Thanks Chris, it gets clearer and clearer....
My criticism remains in place though, since the elevators return to "neutral" and the THS has actually "supplanted" the elevators as primary flight control?
My concept of trim, even high altitude heavy jets, is that trim is a replacement for deflection, and is extremely suitable for Cruise. To the extent that aft loading of fuel helps fuel economy, it also challenges the stability of the airframe?
I fall back on the first lesson of trim, "not for maneuvering". But for tuning the attitude to allow continuous flight without constant correction, or deflection?
So I see the tailplane at -14 degrees as not a good idea when the purpose is to maneuver, to recover. At a time when Nose Down is a critical need, that immense aft "wing" is at its most powerful, and opposite to the appropriate input?
Imagine, "briskly Push the controls Nose Down, hold a descent, and carefully ascend when the risk of secondary Stall, is mitigated?"
I maintain the flight crew were cheated of that opportunity.... Perhaps a recovery was impossible, but I would quote the above post, where it is said "would have made recovery easier...."?