Keep in mind it was an average flight crew that did such a great job getting that crippled DC-10 into Sioux City Iowa several years ago.
Captain Al Haynes was also coincidentally about 57 years old, just like Captain CB "Sully" Sullenberger. This Sioux City accident also had an additional DC-10 pilot/flight instructor in the cockpit, adding to the amount of experience in the cockpit.
I think that perhaps having a medium length of time for the incident may have allowed greater focus. Less chance that stray thoughts get in the way and the adrenaline is up as high as it can go.
Airbus flight control laws still prevent the pilot from intentionally performing radical maneuvers (like large bank angles or approaching a stall). They have hard limits that the pilot cannot fly through. Those limits do not seem to have had any impact (positive or negative) on this incident.
Usually, they're to protect the airframe from undue stress, right?
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