Just another question that occurred to me, to long-range wide-body pilots in particular:
Shortly before A/P disconnect, the CVR recorded this exchange:
2 h 07 min 01 (PF): See, we’re really on the edge of the layer (and under the squall)
2 h 07 min 05 (PF): I mean I’m sure that with three six zero no standard would be good, we’d be ok eh (j’veux dire je suis sûr qu’avec un trois six zéro non standard on serait bon, on serait pas mal hein)
2 h 08 min 03 (PNF): Don’t you maybe want to go to the left a bit?
At about 2 h 10 min 26 the airplane was climbing through FL360.
Could the PF have been looking outside and, aquiring some visual references, attempted to fly by those?