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

[AA717driver]

Hey Fox Tree, 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.73

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

aa73--Sounds like some TWA guy taught you to fly the -80... TC

 

[Fox-Tree]

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.

Okay,
It sounds like you need to fly my next trip with AA. I guess one less middle seat is a good thing, especially since I'm still trying to work up the AAdvantage ladder.

Regarding all the magic on other planes..... You know you don't always HAVE to use that stuff. 90% of the time I flew the A320 (and the 737, 757, 767, MD-11), I clicked off the autothrottles and autopilot and just flew it. If we got busy or the weather was really bad, then I wouldn't. I do that with all the aircraft I've flown. How else are you going to stay current.
And if the guy in the other seat starts b!tchin' about the "extra workload" with one guy hand flying, I turn off the flight director - then he doesn't have to do jack. If he still b!tches, I give him the jet.

 

[Huck]

I've never felt real good about having a turbo-fan a foot from my melon

Back in the day that was referred to as the Delta Fan Club, after an unfortunate fatality in PNS....

 

[av8n]

Talking about the MD-88 and all the dials/guages in the cockpit.

True story:

Last Christmas, after shutting down, two young black kids (both around the ages of 8-9) wanted to see the cockpit. After seeing the cockpit for the first time, one of the kids said to the other "look at all those m*therf**king clocks!"

 

[BigMotorToter]

That is Fu(king funny!!!!!!!!!!

 

[rayford steele]

321 is the same wing (& gas) with a long fuselage. So more drag/payload and less range. The 319/320/321 all have the same wing and gas. In the winter, some airlines put 319s on transcons so they can make it. 320s a pretty good balance between the load and range. From what I understand, the 321 was one iteration too many without other needed changes.

There is an option for an aux tank on the 321. US Airways has them in there 321's.

 

[pgcfii2002]

I hate Airbus.

 

[TurboAWD]

There is an option for an aux tank on the 321. US Airways has them in there 321's.

Yeah, but if you fill it can you still take a full load of passengers?

I doubt it, but I'd be curious to hear otherwise. If you could, I think the A321 would have sold better.

Turbo

 

[AAflyer]

aa73--Sounds like some TWA guy taught you to fly the -80... TC

Nope, Ozark pilot did.

AA (the other 80driver)

 

[aa73]

OZ, TWA... doesn't matter, pilots from both those airlines taught me more about the 80 in one year than I learned over the course of 5. Great group of aviators!

73

P.S. AAflyer, I bet you call for "Climb thrust" instead of "Climb power", yeah?