Hello Machinbird;
Re your post #869
"Is it proven that the Quick Access Recorder data cannot be resurrected from its time in the depths? I don't remember the answer anymore."
The QAR box etc is located on the main radio rack known as "800VU". It was brought to the surface. There is no information directly stating that the QAR has been found or what condition it may be in. It was stated that the two FMGC memory modules would be examined, (to my recollection the first time that was done was the AA965 at Bogota).
Though not crash-protected, the QAR on this aircraft is almost certainly solid state (vice optical etc) as well and if it survived the initial impact and subsequent water pressure it could be readable.
It's my experience that data frames for QARs is generally far more detailed and sometimes has higher sampling frequencies for some parameters. Let's hope all this comes to pass.
HN39;
Re, " I must admit that my understanding of FD commands is very limited, and I'm just assuming it 'mirrors' the commands that would have been given by an active autopilot."
Yes, that's the way the FDs work - they display the orders that the AFS is issuing, either to the AP or to the pilot flying.