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ERfly said:
Loud, cramped, loud, basically the same airplane since 1965, but there are pretty pictures on the screen, cramped. Did I mention it's loud?


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Seems like the typical complaints. It's unfortunate, they could have really made a good cockpit for the NGs. My wife is a Boeing engineer and I took her in an A320 cockpit and she was like "what on earth is wrong with Boeing???"
 
02-06: Private, IR, Comm SE, CFI
06-07: Instructing
07-08: VFR 135 scenic tours
08-09: Tennis coach (quit flying/burn out)
09-10: Jump pilot
10-11: Survey (made enough to finally get the multi)
11-12: more jump pilot
12-present: 135 freight

Still coach tennis on the side so I can afford to fly. One day I might be able to just do it for fun. Take your pick which one that is :)


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2001-2004 working on ratings
2004-2006 flying cargo. Moved twice for the job.
2006-2008 FO for regional. moved for the job
2008-2010 CA for regional. moved for the job. interviewed at major, got hired, recession happened, didn't work out.
2010-present downgraded to FO at regional. moved again. better schedule and finally living where I want to.

total: 12 years since my first flight, 9 yrs in the industry. 5 moves. Regional FO. It can be a tough biz due to low pay but you learn to appreciate what you have! I love my schedule right now, I've seen the world on travel benefits, and I can't imagine doing anything else!
 
Derg said:
The -200 was fun, the -800, I don't know how you guys did it sitting in that loud-assed A/V closet for 6 hours.
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Dan208B said:
Just out of curiosity, whats the downsides to the 737?
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Loud, cramped cockpit but you're doing long legs in it. Sloppy roll control, anemic power, sits really low, 1960's systems analysis and management, that stupid trim wheel looking to take the skin off your leg, and did I mention loud and cramped? Oh..and my overnight bag had to go in the forward closet. It's also loud and cramped and still stuck in the 60's.

We've got a lot worse trips on ATL fifi, but I'm riding in style in fifi and it's just fun to fly. No eating on the logbook, nimble response to control inputs... and I'm not fatigued as crap after being cramped and pummeled by wind noise all day.

Upsides: good wing and holds a lot of gas. The engines sound pretty neat when you're taxiing. Nav display is nice, and FMS is nicely functional. Other than that, I'd be perfectly happy if I never ended up flying that thing again.
 
PeanuckleCRJ said:
Loud, cramped cockpit but you're doing long legs in it. Sloppy roll control, anemic power, sits really low, 1960's systems analysis and management, that stupid trim wheel looking to take the skin off your leg, and did I mention loud and cramped? Oh..and my overnight bag had to go in the forward closet. It's also loud and cramped and still stuck in the 60's.

We've got a lot worse trips on ATL fifi, but I'm riding in style in fifi and it's just fun to fly. No eating on the logbook, nimble response to control inputs... and I'm not fatigued as crap after being cramped and pummeled by wind noise all day.

Upsides: good wing and holds a lot of gas. The engines sound pretty neat when you're taxiing. Nav display is nice, and FMS is nicely functional. Other than that, I'd be perfectly happy if I never ended up flying that thing again.
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I'm convinced my next move is 320 captain as soon as there's an opening. Airbus is strange, but they have their crap together and I like the control philosophies.

Speaking of riding low, experience an instructor trying to convince a guy who has spent the last 14 years on the 737 to start to flare at 50' and how you land on the back trucks, fly it down to the front trucks and then let the nose down :)

"Fifty"

*start arresting the descent*

*too high man!*

*no you're not, just tap it back*

"Forty"

*pull back a little more, remember, you're requesting a 'load' "

"thirty"

*what?*

"retard…retard…. retard"

*they're already at idle, just yank 'em back!*

****BOOM****
 
I LOVE the 737 compared to the Airbus.

Bottom line is the automation on the Boeing is superior to the Airbus. For example they still use floppy disks to update the Airbus Database and Airbus needs to grant you permission to land or you are going around. If crap really hits the fan on the Airbus, the supposed superior ECAM system craps the bed and gives you to much info to the point of it being useless. Perfect example is that Qantas 32 Flight.

Also, as my Submarine Commander counterpart has said, the wing on the 737 is superior which gives you a much better ride and performance.
 
ERfly said:
You're takin' the whole tribe cross-country, this really is the airplane you should be using...
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It can't make it transcontinental in the winter without stopping for gas and y'all can't make it above FL280 in the summer!
 
Seggy said:
It can't make it transcontinental in the winter without stopping for gas and y'all can't make it above FL280 in the summer!
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Seggy said:
I LOVE the 737 compared to the Airbus.

Bottom line is the automation on the Boeing is superior to the Airbus. For example they still use floppy disks to update the Airbus Database and Airbus needs to grant you permission to land or you are going around. If crap really hits the fan on the Airbus, the supposed superior ECAM system craps the bed and gives you to much info to the point of it being useless. Perfect example is that Qantas 32 Flight.

Also, as my Submarine Commander counterpart has said, the wing on the 737 is superior which gives you a much better ride and performance.
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Now you know better than the "request permission to land" thing unless you weren't taught the systems properly. You pull the power to idle, pull the stick back.. you land. Same in both planes. If you're arguing FBW, the 777 and 787 have the same logic as the AIrbus. Harp on one, you're harping on the big Boeings as well. While we're on landings, the gear on the 737 blows donkey balls... much easier to get a greaser on the more forgiving gear on the 319/320.

I'd much rather have the ECAM rather than the easter egg hunt with a hint from the recall button. :)

And I've never seen fifi limited to FL280... even with a full load and full fuel tanks going....wait for it...on a transcon (even in the winter).

I really don't think either one rides better than the other... my reference to the better wing was it being a few % more efficient and holding more gas. It was designed that way because Boeing was losing their butt on narrowbody sales to the 320.


I love love Boeings... the 757/767 was a wonderful fleet to fly and I can't wait to check out the 777, 747, or 787. It's just that the 737NG is such a piece of crap compared to it's counterpart.
 
PeanuckleCRJ said:
Now you know better than the "request permission to land" thing unless you weren't taught the systems properly. You pull the power to idle, pull the stick back.. you land. Same in both planes. If you're arguing FBW, the 777 and 787 have the same logic as the AIrbus Harp on one, you're harping on the big Boeings as well. While we're on landings, the gear on the 737 blows donkey balls... much easier to get a greaser on the more forgiving gear on the 319/320.
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I am talking about confirming and activating the approach. It can really bite one in the ass.

I'd much rather have the ECAM rather than the easter egg hunt with a hint from the recall button. :)
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Cause you are lazy! :)

Oh y'all's radios on the 'Bus are over engineered.

And I've never seen fifi limited to FL280... even with a full load and full fuel tanks going....wait for it...on a transcon (even in the winter).
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I've seen it a few times on JetBlue Airbus A320s from BOS to LGB. Now this was in 2007 so they may have a new weight and balance program, but the A321s are piggys as well.

I really don't think either one rides better than the other... my reference to the better wing was it being a few % more efficient and holding more gas. It was designed that way because Boeing was losing their butt on narrowbody sales to the 320.
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The wing on the 737 does give it a much better ride in my opinion. The Airbus wing doesn't give much when the turbulence gets above light chop. Hell, look at the soft altitude capture mode on the Bus. Part of that mode is to compensate for the wing sucking in turbulence!
 
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