For Airbus and Boeing pilots, which do you prefer?

[mr.airline]

Pilots, im an interested passenger wanting to know what you like flying better. An airbus e.g a320, a330, a340 or the equivalant made by the boeing company e.g. B737, B777, B767, B747. Are Airbus a/c easier to land in a crosswind? And how does the airbus sidestick compare to the flight yoke of the boeing (if thats what its called).

Thanks for the comments in advance!!

[BelArgUSA]

Proponent of Boeing machines...

Hola Mr.Airline...
xxx
First of all, I hope this does not turn out to be an "A vs. B" discussion. Both Airbus and Boeing airplanes certainly have undeniable qualities. I just wanted to give you an opinion of a Boeing "career" pilot, who, at the end of his career, is managing a training department.
xxx
I have flown Boeing machines some 80% of my airline career, and had to transition to Douglas DC-8s for a few years during a layoff. Changing my Boeing "procedures" to Douglas was then a near nightmare. I had flown 707 and 727 planes, and one day, without a single hour in a DC-8, I found myself in the LH seat of a DC-8... and a year later as check-captain/instructor.
xxx
Yet, both Douglas and Boeing airplanes had similarities, and despite a different system design, SOPs and "vocabulary", I survived in the DC-8... eventually recalled by my airline (PanAm), and back to Boeing, eventually the 747-100/200.
xxx
PanAm had A-300 and A-310s... but these original Airbus airplanes were in a sense quite similar to any Boeing (or Douglas) airplanes. And at times, they had wonderful items I wish Boeing would have had as well, such as the brake fans, to cool off brakes after landing... The 300/310s were quite traditional, in flight controls (a wheel) and instruments. The 310s were denigrated by the crews for not having a flight engineer... A good source of discussion for "crew of 3 vs. crew of 2 pilots" back then.
xxx
After PanAm's demise, I ended being hired in Argentina, as 747 captain and instructor. Eventually the airline acquired A-340s... In the future, they will get 320s, 330s and... 380s as well. Now managing the training department, not "speaking" the modern Airbus jargon, I leave the Airbus boys do their procedures and training as recommended in Toulouse.
xxx
My personal (uneducated Boeing pilot) objection to Airbus 320 and later models, is that there are "computers" that interfere with pilot inputs and controls of airplane and its engines. The AF Habsheim A-320 accident is a typical argument of a pilot (who had a similar background as mine) unable to save his airplane, because of computers limiting his inputs.
xxx
I appreciate that Airbus 320 airplanes design permitting easy transition of pilots from one model to the next. However, I should say that despite different "type rating qualification", going from a 737, to a 727, to 707 and finally 747 was never a problem for a typical Boeing pilot. I have 707-727-747 background, and I occasionally instruct basics in 737 simulators (without being really qualified myself in 737) without any problems. A Boeing is a Boeing.
xxx
I occasionally "ride along" on A-340s to position for flights, or personal travel, and on the flight deck I would have "no clues" as to how to fly one. Many years ago, I was invited to be a "co-pilot" for a joyride in a DC-3, same problem, I flew it for a few minutes in cruise, but would not know how to operate the many handles for takeoff or landing... So for me, I am at a total loss in a DC-3... or a A-340... I am a 747-100/200/300/SP pilot... that is it.
xxx
Now you ask about "crosswind" handling of the Airbus vs. Boeing... I have no clues what the difference would be. I believe one of our friends here, who has flown both 737 and 320s will tell you how they do, if any differences.
xxx
If you ask me "what is the easiest airplane to handle" (among the types I did fly) - I would say, definitely it is the 747 "Classic". I have yet to suffer a bad landing in one, including to fight a 30 kts crosswind component. What I hate as an "old fart" is the "EFIS" displays, i.e. in the 747-400s. I am accustomed to "steam power gages".
xxx
I fought the selection of the 747-400 by my airline, when they could have acquired 747-300s for pennies, with virtually the same range and payloads for our sectors. We did not need the increased range of the 747-400, nor was it bonus to save on crew complement, the flight engineer, not required on a 747-400, who got replaced by a "third pilot crewmember" who has higher salaries than flight engineers...
xxx
And I finally retire in 10 months, I will not be able to spell the words "airline" and "airplane" to enjoy looking at these Brazilian ladies at the beach. And I rather drive 1000 km to go there, in my old Peugeot 205, rather than a free pass with my airline, and be limited to 2 pieces of baggage.
xxx
So - enjoy your Airbooses... Franky Dear, I don't give a "damned..." -
This will be chapter XVII in my biography...

Happy contrails

[PAXboy]

mr.airline I should gently point out that this question has been asked dozens and dozens and dozens of times in various forums in PPRuNe. It has led to some fearful arguments without any resolution. It has also led to some interesting discussions but not that often. May I suggest that you use the 'search' function to find the many, many threads that cover this? The question you have asked is recognised as an incendiary one and which really has no answer. Each pilot that has flown both types will give their own view but those views can be highly contradictory and so the 'discussion' is often not very productive.

Within this forum, the discussion would be about which the passengers prefer. Yes, both flight and cabin crew do stop in here to read and contribute, but this is the passenger forum and I'm sure that they (we) will answer your question from our perspective.

For me? whichever is the quieter and that cannot be known until after the flight. That is because a new a/c is likely to be quieter - irrespective of manufacturer. OTOH some engines might be noisier, you might land up in a quieter part of the cabin (front or back) but, critically, what I consider 'noisy' could be considerably more or less than my neighbour, as it is purely subjective. Any other discussion about riding in an airliner will be similarly subjective, based on culture, personal history and preferences and, of course, the fitting out of the particular cabin you are in.

[bealine]

For the passenger, a short-haul aeroplane is a short-haul aeroplane surely, as long as you can stow your carry-on and park yer butt then it doesn't matter, I wouldn't have thought? I am not a pilot but, like PaxBoy, I have seen this pilot banter a few times and I think the merits of various aeroplane types were discussed ad nauseam on "Jet Blast".

My only recall of the essential differences comes from Gordon Bethune (the former CEO of Continental Airline Inc) who was previously a member of the Boeing management team. In his book "From Worst to First" he makes a mention of the "Fly By Wire" technology employed on Airbusses and why Boeing made the decision to remain with traditional control methods.

"If it isn't going to benefit the operator with reduced costs, isn't going to benefit the pilots by making their jobs easier and isn't going to benefit the passengers with more comfort, but it is going to cost the manufacturer more - Why Bother?"

On quite a few of the Continental pilots bags, I've seen the sticker joyfuilly proclaiming "..........If It Ain't Boeing, I Ain't Going!"

But, then, with the Seattle factory in deep dooh dooh a few years ago after 09/11/2003, and laying off staff, I imagine that's maybe a bit of patriotism!

[pax britanica]

As has been pointed out there is endless debate on the qualities of Boeing vs Airbus from a flight crew perspective on Pprune-but the remark about a short haul airliners all being the same froma pax perspective is wide of the mark. Oddly its longhaul where leaving aside the airline specific fittings in Premium cabins the back of a 747/777 or 330 340 is pretty much the same but for short haul it isnt. The A320 family being newer is significanlywider than the 73/75 series.And by significantly I mean a wider seat that you notice and a wider aisle too.

I have always read with interest the A v B (and even McDD debates but I have never seen a pilot comment 'I would be scared of flying on one of those' so I guess they are all pretty good or more correctly real marvels of engineering skill and inginuity

[OFBSLF]

The A320 family being newer is significanlywider than the 73/75 series.And by significantly I mean a wider seat that you notice and a wider aisle too.

I've recently flown on A320s and 737-700s. Frankly, I didn't notice any difference in the width of the aisle or seats. I'm not saying there isn't a difference, just that it was small enough that I did not notice it. YMMV.