Airbus' inverted light switches?
 

Hello everyone!

I am a flight enthusiast for decades, but this is my first posting at PPRuNe forum: please excuse me if I make something wrong. I didn’t find that there is another topic with similar question, maybe I didn’t search well.

I always thought that one of fun facts about differences between Boeing and Airbus is „off position“ of overhead light switches: I was sure that in Boeing „off position“ is closer to pilot, and in Airbus „off position“ is closer to the windshield. I based this knowledge on my experiences on jump seats, on photos and on high quality add-ons for Flight Simulators. For A320 Flight Deck interior I also like to consult 3D view at airbus.com.

Therefore I was surprised when I found that a320dp.com service shows Airbus' light switches like in Boeing – off positions (and retract position for landing lights) are closer to pilot. I didn't find any real life picture with this „inverted positions“ until recently, when someone show me the photo of United Airlines' A320 overhead at airlines.net (made by Allen Yao 2002) – there are „inverted positions“ indeed!

Are there some Airbus cockpits with one switch positions and some with other? Are there some „custom orders“ for overhead layouts from companies? I can't thing out any logical explanation. I would appreciate expert experiences and thoughts.

(I made active links to sites and photos that I refer to, but forum doesn't allow me to post URLs until I have at least 10 posts.)

Thanks!

Must be this one. You're right!

I used to fly for a freight airline that had B707s from several airlines. We had some planes with swirches going one way and some the otner. Also switch position varied greatly from plane to plane. Airceaft manufacturers make a lot of customizations for airlines although I think Boeing does more than Airbus. I only flew the A320 at United so I don't know anything about them at otner airlines.

Very interesting, thanks. I wouldn't ever suppose that positions of same switches can be matter of customization. Although, it is less important for light switches than for gear up/down positions. :)

Airbus have online 360 degree cockpit views that I found the other day - hmmm udder way up.
https://static.airbus.com/fileadmin/...pit/index.html

https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....8c6053c68a.png
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/pprune....d5d7ea5160.jpg

Variant for Australian customers. :O

Boeing finally figured out how much all that customization was costing them (it was a paperwork nightmare) and it's been sharply curtailed in the last 20 years. Also, a lot of things that used to be optional features are now 'basic'.
That being said, I think Boeing still offers more customization than Airbus.

wasn't there something called an Atlas configuration on Boeing aircraft some years ago with regards to switch operation?

Sounds likely. ATLAS was a technical cooperation agreement between Air France, Iberia (originally UTA), Lufthansa, Alitalia and Sabena from the 1960s onwards.

https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/ATLAS-...SSU-Konsortium