Originally Posted by
WHBM
As I understand it, the A320 had this kit when it first flew in 1987. Boeing had the chance, when they completely re-engineered the 737, in (I'm approximating) around 1997 for the 737NG, and again around 2015 for the 737Max. They didn't. A drop dead date was then set for 2023 for this to finally be there, and that is only for type certification, not for service or withdrawal date. They haven't meet any of that either. Talk about bending over backwards to help Boeing. But they just don't help themselves.
When Boeing did their original EICAS (757/767, certified 1982), they had to get an Alternate Method of Compliance (AMOC) since the regulations at the time didn't allow such a system. That was still true in 1989 when Boeing certified the 747-400 with EICAS. So no first hand knowledge, but I assume Airbus had to also get an AMOC to certify the A320.
If the regulations technically did not allow an EICAS type solution, then the regulators obviously didn't feel there was a big safety advantage to going to the EICAS style glass flight deck. I don't recall when the regulations were changed to allow an EICAS/ECAM type system without an AMOC, but it's not exactly bending over backwards to allow Boeing to certify a new aircraft type that follows the regulations
as they are currently written in instead of forcing them to spend big bucks to implement a system that
doesn't technically meet the regulations.