737 or Airbus 320

[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

 

[johnsonrod]

I think it would be tougher to go FROM the Airbus to the 737 than the opposite because your flying skills could atrophy a bit in the Airbus - you are too used to managing vs. flying.

I know there are pilots out there who have gone from the Airbus to 737-300/500s at SWA - that must have been a wakeup call going from glass to basically no glass.

 

[Heavy Set]

Easy choice...

Definitely bid the 737. You want experience on that type when UAL furloughs pilots after its merger with XYZ (most likely USAirways) and you want to go to SWA. That 737 experience could be valuable in the long-run (your ticket to SWA)!

I personally wish you luck but I need to ask the following question: why would anyone consider going to UAL now after they explicitly mentioned their intention/need to merge with another airline? Isn't that just asking for headaches and a lot of potential stress????

 

[Yuppyguppy]

flown em both old skool 737 and the 300. The 320 is much easier on the pilot even though it's cheaply built it flies okay. Airbus wins with the kind of sked I do anyday.

 

[hoover]

An airplane is an airplane is an airplane. Once you are trained and have a little experience in it, it won't make any difference. What does make a differerence is how those airplanes are utilized, which is going to have a large influence on what your life will be like flying that airplane. For example: I'd heard that a lot of United guys stay on the 737 until they had enough senioroty to "bid over" the A320. That would imply that the A320 is a junior aircraft, which could mean that you would enjoy a much better schedule on that aircraft sooner than you would on the 737. That is just one example, I'm sure there are others. But hopefully you got my point

 

[PreContact]

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

I heard the FAA is pressuring you guys to finally use them. They're installed, just have to flip a switch, right?