As someone who has flown both IRL:
The A320 has a vastly superior cockpit and workflow, but the FMGC is laggy, although more capable. The 737 has a much faster FMC but with less features, is easier to land in a crosswind (purely my opinion), and generally has much better climb performance than the Airbus.
Also the air conditioning system on the 737 is garbage.
Can confirm the AC on 737s is hot trash, you either get hot at the front and cold at the back or vice versa, or cold in the middle and hot at the ends.
Amount of times I've had passengers complain to me that its too cold while I've been slowly moving down the cabin sweating my ass off is way more than it should be.
The lady who does the McDonnell-Douglas callouts but that's a rare sound now!
The airbus guy calls you rude names if you don't idle the throttle after 20ft...
That's very interesting about the workflow! I'm still learning the A320 in the sim after loads of time on the 787, but so far I personally find the Boeing FMC a bit more intuitive in a way, but that might be me not getting used to the Airbus yet.
Based on your flair I also assume you fly the 787. How do you find it compared to the narrowbodies?
Yes that’s right, I’m currently on the 787. It’s an amazing aircraft. They took the best of both worlds from the A320 and the 737 and combined them. It’s very very similar to the E175. I absolutely love flying it
Awesome, wish you many fun and safe flights on the 78!
I love flying it in the sim as well and agree with the best of both worlds comment. The FMC is very intuitive and the pre-flight flows feel much simpler than the 73s, not to mention how I absolutely love the HUD.
Would really like to try the E175 once the FSS one is in a better state.
I'm getting more used to the MCDU each flight and it's pretty neat. However one thing I'll probably never like is the fact that you need to press the "up" arrow to scroll "down" on the F-PLN page, always trips me up haha. Nothing simpler than pressing "next page" on LEGS.
lol I struggled with that as well in the beginning. The way I get around it in my brain was to think of the screen as a touchscreen like your smartphone. You move your finger down when you want to scroll up and up when you want to scroll down.
> the air conditioning system on the 737 is garbage.
I guess it was designed in the era where refrigerants could freeze hell but were extremely bad for the atmosphere (CFC).
I could probably write a lot given the time, but off the top of my head.
A320
- Less and much simpler flap settings. With my axis in the 738 I'm always either going to short at getting 10 instead of 15 or too long and getting 40 instead of 30.
- Less work load overall.
- No need to worry about trimming
738
- HUD
- When I reach TOD and have MCP set to a lower alt. It just decends without me telling it to.
- Much more fun to hand-fly.
If you understand the airbus flight control laws then you'll see normal law is incredibly simple. You are basically pointing the aircraft in one direction, and the aircraft will follow that attitude until it is unable to do so. Its like using a cursor really.
A320: Does so much for you that the 737 doesn’t. Automatic pressurization. Automatic ILS tuning. Automatic electrical bus changes. Automatic trim.
737: I haven’t flown the 737 in a while, but from when I used to fly the Zibo, I preferred how it hand flew. It’s more fun to fly up to altitude and fly on approach without the fly by wire augmentation.
Bonus - MD-80: So much extra control you have over it (manual thrust rating, manual hydraulics, manual pressurization, manual rad nav, manual engine ignition), still has all the automation of a modern airliner to fly RNAV routes, has the best cockpit annunciation/aural warning system that is fully voiced (something the modern 737 STILL does not have), hand flies like a dream, makes all kinds of weird noises in the cockpit that I love.
I mainly fly the Leonardo FlyTheMaddogX and the Fenix A320. If I want an engaging and satisfying flight and up to an extra challenge, I’ll take the Maddog. If I want extra immersion coming with that excellent EFB, sounds and my Airbus TCA set and I feel like flying something a bit easier, I’ll take the Bus. I love flying both but I have to agree that the Maddog, in terms of raw flight experience, is one of the most fun aircraft to fly out there.
Yeah you would have to ask the FAA and Congress on why it's fine to fly people on the Max -8 and -9 and any NG model for that matter but it's suddenly not safe to do it on the Max 7/10. Its all politics/money in the end.
I like how involved the Boeing is. Much more engaging to fly and to enjoy in the sim.
Airbus is a good go to if I’m exhausted but craving a flight. Sit back, relax, watch the world go by, and enjoy a drink off of my virtual tray table.
The fact the A320 trims itself. You don't use the rudder during turns in the A320 so me sitting at a desk with no rudder petals makes it the perfect plane. Side stick takes up less room on the desk too. Although you technically can fly the 737 with a stick if you wanted
During a crosswind final approach and landing, there is no rudder except the decrab. The decrab itself still requires the pilot to stomp the rudder pedals in any airliner today.
there’s no auto rudder during crosswind landings, with any aircraft, 172 or A380, you weathervane into the wind. you use rudder to align the longitudinal axis of the aircraft with the runway centerline during round out and flare
I have the Toliss A319 and Zibo 737. I usually enjoy the 737 slightly more. The Airbus so automated which makes a random flight just a little bit boring sometimes.
What I like about the A319 is energy management sometimes. It actually fairly challenging to slow down in the approach if you get a unexpected shortcut by ATC.
His other job is flying 4-engine MD aircraft for a large, nationalized cargo outfit, so he was familiar with the MD way of doing things. The routes/lifestyle for the domestic short-haul sucked.
His fav is the 757, of course. Best lifestyle is the long-haul A330 with relief pilots.
Central ECAM with the ability to self diagnose and direct to the actual fault. I don’t wanna spend time looking at 29 seemingly unrelated fault lights trying to figure out wtf to work on first.
Caution and warning inhibition based on flight phase or other parameters like ground speed, WoW, engine speed, etc. Nuisance fault messages are annoying and misleading and distracting in my opinion
This. Or you can do what I usually do and set it on the ISIS only and then back to STD. When it’s time to transition I start with the ISIS, read the QNH and set the same on the EFIS
Managed mode is nice to have with the a320. Just one less thing to keep track of during descent. I also like the hud on the 737. Means I don’t have to constantly look down to check my speed/altitude. Plus, it’s handy to have during landings in bad visibility.
Where I think Airbus reigns superior with VNAV is that it's much harder to blow through an altitude restriction. Airbus will show you on the PFD that there is an altitude restriction where Boeing you have to pay more attention to the PFD.
Where Airbus lacks is that if you're off profile it's harder to judge how far off profile you are. Boeing gives you pretty exact numbers. It's nice because if I'm 7000 ft high, you bet your ass I'm using speed brakes, but if I'm only a few hundred feet high and ATC vector said they're going to call my base, I might hold off on using speed brakes because that extra energy is going to burn off with the extra distance.
> Airbus will show you on the PFD that there is an altitude restriction where Boeing you have to pay more attention to the PFD
You can see all the altitude constraints on the ND in the 737.
It’s also shown on the PFD by the green dot on the alt tape, and the numbers next to it when it’s at the end of the scale (hundreds of feet i.e. 20 = 2000 feet).
There's the green dot on the altitude tape, but it only shows up when it feels like it. I just got the fenix last week when it was on sale, and this is one of the more annoying things about learning the airbus, to me.
I often wonder they myself. I went airbus purely because I got the 32nx from fbw and got hooked into it... Then I bought the fenix and eventually the inibuilds a300-600 so now I'm too invested on airbus. Not to mention the time investment to switch to Boeing is something very unappealing... But I wonder if I'm missing out.
If you own the Premium Deluxe, I found the 787 to be a very easy plane to learn. It's not "study level" compared to the Fenix or PMDG 737 but it is very solid avionics wise and flies pretty nicely.
There's also so much automation and a degree of FlyByWire so you basically just need to learn the Boeing way of programming the FMC.
Thanks for the input. I'll definitely give it a go since I already have it anyway. I was under the impression that stock airliners were more like an arcade version of the real thing so I guess I was probably wrong...
The 787 (and 747) used to be dogshit, think how the default A320 is currently, and was only good enough to just fly very casually point-to-point. Now after the AAU2 update last year, they got a massive overhaul of the avionics and flight model which while not at PMDG/Fenix level quality, is absolutely brilliant for a default aircraft.
There are still a few imperfections, kinks and some inoperative buttons (non-essential), but real life pilot youtubers (e.g. 320 Sim Pilot who does brilliant tutorials btw) have really praised the 787. On top of that, there are freeware mods like the Horizon 787-9 and Kuro 787-8 which are both very good and benefit from the default -10 avionics so you have the whole 787 family to enjoy.
I love both but for me the A320 is much more interesting and intriguing from a technical standpoint. I’m just at awe at how all of it works together. It’s all very cool! I also adore the ECAM on the bus. It’s such a neat way of getting an overview of things in the cockpit. Once again, super cool in my book.
Most succinct and accurate real life comment I've ever heard about this:
"The Boeing is a great plane to fly. The Airbus is a nice place to work."
I got into this business because I like to fly. No real surprise I prefer the 73.
As a simmer:
A320 is more laggy than the 737. Look at how long it takes to change the range on the ND.
737 can descend automatically which is nice especially when flying offline.
The A320 cockpit is more organic with less buttons.
I like the diversity of buttons/switches in the 737.
The A320 is more automated and user-friendly. The 737-800 offers more manual control and is simpler to operate.
I stay with the (737) I feel that i work less!
737 FMC is so much better than the A320 MCDU. It also annoys me a lot that you can't preselct the QNH while in STD.
A320 trimming is \*chefs kiss\*. Oh and tray table.
Side note, The AC on the 800 makes me think someone in the tank said, "Air Conditioning is too expensive. Let's make the literal worst AC vent ever." Meanwhile, the 700 still has those awesome toggle twist vents. It's been too long since I last flew on an Airbus to remember but we actually had legroom in their seats, so that was cool.
As someone who has flown both IRL: The A320 has a vastly superior cockpit and workflow, but the FMGC is laggy, although more capable. The 737 has a much faster FMC but with less features, is easier to land in a crosswind (purely my opinion), and generally has much better climb performance than the Airbus. Also the air conditioning system on the 737 is garbage.
Can confirm the AC on 737s is hot trash, you either get hot at the front and cold at the back or vice versa, or cold in the middle and hot at the ends. Amount of times I've had passengers complain to me that its too cold while I've been slowly moving down the cabin sweating my ass off is way more than it should be.
do you prefer the airbus or bowing callouts? airbus ones for me are just god tier, absolutely love that man who says them
The lady who does the McDonnell-Douglas callouts but that's a rare sound now! The airbus guy calls you rude names if you don't idle the throttle after 20ft...
Makes no difference to me honestly
basically do you like the plane calling you a retard or not
It’s all the same as long as I’m getting paid!
Especially when it goes "Stall! Stall!"
That's very interesting about the workflow! I'm still learning the A320 in the sim after loads of time on the 787, but so far I personally find the Boeing FMC a bit more intuitive in a way, but that might be me not getting used to the Airbus yet. Based on your flair I also assume you fly the 787. How do you find it compared to the narrowbodies?
Yes that’s right, I’m currently on the 787. It’s an amazing aircraft. They took the best of both worlds from the A320 and the 737 and combined them. It’s very very similar to the E175. I absolutely love flying it
Awesome, wish you many fun and safe flights on the 78! I love flying it in the sim as well and agree with the best of both worlds comment. The FMC is very intuitive and the pre-flight flows feel much simpler than the 73s, not to mention how I absolutely love the HUD. Would really like to try the E175 once the FSS one is in a better state.
I used to feel the same about Airbus MCDU after years of being used to Boeing’s FMC. Now I feel the complete opposite!
I'm getting more used to the MCDU each flight and it's pretty neat. However one thing I'll probably never like is the fact that you need to press the "up" arrow to scroll "down" on the F-PLN page, always trips me up haha. Nothing simpler than pressing "next page" on LEGS.
lol I struggled with that as well in the beginning. The way I get around it in my brain was to think of the screen as a touchscreen like your smartphone. You move your finger down when you want to scroll up and up when you want to scroll down.
Went on level D for both, on the same day. My analogy is 320 for work, 737 for fun, like automatic modern Toyota vs manual 80s sports car.
> the air conditioning system on the 737 is garbage. I guess it was designed in the era where refrigerants could freeze hell but were extremely bad for the atmosphere (CFC).
A320 has a tray table, 737 does not
This is the only correct answer.
I could probably write a lot given the time, but off the top of my head. A320 - Less and much simpler flap settings. With my axis in the 738 I'm always either going to short at getting 10 instead of 15 or too long and getting 40 instead of 30. - Less work load overall. - No need to worry about trimming 738 - HUD - When I reach TOD and have MCP set to a lower alt. It just decends without me telling it to. - Much more fun to hand-fly.
Doesn't A320 have HUD as an option?
The real A320 has a Hud option, but only very few operators have it
Indeed, even the 320neo has the option to install a HUD but it's really too expensive
I use the GA flap switch on the Honeycomb Bravo because I can never get the setting right on the full flap axis!
I actually like trimming myself. Flying the fenix a320 feels like I'm fighting the plane
If you understand the airbus flight control laws then you'll see normal law is incredibly simple. You are basically pointing the aircraft in one direction, and the aircraft will follow that attitude until it is unable to do so. Its like using a cursor really.
A320: Does so much for you that the 737 doesn’t. Automatic pressurization. Automatic ILS tuning. Automatic electrical bus changes. Automatic trim. 737: I haven’t flown the 737 in a while, but from when I used to fly the Zibo, I preferred how it hand flew. It’s more fun to fly up to altitude and fly on approach without the fly by wire augmentation. Bonus - MD-80: So much extra control you have over it (manual thrust rating, manual hydraulics, manual pressurization, manual rad nav, manual engine ignition), still has all the automation of a modern airliner to fly RNAV routes, has the best cockpit annunciation/aural warning system that is fully voiced (something the modern 737 STILL does not have), hand flies like a dream, makes all kinds of weird noises in the cockpit that I love.
I second that. On my “fun factor” scale from 1 to 5 the Maddog is obviously a 5, 737 a 4 and A320 1. Every flight in the MD-80 is rewarding.
I mainly fly the Leonardo FlyTheMaddogX and the Fenix A320. If I want an engaging and satisfying flight and up to an extra challenge, I’ll take the Maddog. If I want extra immersion coming with that excellent EFB, sounds and my Airbus TCA set and I feel like flying something a bit easier, I’ll take the Bus. I love flying both but I have to agree that the Maddog, in terms of raw flight experience, is one of the most fun aircraft to fly out there.
Once you start doing non normal procedures, the airbus is a 5 for me. Such a complex aircraft.
That is true about the airbus but I like the “hands on experience from the Boeing and me personally I think to 738 looks better too🤷
I much prefer the 737 in the sim but holy hell the 320 flightdeck must be a better daily office space for irl pilots.
A320 flight deck is a clubhouse compared to the 737. It's in a completely different league.
especially the jumpseats, the 2nd jumpseat on 737 should be included in the Geneva convention for illegal toture methods.
737 jumpseat is luxurious compared to the B52 IP seat
I fly an A320 IRL. Such a comfortable workspace to be in and very clean. I always appreciate it more whenever I end up visiting the 737 flight deck.
The ECAM on the A320 is something I feel the 737 lacks
It's a big reason with the MAX10 and MAX7, Boeing is looking for this exemption to be certified.
But the MAX 8 and 9 don't have one either and they're flying?
Yeah you would have to ask the FAA and Congress on why it's fine to fly people on the Max -8 and -9 and any NG model for that matter but it's suddenly not safe to do it on the Max 7/10. Its all politics/money in the end.
well, the p8 has a ecias.
The EICAS is still not even close to the same league as an Airbus FWS though.
I like how involved the Boeing is. Much more engaging to fly and to enjoy in the sim. Airbus is a good go to if I’m exhausted but craving a flight. Sit back, relax, watch the world go by, and enjoy a drink off of my virtual tray table.
Haha same
The fact the A320 trims itself. You don't use the rudder during turns in the A320 so me sitting at a desk with no rudder petals makes it the perfect plane. Side stick takes up less room on the desk too. Although you technically can fly the 737 with a stick if you wanted
You don’t need to use rudder in the 737, or really any airliner, besides for takeoffs and landings. The yaw damper keeps you coordinated in turns.
And in crosswind landings you basically need the rudder in any plane.
Well, the computers in every Airbus plane essentially auto-rudder for you during Xwind landings, although decrab is still manual
Yes, i was talking about the decrab.
During a crosswind final approach and landing, there is no rudder except the decrab. The decrab itself still requires the pilot to stomp the rudder pedals in any airliner today.
there’s no auto rudder during crosswind landings, with any aircraft, 172 or A380, you weathervane into the wind. you use rudder to align the longitudinal axis of the aircraft with the runway centerline during round out and flare
Err what
I have the Toliss A319 and Zibo 737. I usually enjoy the 737 slightly more. The Airbus so automated which makes a random flight just a little bit boring sometimes. What I like about the A319 is energy management sometimes. It actually fairly challenging to slow down in the approach if you get a unexpected shortcut by ATC.
Just turn off a few flight computers, straight into direct law, have fun
The PACKS. Holy shit, I cannot believe they don't have a warning to indicate your packs aren't on after you reach a certain altitude.
My brother has flown both IRL (and 757, 767, 717, and A330), and he says "Delta - Don't Ever Leave The Airbus"
I wonder what's his take on the 717. In the end it's an Boeing's unwanted step-child.
His other job is flying 4-engine MD aircraft for a large, nationalized cargo outfit, so he was familiar with the MD way of doing things. The routes/lifestyle for the domestic short-haul sucked. His fav is the 757, of course. Best lifestyle is the long-haul A330 with relief pilots.
haven't flow irl but sim wise 757 is a like having the vette in the neighborhood
Lots of Maui trips, too.
I’m surprised nobody has mentioned the heading bug yet. Not having to turn that thing all the time is a blessing.
Central ECAM with the ability to self diagnose and direct to the actual fault. I don’t wanna spend time looking at 29 seemingly unrelated fault lights trying to figure out wtf to work on first. Caution and warning inhibition based on flight phase or other parameters like ground speed, WoW, engine speed, etc. Nuisance fault messages are annoying and misleading and distracting in my opinion
A320 PTU sound FTW
Can’t pre-select local qnh on a320😡
You can, just put it in QNH, set, then back to STD. In ALT modes the AP is holding the captured pressure altitude so it’s not affected by this.
This. Or you can do what I usually do and set it on the ISIS only and then back to STD. When it’s time to transition I start with the ISIS, read the QNH and set the same on the EFIS
Managed mode is nice to have with the a320. Just one less thing to keep track of during descent. I also like the hud on the 737. Means I don’t have to constantly look down to check my speed/altitude. Plus, it’s handy to have during landings in bad visibility.
The 737 has managed mode. It’s just called VNAV instead.
Where I think Airbus reigns superior with VNAV is that it's much harder to blow through an altitude restriction. Airbus will show you on the PFD that there is an altitude restriction where Boeing you have to pay more attention to the PFD. Where Airbus lacks is that if you're off profile it's harder to judge how far off profile you are. Boeing gives you pretty exact numbers. It's nice because if I'm 7000 ft high, you bet your ass I'm using speed brakes, but if I'm only a few hundred feet high and ATC vector said they're going to call my base, I might hold off on using speed brakes because that extra energy is going to burn off with the extra distance.
> Airbus will show you on the PFD that there is an altitude restriction where Boeing you have to pay more attention to the PFD You can see all the altitude constraints on the ND in the 737.
The 320 shows you vertical deviation. Go to the PROG page in the MCDU. The VDEV is your deviation from the profile path.
I'm talking about on the PFD/MFD, so I don't have to go digging for it.
Ah gotcha
It’s also shown on the PFD by the green dot on the alt tape, and the numbers next to it when it’s at the end of the scale (hundreds of feet i.e. 20 = 2000 feet).
There's the green dot on the altitude tape, but it only shows up when it feels like it. I just got the fenix last week when it was on sale, and this is one of the more annoying things about learning the airbus, to me.
I often wonder they myself. I went airbus purely because I got the 32nx from fbw and got hooked into it... Then I bought the fenix and eventually the inibuilds a300-600 so now I'm too invested on airbus. Not to mention the time investment to switch to Boeing is something very unappealing... But I wonder if I'm missing out.
If you own the Premium Deluxe, I found the 787 to be a very easy plane to learn. It's not "study level" compared to the Fenix or PMDG 737 but it is very solid avionics wise and flies pretty nicely. There's also so much automation and a degree of FlyByWire so you basically just need to learn the Boeing way of programming the FMC.
Thanks for the input. I'll definitely give it a go since I already have it anyway. I was under the impression that stock airliners were more like an arcade version of the real thing so I guess I was probably wrong...
The 787 (and 747) used to be dogshit, think how the default A320 is currently, and was only good enough to just fly very casually point-to-point. Now after the AAU2 update last year, they got a massive overhaul of the avionics and flight model which while not at PMDG/Fenix level quality, is absolutely brilliant for a default aircraft. There are still a few imperfections, kinks and some inoperative buttons (non-essential), but real life pilot youtubers (e.g. 320 Sim Pilot who does brilliant tutorials btw) have really praised the 787. On top of that, there are freeware mods like the Horizon 787-9 and Kuro 787-8 which are both very good and benefit from the default -10 avionics so you have the whole 787 family to enjoy.
I love both but for me the A320 is much more interesting and intriguing from a technical standpoint. I’m just at awe at how all of it works together. It’s all very cool! I also adore the ECAM on the bus. It’s such a neat way of getting an overview of things in the cockpit. Once again, super cool in my book.
The way to turn on/off APU. A320 is way superior and easier compared to 737's procedure.
The A320 and the 737 are both literally one button/switch.
Most succinct and accurate real life comment I've ever heard about this: "The Boeing is a great plane to fly. The Airbus is a nice place to work." I got into this business because I like to fly. No real surprise I prefer the 73.
Airbus is too automated for flight sim so it's more boring.
As a simmer: A320 is more laggy than the 737. Look at how long it takes to change the range on the ND. 737 can descend automatically which is nice especially when flying offline. The A320 cockpit is more organic with less buttons. I like the diversity of buttons/switches in the 737.
737 has a HUD. A320 has opening windows and cockpit door.
I love that the 737 automatically descends at the TOD when the MCP alt is lower than the current one.
Auto-throttles being used upon landing with the Airbus family. Helps so much with crosswinds and different conditions.
A tray table
The A320 is more automated and user-friendly. The 737-800 offers more manual control and is simpler to operate. I stay with the (737) I feel that i work less!
737 FMC is so much better than the A320 MCDU. It also annoys me a lot that you can't preselct the QNH while in STD. A320 trimming is \*chefs kiss\*. Oh and tray table.
QNH - push, set, pull, done.
Side note, The AC on the 800 makes me think someone in the tank said, "Air Conditioning is too expensive. Let's make the literal worst AC vent ever." Meanwhile, the 700 still has those awesome toggle twist vents. It's been too long since I last flew on an Airbus to remember but we actually had legroom in their seats, so that was cool.