Originally Posted by DozyWannabe
What I have more trouble understanding is the motivation behind pulling the nose up past half-stick deflection around 02:10:09 (i.e. at AP disconnect), when the PF has just been explaining to the PNF why they are unable to safely climb to a higher flight level.
You seem so sure that the PF would have had no reason to climb intentionally. I'm not so sure.
At 01:52:23, when he pointed out to the Captain: "You see the REC MAX it’s changed to three seventy five", the Captain's only reaction was to start making preparations for his rest break. Later, when he said to the PNF in the briefing at 02:00:33 "So what we have is some REC MAX a little too low to get to three seven", I can imagine him thinking "...and this doesn't seem to bother our stubborn old man at all."
From the report (2.1.1.2):
...the PF wanted to change flight level and fly above the cloud cover, while recognising that it was not possible for the moment to climb two levels. He made several allusions or suggestions on the flight levels and the temperature from 1 h 35 min 20 onwards. He even considered requesting a non-standard level 360. His various interventions in the minutes that preceded the autopilot disconnection showed a real preoccupation, beyond the simple awareness of an operational risk. Some anxiety was noticeable in his insistence.