737 or Airbus 320

[Helos2Galaxy]

A 130 seat jet is a 130 seat jet.

Bid which ever will give you the better mix of QOL and pay.

 

[Jet41]

Go to the 737 if you get type, so when you get furloughed you'll be able to go to Southwest.

 

[filejw]

Base sch and type of flying....

 

[snow-back]

Thanks for the info. I have no time in the 737 and I accepted a job with United. I have also thought it might be better for the resume to have another type. However it might be easier on me in training if I went 737 because I am already typed

You've got a job with the majors now...you don't need to worry about that resume...or your logbook.:laugh:

 

[NEDude]

I am typed in the 737 and A320. No time in the 737 though. I have flown with three guys who have significant time in both and am in a crashpad with another - it stands at 3-1 in favor of the bus.

The pros and cons of each according to them:

A320 Pros - MUCH (!!!!!) more comfortable for the pilot (can't be emphasized enough according to them). The cockpit is a nice place to spend several hours. The MCDU (FMS) does a much better job at planning descents and crossing restrictions. No significant differences as far as the pilot is concerned across different models and generations. Better at flying with autothrust on and autopilot off. Apparently the 737 autothrottles struggle a bit when the pilot is handflying. The Airbus does just fine.

A320 Cons - Not as good a performer as the 737. The systems and logic can be a little difficult to adjust to coming from other airplanes. (My note - coming from a background of Beech 1900s, CRJs and a 737 type, I found the A320 very easy to learn.)

B737 Pros - Much better performance. Some models are downright hotrods. The FMS will automatically command a descent when appropriate and selected. Reputation for being tough and well built aircraft.

B737 Cons - Lots of busy work operating simple systems due to 1960s technology. Cramped cockpit and apparently the environmental system up front can be a little lacking on hot days. Due to many genrations and Boeings history of making everything custom for a specific customer, some airlines can have several different variations meaning a lot of different procedures even for one airline (that comes from a CAL guy).

Again, these are comments from guys I know who have experience on both. Not based on my experience.

EDIT- From what I have gathered many guys fly the Airbus completely automated. When you turn the autopilot and autothrust off the airplane flies very well. Coming from the CRJ, the Airbus is a much nicer flying airplane.

 

[AV80R]

I'm not a big airbus fan but must say that I think A320 is much quieter than the B737, at least in the cockpit. I used to fly the 737 (never flown A320 except numerous jumpseats) and found the cockpit pretty loud, especially comparing to the A320 whenever I'd jumpseat. Frankly, I think Boeing did a crappy job when it comes to sound proofing the airplanes from the pilots’ perspective. That's just my take on it.

 

[Truckdriver]

The 320 is nice and comfortable, but I really didn't like the way it flew. I actually like the MD-88 better than the 320 as far as flying characteristics go. I'd still probably go with the 320 because it is so darn comfortable up front with all the room and no yolk.

 

[Shrek]

Great post NE Dude........... very accurate.

 

[reepicheep]

A320 Pros - MUCH (!!!!!) The MCDU (FMS) does a much better job at planning descents and crossing restrictions.

I would have to take issue with this. I've flown both. The Airbus lies to you and will try to get you busted. And what kind of airplane when you program a 300kt descent flies a "window" between 280-320? Sorry; that's not how ATC works in North America. And you can't change the descent speed in managed mode without basically tearing the airplane apart and rebuilding it? Again, not designed with the realities of the ATC system we operate in. I could go on. Maybe I'm just a biased Boeing guy. The one thing I've noticed is the folks who never flew the Boeing and come to the Airbus love it. The ones who've flown Boing come to the 'Bus and spend a lot of time rolling their eyes.

 

[Marko Ramius]

I would have to take issue with this. I've flown both. The Airbus lies to you and will try to get you busted. And what kind of airplane when you program a 300kt descent flies a "window" between 280-320? Sorry; that's not how ATC works in North America. And you can't change the descent speed in managed mode without basically tearing the airplane apart and rebuilding it? Again, not designed with the realities of the ATC system we operate in. I could go on. Maybe I'm just a biased Boeing guy. The one thing I've noticed is the folks who never flew the Boeing and come to the Airbus love it. The ones who've flown Boing come to the 'Bus and spend a lot of time rolling their eyes.

I've flown both and came to the bus from the Boeing, and never rolled my eyes once except when I looked back into the 737 cockpit and wondered why it didn't look so cluttered when I flew it. I actually like the speed bracket thing on the decent speed. One of the things I hated on the 737(300/500) was that it seemed to do a poor job of holding speed in a VNAV descent-especially higher speeds. Even at 300kts, it would have a tendency to get 20kts or so fast before it realized it, then it would freak out and raise the nose big time to correct and next then you know the speed is at 280 and this phugoid dance would continue most of the way down if you left it alone. If you used the vnav capture mode and pre-programmed a slower speed it seemed to do better. Can't speak for the later models. The Bus does a better job imo. It gives itself room to increase or decrease the decent rate and it seems to be more civilized in how it handles things-of course both suck if you forget to program in a big tailwind in advance but that's not really the plane's fault. If you need it to maintain a speed, just pull the knob or if you are fast a little speed brake will usually keep you on speed and profile. After I got used to the plane, I didn't use the cruise altitude trick to reset the decent plan nearly as often.