Originally Posted by
stilton
I don’t doubt it but it’s just not correct to say that Airbus FBW flies manually just like any other modern jet
From not needing to trim, an auto thrust system that does not move the throttles to numerous protections and hard limits just to name a few there are significant differences to consider
I would differ slightly from Uplinker. It's not theoretically but practically also there is a difference. Airbus is flight path stable Boeing is speed stable. That means the aircraft behavior is not same with thrust and speed changes. Boeing 737 nose will pitch up or down but Airbus will maintain the flight path. That's why in 737 with autothrottle/AP it's either auto/auto or manual/manual. It was same in airbus non FBW but in AB FBW ATHR can remain on. In Boeing when you make pitch change you need to hold the new attitude till it is trimmed off or the nose will go back to previous attitude. Not so in AB FBW you make pitch change and return the stick to neutral or rather make a pitch change and leave the stick it's spring loaded to go back to neutral. In airbus when stick is out of neutral you are asking the computer to change pitch or bank. So if you are happy with your PFD you leave the stick alone. I have seen some trainees both abinitio and experienced initially creating their own instablity. Airbus is not difficult it's easy but different. Take missed approach 737 as you change the attitude aircraft itself will sharply pitch up and you may have to push forward then trim. Stab trim is not that simple. Unlike elevator trim tab which changes the neutral position of the yoke stab trim doesn't and you need to move back after trimming. Rostov on Don crash happened because the stick was held forward and prolonged trim was applied putting the aircraft in steep dive. In AB Aircraft will resist any change that is not commanded from side stick. So if pilot doesn't pull up it pitches 8 or 9 degrees. So you can pitch up all the way to 15° and leave the stick it will stay there. It's easy to switch to Airbus but an out and out CPL to command A320 pilot changing to 737 will have to rediscover basic skills of holding speed or altitude and trim. Because when you reduce thrust in AB nose doesn't drop nor does it come up with increase in thrust also there's no tactile feed back in the stick. Airbus is ideal for 200hrs guys to settle down to Airline flying. Even a less gifted can manage as it doesn't demand high standards of psychomotor skills.