Perhaps all stalling training is done with power off or at Flight Idle. And well below F/L 20.0 as well.
If a pilot has never hand-flown above this, then he may not be aware just how sensitive the controls may feel.. Does a Simulator give a sufficiently accurate a "FEEL" in some fairly ordinary S/L flight at height ?
( I have thought about G and cannot see how provide enough in each direction even in an accellerometer! It will just have to be briefed.)
At some moment on 447, Flight Idle was selected and the nose lowered, but that was as it would tend to do with the engines mounted under the wings.
I do not recall what comment was made (if any) before TOGA was re-selected. Or afterwards...
The Captain returned to the Flight Deck. I do not know whether he had heard a change in the engine power or not. ( It might be thought to be unusual at cruising level and might have helped to hastened his return.)
Someone must know. Perhaps it is still in the FDR.
A POWER ON STALL at or above cruising level would have been a bad start.
LT