See, that's exactly what I mean, this is exactly at the heart of the discussion: Does the FBW restrict me in getting the maximum performance (including max engine performance through 'thrust-by-wire')or does it enable me to get optimum performance by going immediately to the max AOA and/or max load factor instead of fiddling with the pitch?? My 10 cents: If you pull the stick way back on the bus, it gives you an immediate pitch up at 2.5g (if clean or slats only) , and when it enters the low speed regime, it directly controls AOA to the max allowed, sounds very optimized to me!
On a conventional plane, you can pull more, but will the pilot do so??!! Aren't we all trained to 'fear' , to 'honor the stickshaker, which, when activated, doesn't have the plane at the max allowable/optimum AOA??!! Yes, the plane can probably take a bit more than the g limits published in the book, but who will , consistently throughout the maneuver, pull those g in a terrain avoidance situation?? So, yes, the 737 might be able to outperform the A320 by exceeding the limits sucessfully, but what if you fly along and suddenly the GPWS starts yelling at you?? On the bus, I just yank the stick all the way back and thrust to max, can you follow the same path in your 737 ??? OK, Boeing guys, into the ring !!!!!!