Originally Posted by Gretchenfrage
I welcome a moving side-stick, just as I welcomed a moving auto-throttle.
Both systems allow the pilots to instantly be part of the modern fly-by-wire system, to act in a symbiotic partnership and, if needed, to act as last authority (at least if minimally trained, but that's another story).
There's nothing wrong with that statement, but in the case of AF447, Bonin was aware the A/T had dropped out, and he used the thrust as and when he wanted.
The 'Elephant' in the cockpit was in fact the biggest piece of control equipment on the flight deck - the THS Wheel, which was designed to perform two functions,
(1) Give a visual feedback of the THS position, and
(2) Provide a direct means of manual control of the THS, if and when required.
I venture that (1) was not noticed, because the THS isn't/wasn't a normal part of the crew's scan, and secondly I have the distinct impression that in the cruise its movement was small and only becomes active in the non cruise sectors of a flight. Under NL that is a given, and the THS just moves to neutralize elevator demand as required (the simplistic explanation).
This brings me back to Bonin's actions with the SS, and his apparent disregard for the NU demands he was making and the NU attitude that he must have seen on the PFD. I venture that he was schooled to believe that under NL the aircraft was unstallable, and SS ANU commands would be modified by the UNoverridable protections. That being the case, it probably goes without saying that (2) never featured in his training.
However, the 'Mammoth' in the cockpit was ALT2b, where a hand on the THS at the appropriate time could have prevented most of what happened. Though, when you don't appreciate how to manage the aircraft energy at FL350+, then there is little left to be said.