Carjockey
My point is that since airspeed is such a critical factor for the AP to function
It is not "that critical". APs need many other functions far more importantly than airspeed - many APs (in smaller aircraft) will have no IAS input at all.
...an effective alternative backup method of feeding back airspeed to the AP should be incorporated on aircraft
Well, we'll have to disagree then. Not sure there is any aircraft out there with such a system? Where we disgaree is that to me the AP is not a "critical system" - it is "luxury" to help the pilots, and if it drops out, well the pilots just have to fly. In all types, quite often relatively minor system faiilures lead to a requirement to manually fly i.e. the pilot is the backup to the AP, not v-v.
Agreed, but when 'giving up' the AP should clearly indicate the exact reason for it's 'giving up' and the pilots should have an established procedure available to them to enable them to recover from any given situation
They do to an extent, and it did. But the reason the AP "gave up" it is not relevant, what is relevant is it clearly says it is diconnecting, and they acknowledged that ("My controls" or similar). What is important is the systems failed indicate to the pilot(s) they have failed - which again they did in various ways.
'Startle factor' eh? Well that's a real good one
At one moment you say you are SLF, and now you have the expertise to criticise the report
'Startle Factor' is the exact phrase used in the BEA report (repeatedly).
Are they not sufficiently trained to handle such situations? Maybe yet another indication of operator / pilot over confidence in their aircrafts auto systems?
Clearly they are not sufficiently trained, else this would not have occurred. What I tried to illustrate to you in my earlier post is I cannot see "how" we will ever get to the stage where airline pilots can reliably cope with such events. Not whilst it is such a cost driven industry, where we recruit pilots who have hardly handled the controls, and who both by choice and company rules, are actively discouraged from doing so to keep/gain experience. And also whilst said pilots have never flown aircraft in anything other than the nice gentle flying you have a right to expect as a passenger.