elevator load feel. Holding the selector at the second dot performs the same function if the first motor has malfunctioned. INCR—Functions identical to the DECR position except in the INCR direction.
ELEV-FEEL Indicator: Indicator pointer follows up indicated airspeed within±15 Knots when the system is operating in the automatic mode. Used as an aid for providing proper maneuvering control force gradient throughout the flight envelope when operating in the manual mode.
The artificial feel system of FBW-AB is a constant spring mode feel and therefore no feedback.
So imaging yourself being in a DC-10 and having pulled fully up at FL350, you would have most probably experienced the exact same problem as AF447. When the captain in his pijama would have come back to his station, and the FO said "I cannot figure it out" and see him his yoke more or less in neutral, he also couldn't make any sense out of it.
If you compare it with AF447 the yoke would have been in his lap. If the captain would have not seen this, he most probably would have his blinds still in front of his eyes.