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Boeing Vs Airbus
Known for their innovative approaches to aircraft design, technological advancements, and market strategies, Boeing and Airbus are major players in the aviation industry. According to Pacific Flying Club, because their long histories across different parts of the world, both companies have left a significant mark on the history of flight for producing aircraft.
Moreover, as explained by Simple Flying, Airbus and Boeing have shaped the fleets of the world’s airlines, progressively upgrading their successful products to align with the evolving requests of an ever-changing and complex industry. While some carriers operate mixed fleets of Airbus and Boeing aircraft, others decide to invest completely in one particular manufacturer. The logic behind this decision has different natures, among which one finds economic advantages.
However, an Airbus and a Boeing aircraft are entirely different products from many perspectives.
Airline pilot Jumping from Airbus to Boeing (and vice versa)
Can an Airbus pilot fly a Boeing plane too (or vice versa)?
John Chesire, former airline pilot, explains on Quora;
‘Well yes, of course they can. However moving from one to the other – as in any significantly different aircraft – requires some serious ground school and simulator training to learn the differences.
‘Having several thousand hours flying both, I can tell you they are quite different aircraft, with much different systems and especially different nomenclature. I went from the Boeing to the Airbus, and I suspect that transition is probably more difficult than transitioning from the Airbus to Boeing.
‘However if your question is: “Can a pilot jump from one to the other without any differences training?” the answer is a definite no! Their differences are vast and can be overwhelming to the uninitiated and untrained pilot in those two, extremely different aircraft.
‘To give an overview of the two different aircraft:
‘Boeings are aircraft that have a computer on board if desired to fly.
‘Airbuses are very many computers that have an aircraft onboard so that they can fly.
‘A Boeing pilot might be able to start an Airbus (unlike the Boeing, it’s automatic). However if you have not programmed the computer in an Airbus, you are not going anywhere till you do. And figuring out how to program it for the uninitiated pilot is not so easy. It takes training. Unlike the Boeing, it is the computer that flies the Airbus, not the pilot.
Yoke Vs joystick
‘In an extreme scenario, the average unfamiliar pilot could take off and land much easier in the Boeing than the Airbus.
‘However, both could be flown if the pilot found the checklists onboard for all phases of flight and followed them.
‘The Boeing can be flown without computers; the Airbus barely can too, but only in extreme circumstances and with far greater difficulty.’
As to the question if pilots prefer Airbus over Boeing (or vice versa), Chesire explains;
‘The pilots I know are split on this. But I think the majority favor Boeing because their aircraft can be flown without a computer.
‘In my airline, many pilots refused to transition to the Airbus from the Boeing because it was so different and difficult to learn… even though the Airbus trips were more desirable and paid more. Once learned, it is a great aircraft, but its learning curve is steep and challenging.
‘For me I liked to fly the Boeing, but I preferred to ‘work’ in the Airbus, especially since it had better “creature comforts” for long hauls.’
Airline pilot and American Airlines Captain James Carson Scott adds on Quora;
‘See John’s answer above – bang on. I’m a Captain with AA currently on the 777, but I’m type rated on the 727/747/757/767/777, Airbus A320…it’s a matter of simulator training and then getting rated. Heck, if you can fly any heavy iron, the fundamentals are the same although the Airbus is fly-by-wire vs most Boeings which have an actual yoke instead of a joystick to control the thing.
‘JCS, Captain, American Airlines….12,000 hours.’
Photo credit: Bill Larkins via Wikipedia
