If area rule was good why would it fall out of fashion? While a black box may enable you to fly an unstable aircraft did area rule make it ultra stable?
Just curious how designs go in and out of fashion - the swing-wing of the 60s (US) and 80s (UK) gave was to the twin tail of the US and USSR and Iran
.
Civil wise from embedded engines (UK) to tail mounted (UK, US, USSR, France) to underwing pods.