Airbus v. Boeing

[the_flying_cop]

obviously having far too much time on my hands i thought it was time to ask the question which has puzzled me and several colleagues for some time.

apart from the obvious ones like for example A330 A340 747's i would like to know what are the major differences between the airbus 320's and boeing 737's or 757's sized aircraft.

i dont need to know the technical stuff, just basically any external VISUAL differences.

please dont give me any stupid answers or a long debate on catching criminals instead of posting cos frankly it just isnt funny.


regards


TFC

[aviate1138]

TFC

Why not Google both A320 and B737 and look at the pictures and see the differences for yourself?

Why the "please don't give me any stupid answers" bit? - what you are asking is pre-school observation level.

The aircraft are so similar that to describe in words what will become obvious with a few pictures seems an utter waste of time and effort, frankly. :)

Aviate 1138

[Vee One...Rotate]

Boeing v. Airbus. The epitomy of a taboo subject on PPRuNe. Good luck!

V1R

[sixmilehighclub]

utter waste of time (which I clearly have!)

....to tell the difference between the smaller ones. Airbus have winglets on the wingtips (to assist efficient airflow over and under the wing). Boeings dont.

No winglets but with one or two overwing exits each side is a B737.
With winglets and one exit overwing is a A318/ A319.
Two overwing exits each side is an A320.

Longer range aircraft have more main exit doors which are bigger than the self help overwing ones. From the side they look like: nose - door - door - wing - door - door - tail.

The A321 from the side looks like the B757 but has winglets. The B767 is a larger version of the B767. The B777 engine is huge and equals the size of the cabin fuselage (and on some airliners B777 is written on its ar$e!).

Hope that helps but as aviate suggests, you have to study piccies or live a/c to get it.

[davethelimey]

I've never heard any pre-school kids asking about the similarities between airbii and boeings.

Why waste your time with a post designed to belittle what was an innocent question? Pprune isn't a place to take out your frustration out on others.

[the_flying_cop]

thanks dave for your support.

thanks to the folks who went to the trouble of answering. as it happens i look at them in the flesh so to speak every working day of my existence. i just thought that as they looked so similar if there was some little clue to look for that would differentiate (aviate that means the difference between the two) at first glance.


six mile, i was already aware of the little winglets thanks, but also good of you to reply.


aviate, re read my original post please, paying special attention to the last line prior to my signature, you CHUMP!


regards


TFC

[chiglet]

Look at the Air2Bob B757/A321s, B757 has bogie u/c, A321 single axle.
watp,iktch

[PaperTiger]

757 is unmistakeable due to its distinctive 'dolphin' nose.
As for 320 vs 737, some points:
- the 320's vertical stab is set forward from the end of the fuselage, the 737's isn't
- 320 fuselage rounded at the front, pointed at the back
- 737 fuselage pointed at the front, rounded at the back
- most obvious difference (if you can see them), the cockpit windows. Easier to look at photos as suggested than me trying to put it into words.

hth

[FlyFreeWbe]

hehe, sorry sixmile but you might have to edit this.. The B767 is a larger version of the B767
regards

[JackOffallTrades]

..... It`s easy, Boeings are rubbish and Airbuses are great!

:E :E :E

[El lute]

Sixmile,
the A320 family comes with wingtips, the 737-800 (and -900 I think) B]can[/B] have what is called winglets.
The diameter of the 777 engines is the same as the 737 fuselage.
The number of exit doors, which defines the max. number of seats which can be put into an aircraft, varies with aircraft length. There is a maximum distance between exits defined by the FAA and other authorities.
Cop ,
Two easily visible differences:
front view: 737 new generation engine cowlings are not circular, the lower part of the cowling is flattened to give greater ground clearance.
side view: the transition from fin to fuselage on the 737s looks like a triangle, on the A320s it's practically straight with a little curve.

[KATLPAX]

Winglets are also optional on the B737-7, (along with the 8, and 9)

[Toulouse]

I think PaperTiger has given you some good points for differentiating the aircraft.
I also find that the 320 series look larger than the 737, higher off the ground, xider fuselage.

[MarkD]

For those who are advising that 320s all have winglets, perhaps you should look at

http://www.airliners.net/search/photo.search?regsearch=G-BUSD&distinct_entry=true

i.e. A320-100.

Flew in one ABZ-LHR (not sure if it was this one though).

[mad_jock]

Cop I have always wondered the same thing.

I am of the none spotter type of pilot and unless i have flown one wouldn't have a clue how to tell the difference between the different similar types.

MJ

[El lute]

MarkD,
True, the first 20 or so A320s didn't have winglets. Didn't know that they ended up (all?) with BA. I think they started with Air Inter, the then domestic french carrier or maybe Air France.

[JackOffallTrades]

BA has 5 A320-100 (without winglets)

G-BUSB
G-BUSC
G-BUSD
G-BUSE
G-BUSF

They were inherited through the BA-BCAL take-over because BCal owned rather than leased them.

[PaperTiger]

21 A320-100s produced. And the first one was actually retrofitted with winglets just to confuse things :8

http://www.planemad.net/Production_List/search.html?searchtext=320-111&search=2

[Load Toad]

Your a cop?

Observation skills, ingenuity...important?

You're on the internet, have a search function....go look at some bl***y pictures!

[aviate1138]

TFC said in part.....

"I dont need to know the technical stuff, just basically any external VISUAL differences."

Aviate 1138 says, trying to avoid being sarcastic, I have just Googled 'Airbus A320' and got 5,790 images in 0.11 seconds - 'Boeing 737', in 0.08 seconds produced 26,500 images.....
Not too difficult for a Flying Cop to do is it?

"One image avoids a thousand words"

:) You were asking for "VISUAL differences"

Aviate1138