A very good question Bubbers but it rather suggests that he was unaware of the aircraft and how it functioned. Never a good thing. The PNFs display should have supplied him with all the information he needed to determine the aircraft's attitude (but missing the IAS of course). But rest assured you can pulll the same trick in a Boeing - before this accident no doubt it was thought you couldn't stall an Airbus in this way. This accident is not aircraft design philosophy related.