737 or Airbus 320

[johnsonrod]

You'll get more route variety on the Airbus at UAL. Add the comfort factor up front and I'd say the Airbus would be my likely pick.

I guess it also depends on where you want to be based. I know a UAL 737 FO based out of Denver who does a lot of intra-California flying and that's what he likes to do - so, he won't be bidding the Airbus for a long while.

 

[wscrj]

The 737 is NO better at holding speed in descent. Hell, the -400's seem quite happy at 15 knots slow. For that matter, nearly any pitch command is inadequate in the 737. Far smoother ride to use LNAV and handle the pitch yourself.

I don't know what other 737 operators use, but whoever came up with the "crosshair" command bars should be taken out, beaten, nursed to health, beaten, rehabilitated, and beaten again...then shot.

Performance is pretty good in the climb. Too bad nothing much more happens when you level out.

 

[AV80R]

... I don't know what other 737 operators use, but whoever came up with the "crosshair" command bars should be taken out, beaten, nursed to health, beaten, rehabilitated, and beaten again...then shot...

Huh??? I fly the 75/76 now and if there was only one thing I could change it'd be the darn v-bar flight director. I love crosshair FD, the best thing that ever happened to an airplane! (besides the coffee maker). The ability to use lateral mode only is a great advantage of crosshair versus v-bar. Also, it's more logical - in a crosshair flight director you are focusing on the middle of the display, whereas in a v-bar flight director you really need to be looking at the edges of the flight director as the center is very hard to see when making very small changes. The way you feel about the crosshair FD is the way I feel about the v-bar FD.

 

[BTerence]

Many good points, I appreciate them all. Thanks

 

[vetrider]

I've flown with cross hair and vbar flight directors and like both. I think they are both so intuitive and easy you just fall into it no matter which it is.

As far as the 737 vs. the 320 its no contest to me, I'll take the 737 any day. All that stuff about the comfort, quietness, etc. of the bus is true and understandable, I suppose its whats most important to you that matters.

I like noise. I like throttles that move. I like feedback and feel. I'll take the 737. I miss the -200s and those Jt8s. Comfort is for the living room, and so is carpet by the way.

 

[AV80R]

...As far as the 737 vs. the 320 its no contest to me, I'll take the 737 any day...

- Well, I too will pick Boeing anyday, mainly for reliability issues. Also, I'm a big rudder aficionado - I really like to have it available to me...

...I like noise. I like throttles that move. I like feedback and feel...

I agree with you on mostly everything except when it comes to noise - you sound like my former flight instructor - "real pilots don't need no stinkin' headsets..." Fast forward 10 years - I ran into him and his wife at a mall and it was embarrassing to his wife and to me how loud he was when we were chit chatting at the mall; I guess all those years of flying without a headset did some damage to his hearing after all...

In a nutshell, I would like a Boeing product with Airbus comforts...

Boeing, are you listening? Hello??? Nah, I guess the hearing is gone…

 

[Spooky 2]

Huh??? I fly the 75/76 now and if there was only one thing I could change it'd be the darn v-bar flight director. I love crosshair FD, the best thing that ever happened to an airplane! (besides the coffee maker). The ability to use lateral mode only is a great advantage of crosshair versus v-bar. Also, it's more logical - in a crosshair flight director you are focusing on the middle of the display, whereas in a v-bar flight director you really need to be looking at the edges of the flight director as the center is very hard to see when making very small changes. The way you feel about the crosshair FD is the way I feel about the v-bar FD.

Agree with you completely. I started my airline flying with the Zero readers in Connies and the old (like me, Collins ID48's) later the Collins FD105 (singe steering needle) and then the usual FD108,109' and a few FD110's all of which were the single cue command bars. Finally grew up and started flying the DC10/L1011 with the dual cue cross hairs and never looked back except for a couple of years on a corparte B767/757 that had the single cue V bar. The G5/550 has the ability to switch between the two so I guess everyone can be happy on that airplane. I do some B777 work these days and while the single cue is an option I have yet to see an airline that has selected it. So bottom line, I like the dual cue best and I really believe you can hand fly an approach to a higher degree of accuracy with this system.

 

[PreContact]

Huh??? I fly the 75/76 now and if there was only one thing I could change it'd be the darn v-bar flight director. I love crosshair FD, the best thing that ever happened to an airplane! (besides the coffee maker). The ability to use lateral mode only is a great advantage of crosshair versus v-bar. Also, it's more logical - in a crosshair flight director you are focusing on the middle of the display, whereas in a v-bar flight director you really need to be looking at the edges of the flight director as the center is very hard to see when making very small changes. The way you feel about the crosshair FD is the way I feel about the v-bar FD.

Gotta disagree with you there. I like our v-bar flight directors! But depends on where you come from I guess!

 

[AV80R]

Gotta disagree with you there. I like our v-bar flight directors! But depends on where you come from I guess!

You're right; we all have our own preferences. I am not singling out "our" flight directors just saying that, in my view, crossbar FDs are easier to follow, especially at night when one's tired. It’s so much easier to track the center of a crossbar FD than the outer edges of the v-bar FD - just my view of course.

Maybe the fact I'm a computer game nerd makes me bias toward the crosshair FD? (most "shooting games" use some form of crosshair for aiming)... I'm not sure... Either way, Boeing is a great product, too loud but great nevertheless...

 

[cactusboy53]

Straight or Gay?

Sir, I fart in your general direction!!:laugh:

 

[NEDude]

Also, I'm a big rudder aficionado - I really like to have it available to me...

Not only is it available to you on the 737, it even moves on its own...

I would have to take issue with this. I've flown both. The Airbus lies to you and will try to get you busted.

As I said, this comes from a sampling of four guys I know who have flown both. I have no experience actually flying the 737 so I cannot comment specifically about it. I don't see where the Bus lies to you. Look at the airspeed and it will tell you where it is at. If you have managed speed at 300 kts, it will provide a buffer on that to keep on profile. If you are assigned a speed, select a speed and it will hold it and still do a pretty good job and keeping on profile, although it may require some speed brake input.

 

[Britpilot]

BApparently the 737 autothrottles struggle a bit when the pilot is handflying. The Airbus does just fine.

No, they do just fine.

Reputation for being tough and well built aircraft.
Correct

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.
Packs work fine, blow very cold (ice chunks)

The Airbus seems like it's useful life is five years. It seems to get old very quickly. It has poor range and a poor performing wing.
I'll take the 737 every time.

 

[Cardinal]

If you're typed and have significant time on the Boeing, the (il)ogic of the Airbus will drive you batty. The autoflight and flight management systems don't think the way North American airline pilots do. Lot's of little gotchas that a Boeing engineer would be fired for. The plusses: It's more roomy, quieter, cooler in summer, with better seats than the 737. If you pick the 'Bus just remember, you're never really "flying" the thing.

+1.

A rhetorical question, why is it such a prolonged stagger to the lousy certified ceiling of FL390 in the shortbody aircraft (319) at moderate weights? Long periods at zero rate of climb, it's embarassing. I can't imagine what a heavy 321 in the summer must be like.

 

[Marko Ramius]

The Airbus seems like it's useful life is five years. It seems to get old very quickly. It has poor range and a poor performing wing.
I'll take the 737 every time.

That's funny because I've flown 320's that will be 20 years old next year and they aren't going anywhere anytime soon. The seats have more BO and the lavs are stinkier, but what else is knew on any old airplane?

 

[pilotss]

Airbus is the lazy man's plane. You can cut your grass with a push mower....the 737 you can have the grass cut with an automatic cutter...the 320.

My 2 cents is the Airbus does not need to be flown, it needs to be managed. The 737 2/3/5 need to be flown.


I appreciate the bus very much and when you learn the methodology you will not have 20-40 kt variations in managed speed.

Other than the flying part it is QOL and pay is what you should look at for your decision.

I would fly a 152 over a 787 if I only worked one hour on Tuesdays paying 50k per month.

 

[Shrek]

+1.

A rhetorical question, why is it such a prolonged stagger to the lousy certified ceiling of FL390 in the shortbody aircraft (319) at moderate weights? Long periods at zero rate of climb, it's embarassing. I can't imagine what a heavy 321 in the summer must be like.

It is a treat let me tell ya.............lol.

 

[Say Again Over]

I can't imagine what a heavy 321 in the summer must be like.

Fly one a lot with V2500's no record breaker but it's the best handling Airbus of the bunch, including the A330. I have to agree with others that it's not flying, now I'm a computer operator.

 

[Whataburger]

. Apparently the 737 autothrottles struggle a bit when the pilot is handflying. The Airbus does just fine.

737's have autothrottles? Where's that button?

 

[PHXFLYR]

The Airbus seems like it's useful life is five years. It seems to get old very quickly. It has poor range and a poor performing wing.
I'll take the 737 every time.

A poor performing wing compared to the 737NG's
A better peforming wing when compared to the
737 Classics which it was designed to replace...unfortunatley.

PHXFLYR

 

[PHXFLYR]

Airbus is the lazy man's plane. You can cut your grass with a push mower....the 737 you can have the grass cut with an automatic cutter...the 320.

My 2 cents is the Airbus does not need to be flown, it needs to be managed. The 737 2/3/5 need to be flown.


I appreciate the bus very much and when you learn the methodology you will not have 20-40 kt variations in managed speed.

Other than the flying part it is QOL and pay is what you should look at for your decision.

I would fly a 152 over a 787 if I only worked one hour on Tuesdays paying 50k per month.

Does that mean every Tuesday ??


PHXFLYR