To take my local airport, Reno, at 4412'MSL for an example: A 737-700 on the hottest day in Reno History could land at maximum certificated landing gross weight, do a quick-turn, and take off at maximum certificated takeoff gross weight. I know the NGs have absolutely fabulous performance. You load up to what you can lift on this day, so it is more of a bean-counter issue.

Performance: I guess it really doesn't matter. Something that seems to have eluded A and B. Of course these differences sort of disappear with a few hours in the airplane.īy the way, my favorite overhead panel was the BAe-146 with its rocker switches. Scanning the overhead you can just read down one side to the the big captions FUEL, HYD, ELEC and so on. I do not like the Airbus pushbutton/annunciator light combo overhead panel but many do and it is clean and modern. The 737 is old fashioned because they kept fleet commonality with the -200s so many of their customers already had. That is just a minor annoyance but pulling it UP out of the well again has caused more than one back injury among aging pilot populations. In The 737 you have to JAM your flight bag down between the seat and sidewall. The airbus though has this wonderful clean, bright, roomy, modern flight deck. The Boeing seats hold up to wear better and the sheepskin is really nice (no jokes about layovers in Scotland please) where the Airbus has cheap woven fabric that comes apart in a few years. From what I've seen with the upholstery and finish on Airbus products (not safety related - I know) I don't think I'd want to be flying a forty thousand hour Airbus.Ĭockpit comfort: Airbus hands down. Think of those pictures you've seen of B-17s returning to England with shocking amounts of battle damage that is the way I feel about the Boeing products (five types) I've had some experience with. I'm going to give you what I feel are the broad strokes about them and let others more current and more specifically informed than I am to fill in details.įirst off, I think the 737 was better built and if I was ever to experience something really dire I'd rather be in the Boeing. I have more hours in the Bus but I taught the 737. By utter coincidence, I've flown 104 different tail numbers on each type. Well, I did fly the NG sim and had some familiarization with the NG.

I can address some of this from the perspective of having flown B-733/734 but never the JT- 8D version nor the NG. I guess I'd have to go with Boeing as the home team.

A320 brk fan usage