A320 handling vs B737

[TooFast]

For those who flew both:

Is the A320 easier, nicer, to fly than the 737?

Do you miss your previous plane?

Why?

[gatbusdriver]

Although not on 737 I am on 757.

Having spent 8 years on A320/330, I am a big fan. Loved it. Now have command on 757, also a great bit of kit(now my scan is back up to speed), especially for first command. Nice to see what inputs are happening from the other seat.

Best thing about the airbus (and the thing I miss most) has to be the table.

[185 Lbs of Ballast!!]

I've had the pleasure to fly both:) I I think the 320 is a more pleasant environment to spend the day, and the benefit of a table should not be dismissed:O The 320 is also quieter in the flightdeck. On ballance I'd rather be in the 320 with the exception of a gusty crosswindy sort of day, or, God forbid, a total hydraulic or electrical failure.:\

Both great aeroplanes and a pleasure to fly.

[Down Three Greens]

Wow...two sensible answers...phew :ok:

[sarah737]

If you are a button pusher the airbus is by far the better option. If stick and rudder is your thing choose for boeing.

[PhoenixRising]

^
^
Yes that's right Sarah. Not much more needs to be said.:rolleyes:

[Down Three Greens]

Oh...Sarah!! I think your pprune name sums it up really. A very naive statement me thinks. :=

What would you classify a button-pusher! :confused:

[sarah737]

Naive if you want, but based on 6000 hrs on the 737 and 5000 on the airbus! Less naive than judging somebody on her name me thinks!
I was just pointing out the difference as I see it, and believe me I saw a lot! Your personal attack is a bit misplaced.

[gatbusdriver]

I see where you're coming from Sarah.

Going to the Boeing is like going back to flying as I used to know it (I was 250hr cadet straight onto A320), and I have to say i'm really enjoying it. But you can still enjoy flying the Airbus, I would regularly take out the autopilot and autothrottle, and fly visual circuits to various Greek airfields etc.

[sarah737]

I did not say you can't fly the airbus manually.
I said: if you prefer using the automatics you will enjoy the airbus more, if you prefer stick and rudder the boeing will give you more satisfaction. So the choice is yours, just sharing my experience.

[Down Three Greens]

Sarah

Don't take it to heart.....I think your choice of 'button pusher' was not the best 'term of phrase' to use.

DTG

ps...as far as judging on the name..fair point

[Rananim]

Never tell an Airbus pilot they're button-pushers..it really winds them up.I do agree though that table is really neat and that is what is important after all.

[Dream Land]

I'm proud to be a "Button pusher", doesn't hurt my feelings. :ok:

[FL245]

just came off 737 to A320/1, I actually miss the 737 and would move back to it in the morning.

Whilst the airbus is a nice enviorment, the 321 in particular is a pain. Flap retraction at heavy weights? poor climb performance etc Whilst i appreciate its heavier than the 737-700, its not an enjoyable to fly, for me!

I will move to 330 in next few months, people say its a lot nicer than the smaller airbus? true?

[fantom]

245,

The 321 is a pain for lots of reasons (wing too small, for a start).

Don't believe the brochures. The 330 is not a big 320; it is just fabulous.

Completely different, as well.

[Dream Land]

If you don't enjoy the A321 you will hate the A330, just my 2 cents. :}

[junior_man]

Either plane is fine. Boeing vs Airbus is a religious war for some, but it is just a tool. Each has their advantages. The airbus is definately a nicer working environment. The Air Con actually works and you are not stuffed into what was the cockpit designed in the 50's for the KC 135. ( Yes that is the 707 nose still). The lack of air con that works may not be a factor in the UK but other places it certainly is. You can handfly either plane and have a good time. Boeing more pleasant in a crosswind or an upset would be better. FMC and mode control panel better in the Boeing. Table damn nice to eat on in the Bus. Bus is quieter and more comfortable.
The best choice? Fly whichever gets you the best schedule, layovers and the most time off.

[alexban]

The Air Con is a lot improved on the Ng,maybe a bit too much...you can't really hear the engines anymore :zzz:
And you are not flying manually the Bus ,you are c-w-steering it, is it not true? And no feedback on the controls ,also...
Different technology, both great machines, but a different approach to flying..

[Dream Land]

Alexban, true, I do not get a real satisfaction when hand flying the Airbus because there is no feedback :bored:, just a lower level of automation with auto trimming.

[junior_man]

Airbus still feels like an airplane unless you are really yanking and banking. And you don't do that with pax onboard. The Boeing is artificial feel the airbus is springs. DC 9 was nicer than both to hand fly.
Again, days off quality of the trips etc matter much more than the minor differences.

[Tree]

Interesting how many pilots state they prefer the Airbus due to the tray table. Kind of like the people who prefer the car with the best/most cupholders over performance/safety/reliability/handling etc.
The 320/321 are pooches in the performance category. The 319 is adequate.

[junior_man]

I am not sure that there is any performance/safety/reliability/ handling difference.
Both airplanes are pleasant to handfly. They both perform in a similar manner the airbus is a nicer working environment as far as noise, space comfort and it does have a dinner table.
Oh, and the rudder will not try to kill you either in the airbus.
737s come in many flavours. I can say that most of the -200s are dogs too. The 320 is fine the 321 is a bit of a dog when heavy. Certainly no 757, but I hear a heavy -900 isn't a rocket either. But do you get paid more if your rate of climb is greater?

[alexban]

Junior, 737-200 has it's first flight in 1967 ..If you compare it with the 1988 made 320,well..it's some gap..
you maybe not get paid more for greater ROC, but it may help you clear some obstacles..:}, also, can one land a Bus with 189 pax on a 1300m long runway ,one like S.Dumont has, ?
About the nicer working environment you are spot on..maybe this is why almost all pilots will mention the tray..it's like a simbol to Bus's cockpit comfort..
And as many say the Bus it's easier to fly,in normal day by day flight, mostly cause it flies for you.
The rudder story...I'd say it was fixed by know..How many incidents connected with the 737 rudder you know of? Not many compared with the more than 90 million flights done by 2006 ,right?..

[junior_man]

Alexban, I was in Pittsburgh the night that flight 427 crashed. It was an airplane I had flown. It only takes one to kill you. It is fixed, but not quite all the way fixed. I have also known two other piltos who had rudder hardovers in 737s.
We never stuffed passengers in the airbus like that, but I could routinely get the 319 stopped in under 3000'
As far as clearing the obstacles, generally we planned the aircraft weight and performance to do that, whatever the airplane.
Either airplane will "fly itself" if you want, you can also fly either airplane too.
The comfort of the airbus cockpit is beyond the table, but I would still fly the 737 if it paid more or got me a better schedule.
I spent about 4 years flying the bus and flew with one pilot on it who didn't like it. Most guys who don't like the bus never flew it. I flew with lots of people who disliked the 737, mostly for its lousy working environment. It is just a tool, not a religion. Now big planes, Boeings are superior. But the 737 suffers from the fact that you are sitting in the nose of an airplane that was designed about 50 years ago. (KC 135) There have been some improvements since then.

[1.3vso]

Alexban, TAM flies the A319 to SBRJ (Rio/Santos Dumont) regularly, albeit at substantially less than max landing wt.