Airbus or Boeing?

[ddd]

OK you pilots, help me out here, which is the better aircraft to fly, Boeing or Airbus and why?

[Colonel W E Kurtz]

Boeing

Much Faster
Higher Cruise Alt
Quicker Rate of Climb
The thrust levers move when autothrottle engaged.
The aeroplane does what you tell it to do in manual flight!

In the 747-400 we have our own bunk beds and toilet in the cockpit!:cool:

[Astra driver]

If it ain't Boeing I ain't going

[18-Wheeler]

If it ain't Boeing I ain't going

Abso-friggen-lutely.

[lead zeppelin]

Dan Buster;

If you check ddd's profile, you'll see that he is new to pprune.

He asked a simple question - if you don't like the subject matter, you are free not to contribue or for that matter read this thread.

LZ

[BEagle]

Depends whether you prefer Ancient or Modern.......

Of course if you were a simpleton lard-ar$ed gun-toting redneck with a pick up truck, one-eyed dog and a jingoistic view of everything made in the US, you'd just say 'Boeing' because they're made by 'good ol' boys, not they goddam Frenchies'....... But leaving politics aside:

Yes, some Boeing a/c are design icons...707, 747 in particular. And, whilst they might be a tad quicker, how significant is that really today?

It's the future which is most interesting. Sonicruiser is sadly dead and the Dreamliner is very adventurous with its use of composite construction. But does it really do anything which the A330 doesn't already? And Boeing have nothing to compete with A380...

On the military side, the KC-767A scandal is going to hurt Boeing a lot. That's a story which is going to run and run

But Boeing or Airbus better to fly? That's a much more difficult question to ask than which is the better for an airline to operate and is a bit like asking whether you prefer Chevrolet or Mercedes to drive. Each to his own taste....

[TwinAisle]

I once promised myself I would never enter this debate...

Ah well.

To say "which is the better aircraft" is a bit like asking "which is the better car" out of a Mercedes or a Porsche.

A great deal of it is down to personal taste, and what you want to do with it. Both make excellent products, both have plus and minus points.

It is a bit fatuous to simply say A is better or B is better, without regard to what you are intending to use it for. Is the A330 better than the 744 on LHR-LAX? Clearly not. Is it better on LGW-LAS? I would say so.

The real answer is therefore - give us a route and let us have a debate on which is the better product on that route.

TA

[PA-28-180]

Slightly different angle, but something I have always been curious about. I have never flown "for real" either the 744 or any Airbus (largest I have flown was the Falcon 10), however, when I was a 150 hour PPL doing my IR course, I had the opportunity to jump into a class D sim of both the A320 and 744-won't say what company in order to protect the guilty (but it was located at MSP :D )
(At that time the biggest aircraft I had flown was the Beech Duchess-0 turbine time.)
I was given about a one hour overview of basic systems, procedures, etc and then jumped into the A320. Had absolutely NO problem flying it-push back, engine start, taxi out and takeoff followed by an ILS back into MSP. Took it up again, had an engine failure at 10,000' and did a SE ILS back in-again no problem. Had the same overview next on the 744 followed by the sim and I could not fly that beast worth a D*MN!
I know all about momentum and inertia issues and such-from memory, the A320 was around 250,000 pounds VS 800,000 for the 744. My question is this: Was it the automated flight controls of the A320 that allowed me to so "easily" fly it? Or just the difference in weights, especially considering my experience at the time?
Thanks in advance.

[spy]

Can't believe we are doing this again!

There is no answer all depends on your point of view. I have flown both and have no problem with either.

Sales speak for themselves as to how the airlines see it. Will be interesting to see how the new Boeing sells, think it could be a challenger to the Airbus. The first Boeing to really bight the bullet and start from scratch for years. Look forward to seeing it in service.

[Captain Efis]

There's no clear winner in the war Airbus vs Boeing, both of them make good and crap a/c... Simple :ok:

[tall and tasty]

From an despatcher point of view give me a boeing boy anyday!


More graceful but thats a girls point of view and prefer the column instead of the stick on the flightdeck

Tnt
xxxxxxx

[rotornut]

Air International compared the 320 series to the 737NG series in its May 2000 issue.
The result? No clear winner, as might be expected. But well worth reading as the author definitely did his homework.

[skydiverppl]

Ok, how about from an overall SAFETY point of view?

Which would you rather fly in?

[Maxrev]

I've flown both Airbus and Boeing, formerly 757's and now the A320 family. I miss the power of the 757 big time, but the Bus is probably easier day to day to operate as more of the work is done by the aircraft. Plus you also have somewhere to put your lunch. I remember an Airbus chap telling me how you could tell what a Boeing pilot had for lunch as 'e alwayz 'az some of it on eez trouserz' :p

[Astra driver]

Q: What's the difference beween a chainsaw and an Airbus?

A: You can cut down more trees with an Airbus!

[MkVIII]

You want a REAL aeroplane, the answer is neither!

The ONLY choice for a pilot is Douglas.

[TwinAisle]

skydiverppl

Safety is not an issue. Both manufacturers make excellent, safe products, and do all they can (including sharing knowledge) to make them safer still.

They are certified for operation worldwide. They are operated by crew with the highest levels of training possible.

Both manufacturers have had incidents and accidents caused by

1. pilot error
2. design error
3. ATC error
4. etc etc etc

There is NOTHING to compare between them on safety. Would I get on any Boeing or Airbus product? Hell yes, no second thoughts. Given what I do for a living, would I advise someone NOT to operate either? I MAY do - but it would be an economic appraisal based on the sector they wanted to operate.