Gone Flying

1) that’s not what you said, you said no jetliner can auto takeoff, the 350 can (at least under certain conditions)

2) the difference between the airplane x wind limit and the pilot limit on my plane is 13 kts. While that can definitely mean the difference between go/no go it is not exactly an earth shattering difference

Abouttime2fish

As a self described ****ty pilot, I cut all those crosswind limits in half anyway….. 🤪

Trip7

No jetliner is certified to auto takeoff. What you showed was nothing but a test, complete with test pilots and several engineers on board. We have tests of a Robot flying the 73 as an FO. Stop the madness

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sailingfun

I would also note that Delta has two sets of crosswind limitations. They publish the actual limits and in the contaminated runway section publish recommended limits. The wet runway recommended limits might surprise a lot of pilots on many fleets. Delta will dispatch you routinely into and out of airports exceeding the recommended limits. Not sure what the result would be if you had a issue below the actual limit but above the recommended limit.

Scoop

The cockpit is adequately sized - If you are a Hobbit. Seriously though, as you mention the 737 is pretty good at all of the "important stuff." Its reliable, has good displays and tight NAV, nice capabilities with the HUD etc - its the little things that Boeing cheaped out that drive me crazy:

Seats recline or move aft but can not do both at the same time.
The heating and cooling system was designed by Rube Goldberg himself.
The sun-shields are a joke - I really can't believe this is their serious attempt to block the sun from Pilots.
Their is a spar below the jumpseat that will literally tear your bag to shreds if you lay it flat - you know, the way everyone would normally store your bag.
The two prongs that "catch" the Jumpseat as its lowered are conical and very sharp - much better to rip the FOs pants as gets in and out - why not make them rounded?
Speaking of getting in and out you have to be gymnast to get in and out of the seats. The 90 degree turn in the seat track that always jams is very effective in adding to this challenge.
Even Hobbits complain about the size of the Front Lav.
Cupholders that fall out and make a Chrysler Minivan look luxurious.
Oh Yeah we cant forget about the seat cushions that help put many chiropractors kids through college. Now to be fair this could be a Delta issue for not replacing the padding and cushioning as needed. Some of these things are so worn and compressed you would be better served sitting on a piece of plywood - except that now costs more than a new cushion.
Its not just the inflight noise that is a pain turning on the packs and recirc fans at the gate is a very good simulation of a hurricane. There is a reason the "Two guys in a phonebooth during a hurricane" meme sticks around.

The antique overhead doesn't even bother me becasue it works - plenty of other things in the 737 do not.

Scoop

Trip7

Excellent point Sailing. Especially when dispatched to a non grooved international destination that just had rainshowers pass by

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sailingfun

Paris in the wintertime will often have strong south winds and rain for 24 hour or longer periods that exceed the wet runway recommended limits for the 330.

Eldee5

Et aussi don’t forget the “Mistral” winds, which flows from the Lyon valley into the Mediterranean. 3, 6 or 9 days in a row, exactly that number.

edited: I had the wind direction reversed in my original post.

NuGuy

The 717, MD88 and the 737 keep this place in business....

https://www.oregonaero.com/accessori...table-cushions

zippinbye

[QUOTE=Gone Flying;3268654]1) that’s not what you said, you said no jetliner can auto takeoff, the 350 can (at least under certain conditions)

Whaaaaaat? Fact check, please. What are those certain conditions? Is Tesla reworking the cockpit for us?
If the jet has an automatic takeoff capability, I should report to my nearest FSDO and turn in my A350 Type Rating. IQ, several CQ and currency sims and 1000+ hours in the ship, and I have never heard of this. I too saw that Airbus demonstrated automatic takeoff, but I think certified capability is in the future.

I honestly have not been following this subset of the thread (that I actually started by talking about 737 deliveries - nice thread drift btw). But this "factoid" caught my eye and I had to respond. Let me describe the A350 "auto-takeoff feature" and the human steps required to trigger it:

1) Like any other airplane, line her up and turn the lights on, etc.

2) Apply forward stick pressure and stand-up the throttles, I mean thrust levers, for initial matched spool-up at 25% N1, then take levers to the appropriate detent (FLEX or TOGA) ... no pesky buttons or lever actions required to make the auto thrust system do its thing.

3) Hang on and wait for 80 KIAS, just like all our other airplanes.

4) "V1, Vr" aft stick to achieve 12.5 degrees or follow FD if it's already up to the task.

5) "Positive rate - gear up" then NO SOONER than 5 seconds after takeoff, the autopilot can be engaged. If appropriate restrictions are in the FMS, it could be quite some time before pilot action is required to stay on the proper trajectory

6). The rest of the initial climb profile is just like any other Delta jet: human action required to reduce thrust, verify or alter vertical and horizontal nav modes and retract high lift devices.

So, that's the highest level of takeoff automation available on an A350 as far as I know. Pretty darn automatic compared to a 737, but a far cry from taking the pilot out of the loop.

Cool automatic stuff the A350 will do if you're a slacker pilot or simply unconscious: turn off course and descend to a safe altitude for a cabin decompression, perform a CFIT escape maneuver, respond to a TCAS RA (actually, we train to just let the ship do it) and turn on the radar display if hazardous wx is detected.

Cool stuff, but at the end of the day does it enrichen your life as a pilot? I don't really think so, but it sure is comfortable and quiet.