AA 757's...could it be??

[Sonny Crockett]

Ahh, Gentlemen... Obviously, Sonny Crockett is a man of integrity and knowledge, and knows the real score.

The -80 is a PILOT's airplane... the 320 is a Flight Manager's wet dream.

P.S. My throttles move when the thrust changes...

Direct Law that!

At least SOMEBODY can see the light!

 

[AAflyer]

At least SOMEBODY can see the light!

It is called flying!!! Glad someone helped you out on the JS Sonny. I have a UAL JS story from many years ago. The Captain saved my bacon.

Regards,

AA

 

[Fox-Tree]

Ahh, Gentlemen... Obviously, Sonny Crockett is a man of integrity and knowledge, and knows the real score.

The -80 is a PILOT's airplane... the 320 is a Flight Manager's wet dream.

P.S. My throttles move when the thrust changes...

Direct Law that!

Dude,
If I was at AA, I guess I'd sing the praises of the -80 too (not like you have much choice - they only have a gagillion of them). Personally, I think it's a piece of sh!t from a pax perspective. The thing feels like a light aircraft during transition from climbs/descents, what up with the 2/3 seating and I've never felt real good about having a turbo-fan a foot from my melon in the last couple of rows.

I'm sure compared to a J41 or a 727, it's an improvement. Try flying something designed in the last couple of decades and you may change your tune. You may like flying the -80 but I'll take the -320 as a pax or a pilot any day.

Cheers - from an AAdvantage member waiting anxiously for an AA fleet upgrade.

 

[AAflyer]

Dude,
If I was at AA, I guess I'd sing the praises of the -80 too (not like you have much choice - they only have a gagillion of them). Personally, I think it's a piece of sh!t from a pax perspective. The thing feels like a light aircraft during transition from climbs/descents, what up with the 2/3 seating and I've never felt real good about having a turbo-fan a foot from my melon in the last couple of rows.

I'm sure compared to a J41 or a 727, it's an improvement. Try flying something designed in the last couple of decades and you may change your tune. You may like flying the -80 but I'll take the -320 as a pax or a pilot any day.

Cheers - from an AAdvantage member waiting anxiously for an AA fleet upgrade.

Actually when non-reving it is nice not to have that middle seat on the left side.

As for the light airplane feel during the transition. Those pilots just don't know how to fly it. It is all about being Smmmooooovvvvimp:


AA

P.S. I am waiting for a fleet upgrade too:beer:

 

[AlbieF15]

I imagine that the airbus crowd is ready to swing some "sweet" deals right now for the American company who is willing to make a good size order and get some good press for the aircraft makers on the other side of the pond.

Keep hearing rumors Jetblue will axe the Jungle jet for a 318 contract...

 

[aa73]

Dude,
If I was at AA, I guess I'd sing the praises of the -80 too (not like you have much choice - they only have a gagillion of them). Personally, I think it's a piece of sh!t from a pax perspective. The thing feels like a light aircraft during transition from climbs/descents, what up with the 2/3 seating and I've never felt real good about having a turbo-fan a foot from my melon in the last couple of rows.

I'm sure compared to a J41 or a 727, it's an improvement. Try flying something designed in the last couple of decades and you may change your tune. You may like flying the -80 but I'll take the -320 as a pax or a pilot any day.

Cheers - from an AAdvantage member waiting anxiously for an AA fleet upgrade.

Hey Fox Tree,

I agree that the 80 sucks for pax... but, man, I love flying old airplanes, dang it! Call me nostalgic or whatever, the very fact that the -9/-80 is the last of the cable driven airliners just wins me over. I love steam gauges. But hey, we just got the whole fleet retrofitted to EFIS! That's right, we have an electronic attitude indicator and EHSI, so now we just lost two more steam gauges, darn it!

It is a fun airplane to fly, one that still requires a lot of the skills we've learned over the years. Yeah, the autopilot/flight guidance is dated. Yeah, the pax hate it. Yeah, it's a cramped cocpit. Big deal! I signed up for this gig cause I love to fly, and that's what it's all about in the -80!

The climb/descent transition is one that many pilots screw up by descending in IAS/Mach hold. Not me - I do it all in V/S, nice and smooth. Pilot technique only there.

I've jumpseated on the Airbus. Big, roomy cockpit, comfy seats, all automated, and.... BORING! Type, type, joystick nudges, climb thrust, autopilot on. Type, type, VNAV path (huh?), type, autopilot off, joystick nudge, RETARD! No thanks.

As far as fleet upgrade at AA, you won't have to wait that long, something big is in the works. Meanwhile, our pax seats are pretty comfy, and hey, 2-3 seating is one less middle seat!

73

p.s. the J41 rocked, and the 727... well, I'm all choked up right now.

 

[JimNtexas]

I think Airbus isn't desperate to sell the A319/320. My understanding is that they are maxed out of production capablity and will soon open a factory in China for these airplanes.

I suspect that you can get a great deal on an A380. In fact I suspect Airbus would pay you to take an A380 off their hands. But you'll have to pay pretty close to list for an A320.

 

[G4G5]

The 80 does not suck for pax. Business folks love it because of the lack of a middle seat. 80% of the aircraft is either widow or isle vs 60% on the 737/A320.

I am not familiar with the A320 fuel burns but it has to be less then the 80. Now combine that with the 5 year warranty and it makes sense (short term). Acquisition costs will be minimal, (no money down leases). Then it's just a mater of direct cost comparisons. The 321 makes sense for an East coast 757 NY-FL market replacement, and the ORD/DFW/STL to the East and West coasts . The additional capacity over the 737/A320 will help with the LCC competition.. Transcons will stay on Boeings.

I just can't believe that AA mgt will do it prior to a 787/797 contract signing. AA sill has the 20 year all Boeing preferential contract in place. This will allow them to jump in on the 787 over the competition.

I would suspect that any A320 deal would come after a Boeing announcement.

 

[Marko Ramius]

I think Airbus isn't desperate to sell the A319/320. My understanding is that they are maxed out of production capablity and will soon open a factory in China for these airplanes.

I suspect that you can get a great deal on an A380. In fact I suspect Airbus would pay you to take an A380 off their hands. But you'll have to pay pretty close to list for an A320.

I would think that would be the point from Airbus' standpoint. This would be a solid cash flow move in a time when they certainly can use one. Not as glamorous as selling 330/340/350/380's but beggars can be choosers. I'd be willing to be that the 737 series is what kept Boeing chugging through their crisis in the nineties although the 777 got more press.

 

[CSY Mon]

I've jumpseated on the Airbus. Big, roomy cockpit, comfy seats, all automated,

Not comfy jumpseats in the cockpit.

I have had many generous jumpseats on the A-320 with them JetBlue guys...The friendly service is great, but the cockpit jumpseats, on any Airbus, is the most uncomfortable in the business.
Including AA's A300-600s.

Give me a B-something, or an MD-11, arm-rests and all.
(MD-80s j/seats are just one notch over the A-320 j/seats..Barely.)

The B-737-200 cockpit jumpseat ain't great either. Had one with United some years ago. Kit Darby was the Captain:
He chewed my arse 'cause I could not get the seat down and the seat belts connected in 5 seconds.
Long flight it was.

Back to the topic:
AA buying Busses?
Hmm, what about the deal with Big B to buy that brand exclusively for the next 100 years, at a great discount?
The upcoming plastic FLUF should be plenty up to snuff as far as competing with the Frogs in tech and weight/burn.
If price is a bigger factor than anything else, look to the jungle for the E-199 or whatever the next version is.

Hopefully AA makes a good decison, my ass is riding on that decision for the next 10 years...