What are the key differences between a commercial Airbus aircraft and a commercial Boeing Aircraft?

Question

Which do you prefer?

Answer 1

Airbus treats pilots as attendants and leaves the final decision to the aircraft (and thus to the hardware and software engineers that built it).  Boeing treats pilots as masters of their fate and leaves the final decision to them.

Airbus computer systems accept suggestions from the pilots and carry out those suggestions if they find them to be within preprogrammed limits.  Boeing computer systems accept orders from the pilots and warn them if their orders might take the aircraft outside the design envelope.

Airbus feels that engineers know how to fly a plane better than pilots.  Boeing feels that pilots know how to fly a plane better than engineers.

Airbus designs airplanes to please airlines.  Boeing designs airlines to satisfy pilots.

Airbus is a political organization with goals that have nothing to do with aviation, and is heavily subsidized by governments.  Boeing is a private for-profit corporation with goals that have everything to do with making money from aviation, and does not use government subsidies as a crutch.

Answer 2

Well, it's like comparing a ford with a peugeot.

They may look quite similar from the outside in some ways, but very different in the designs.

The aircraft systems and logic is way different, because they're just designed from different philosophy and point of view. The easiest example is, in Boeing's overhead panel, the light switch must be flicked frontward in order to turn the lights on, but in Airbus' they're the opposite.

Answer 3

If it ain't Boeing, I'm not going!!

Answer 4

One key difference between Airbus and Boeing is that Boeing airplanes are less computer controlled.  You can turn off the computer and the pilot can manually fly the plane if need be.

Answer 5

In addition to the above, a difference is how the pilots fly them. Boeing is more hands on whereas the Airbus is more automated. The Airbus drivers need to be careful to maintain their proficiency because sooner or later they will need it in an emergency.

Answer 6

Personally I prefer Boeing airliners but purely for political reasons.  Most people when they walk aboard a small narrow body aircraft like a 737 or a A320 can't tell what type of airliner they're on unless they look at the safety card in that little pouch.

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If you were allowed to go into the cockpit (you're not) you would be able to tell immediately.  The Boeing plane has the conventional stalk and steering wheel in front of the pilots whereas the Airbus uses a side mounted joystick like controller.  So  far Boeing has resisted the temptation to switch to this type of flight control because they feel the majority of pilots are more comfortable with the traditional controls.  

Airbus:

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Virgin-Am...

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Boeing:

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Alaska-Ai...

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There are of course plenty of other differences but this is the main difference that an everyday person might notice.  The design of the cockpit windows is different as is the winglets at the end of the wings.  Airbus uses what it calls a "wing tip fence"  while the Boeing winglets are far more pronounce and only point upward.

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Notice the yellow wing tip fence on this Airbus A-320

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Vueling-A...

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Notice the difference when you see this photo of a Boeing 737 winglet.

http://www.airliners.net/photo/Lion-Airl...

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Answer 7

I agree with flyboy. I have to be honest I have never flown on an airbus but that is by choice. I always ask what kind of aircraft and I stick with Boeing. the 777 is a very nice aircraft

Answer 8

I prefer Boeing because I am an American third generation aircraft mechanic. The big difference between Airbus and Boeing is government money. Boeing is a private business with no government subsides. Airbus gets government monies to undercut costs. Quality is good in both. But like a lot of American aircraft workers I see the governments helping Airbus as not level competition. It is unlikely Airbus could compete with Boeing head on with no government help.....

Answer 9

Airbus is made it Europe.  It is heavily subsidized by France.  Boeing is a private company base in Seattle, Washington.

Both have their advantages, but I prefer Boeing.