Comments on: The A350′s Rolls-Royce Trent XWB Begins Flight Testing

By: MegaZone

MegaZone — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 05:02:00 +0000

Wow, someone is a little defensive – did I strike a nerve?

Let’s take your last statement first. An airline is more than the aircraft they fly. And, BTW, JetBlue doe not fly only Airbus aircraft. I even stated what they fly – Embraer E190s and Airbus A320s. They don’t fly Boeings, but they aren’t exclusively Airbus either.

All else being equal, if I had the choice of two airlines with the same pricing, service, etc. – one flew A320s and one B737s, I’d book the B737s. I just like them more.

But that’s not how the real world works. I prefer JetBlue because they have competitive prices and great service. No charge for the first bag, unlike many airlines today. DirecTV in every seat. A nice snack and drink service. Friendly staff. A good website. Extra legroom seats aren’t an expensive upgrade – I’m 6’6″ tall and really appreciate them. Many airlines have nothing that compares, or you have to book an expensive upgrade to Business or First class for extra space.

I fly Jetblue because I prefer them as an airline, it has nothing to do with the make of the aircraft they fly. I appreciate that they have a young, well maintained fleet, but it could just as easily be B737s. The opposite is also true. I’ve also flown US Airways on the east coast where they operate some of their oldest B737 and they show their age – lots of wear, old interiors, etc.

As for preferring Boeing aircraft, that’s called a personal opinion. Did I say anything about Airbus aircraft being inferior? Or Boeing being superior? Or anything of the sort? No, I said I preferred Boeing aircraft more. You decided to read something into that. You’d think I kicked your puppy based on your response.

I like the look of the B747 more than the A380. The A380 looks super-deformed and stubby to me. The B747 has a higher fineness ratio, which is more appealing to my eye. The B747-8 also has a higher cruise speed and should be more efficient than the A380. There’s no arguing that the A380 is the largest airliner and for airlines that need the capacity that’s the only choice. But bigger isn’t better for all airlines.

I think the B777 is a fantastic looking aircraft, I love seeing them at the gate. The A330/A340 are OK, there’s nothing particularly wrong with them, but they don’t catch my eye like the B777.

For narrow bodies the B737 has more, I don’t know, I suppose character. With it’s unusual low stance, the unique engine mounting, the ‘hamster pouch’ inlets, the elegantly swept winglets – nothing else looks like it. While the A320 family has always struck me as more ‘generic’ – a perfectly fine design, but nothing eye catching to it. To my eye. Again, opinion. Everyone is entitled to one, and that’s mine.

When it comes to experience as a passenger it is more about the interiors. Boeing’s new Sky Interior is very nice, a giant improvement in the user experience. But interiors are selected by the airline and you can fit the same basic interior to Airbus or Boeing aircraft – in fact, some airlines with mixed fleets do exactly that.

For the record I’ve also always preferred the L-1011 to the DC-10/MD-11, and the B727 to the DC-9/MD8x/9x. And I never quite liked the look of the B757 – kind of spindly looking since it has long gear to keep the cockpit commonality with the larger B767. Though I suppose airlines felt the same as the B757 ended production long before it’s sibling, with the B737-900 and A321 primarily taking over that market.

So, anyway, you think I’m a moron because I expressed a preference and you read way too much into it. I think you need to take a look at yourself and figure out why you’re so defensive about it. It isn’t like I said Airbus sucks, I think they make perfectly fine, well-engineered aircraft.

BTW, I also tend to prefer Embraer regional jets to Bombardier. And I prefer the Dassault Rafale to the Eurofighter Typhoon, but the Saab Gripen has always had a special appeal. What do you read into that?

By: Dball