Originally Posted by
Blueyawnder
So I couldn’t find a discussion on this recently. I know the bus is way more comfortable but United’s are quite old. If you had the choice of either during the class drop which one would you pick? I’d like to be Houston based eventually. I would ask about the 756 but I’m guessing those go pretty senior in the class drops...if available at all.
I agonized over this question for months because I recently took a 320 captain bid in EWR. I disagree with the above but obviously I am biased. It is true the 737 has a larger fleet and will likely increase in the next 5 years more than the Airbus fleet, but for a junior person I believe the next 2 years will hold opportunities to move up to 756 or 777 so the question becomes where do you want to spend your first 2 junior years. The difference in flying for the bottom 30% between Airbus and 737 is trivial. When you get senior it is true the 737 has more one leg trips, but even then it depends on the base and I really can't speak about IAH 320 flying. I can tell you one quick anecdote that just happened . . . I was in Denver training on this past Sunday and was at the bar drinking with a IAH 320 FO. He switched from 737 to 320 about a year ago and his comment was, and I quote "best move I ever made". Why you ask? The technological differences and the actual hands on flying differences are huge. The 737 is noisy and cramped and uses old technology with switches galore all run manually and all the size of a battleship gun. The bus is highly automated, and relatively easy to fly and to land. That difference doesn't seem like much until you're trying to land a 737-900 in LGA on a snowy night at midnight.
So to summarize:
1) for a new hire movement opportunities will be huge over the next 2 years no matter where you are
2) the 737 and 320 trips are very equal on the bottom of seniority
3) the 737 uses old technology and the 320 uses relatively new technology so the actual trip to trip and emergency checklist workload is WAY higher for a 737 FO
4) the 737 cockpit is cramped and noisy, the 320 cockpit is spacious and slightly less noisy
5) you'll be much happier landing a 320 on a short field in bad weather than you will a 737-900
6) this I'm basing on friends that were 320 FO's and are now 737 captains: but I have been told that training on the 320 is WAY more friendly and gentlemanly.
But like I said I am VERY biased
