How to start an Airbus vs Boeing argument....

[Brad1711]

I saw the episode on Wings. What a surprise, a Boeing pilot can fly an A320!

The automation in the Airbus is surpurb (well, considering its limitations).

Question; can a pilot trained on an A320 fly a 737NG?

The 737NG is a fine aircraft. It is still an aircraft that must be flown by a pilot. It can be stalled, pitched and rolled beyond specific limits. The Airbus A320 can not.

I think the Airbus system or a newer, more advanced system will be the the wave of the future.

I don't doubt the will day come when a pilot can be trained to fly an A320 like aircraft but can't fly a C-152.

In my opinion, this is not a step forward but it is a step toward removing the pilot from the aircraft. It is not a Boeing vs Airbus issue.

Both companies will build all future aircraft using FBW technology. In effect, I guess Boeing is building the last of the "Pilot" required commercial aircraft.

The Discovery channel runs the old Wings programs on the Military Channel and occasionally on the Science Channel.

This is the thing I hate most about Airbus. I really don't want to be sharing the skies with pilotless airplanes or with airplanes automated to the point where they have one pilot who just sits there reading a book the whole flight and answering an occasional radio call. To paraphrase our old friend, Derf, When the shit hits the fan, do you want to be running on fly by wire?

If I wanted a car that would park itself I'd drive a Mercedes. Nough said.

[Brad1711]

Damn I wish that show came on here. Is Discovery Wings still around though? I thought it was the same thing as the military channel.

During that period of time where the general mood in America was "WAR WAR", they replaced Discovery Wings with The Military Channel. Most of the stuff on DWings was either military aviation or historical stuff, but my favorites were the ones about modern general aviation and commercial aviation. I remember they had a show called "Airport", set at Heathrow. That was entertaining. Also had another one called "Learning to Fly", following a student pilot through her training.

I taped a few programs, like the 747 episode and some others I can't think of. I'll have to pull them out and see what I have next time I'm in Ohio.