A33Zab & MM43:
Are you able to verify this in NORMAL LAW condition in the sim?
AP & A/THR off,
NORMAL Law (to make sure VLS available),
fly CAS<VLS-5 and then try to engage AP....?
The system functions as expected in Normal Law.
It is in ALTERNATE Law as a result of ADR disagreement, with no characteristic speed info displayed on the PFD's (SPD LIM) and at least 2 ADR's within <20 knots that the A/P pb will engage below the same VLS value checked in NORMAL Law. CAS<VLS (not displayed).
It is still possibly a sim anomaly however.
I was just curious, as were others, about this functionality as a result of the Captain's comment late in the CVR transcript. The question does not specifically address that comment of course.
That said however, the A/P would have been the last thing on my mind at that point.