no. icrew is definitely a curtain. that sometimes sticks.

 

Much quieter, better handling.

 

Why would some of us take or even consider retiring off the 787 vs the 350?

There are essentially two kinds of professionals in the cockpit: systems managers and pilots. Are there both? Sure, not as many as you think. Its like finding someone that is kind and nice, they do exist on the edges.

The Airbus philosophy leans heavily toward managing systems—pressing, confirming, and hearing things three times. That’s a very different muscle memory from earlier generations of airplanes, where kicking off the AP/FD and looking out the window to land the jet was not only acceptable, it was expected. That’s not a slam—just a philosophical difference.

For those of us who came up flying turboprops, classic Boeings, McDonnells, airplanes without FMS, doing five legs a day, it’s a noticeable shift. I remember reading a pubs change explaining why runway sidesteps or S-turns were now “unsafe,” and a bunch of us just looked at each other. Wait… are we hiring pilots who can’t look out a window, identify runway numbers, and land past them? To be fair, we did have a couple of newer types land a 767 on a taxiway, so maybe the industry’s recalibration didn’t come from nowhere.

Some of us don’t mind going out the same way we came in: the pilot flies the jet. Sure, there are software algorithms humming along in the background—but they stay in the background. One airplane still feels like an airplane; the other is an drone that takes 45 minutes to program on the ground, while moving at light speed toward reduced crew staffing.

Just something to think about before we hug that transition too tightly. The automation won’t ask for a jumpseat when things get weird.

 

Both Boeing and Airbus fleets are on autopilot 99% of the time, and autothrottles on even more than that. Both are using FMS. Both are “fly-by-MCP(FCU).”

Ive flown both. I have not noticed any more airmanship by being a boeing pilot, ever, except for having to use pitch trim.

For both fleets, the 1% of the time the autopilot is off, were on departure with autothrottles on, or on approach with the aircraft mostly stable and flying straight. Very rarely is the autopilot off besides that (though I concede those exceptions exist).

The airmanship chest beating by Boeing is very very overblown.

 

According to the ALPA dashboard, there are 79 ATL765As, and 70 of them retire by the end of 2031.

On ATL7ERA, there are 137 retirements out of the 474 in the category by 2031. So roughly 30% retired by the time the first jet is supposed to arrive on property.


I don’t think those will affect things much. Our overall growth rate and whether we execute options will affect it more IMO

 

Except, its not. Ever seen a former F16 type or 320 FO upgrading on a 737 or even a 757? You either have or you haven't and the challenge is real. 100 hour OEs were not a thing a decade ago.

 

you should see what some of the guys on the "765" do. wouldn't call it airmanship.

 

Yup. I’ve seen it. I don’t share your anecdotal or personal experience. Agree to disagree.

 

This! This chest thumping is so weird considering all them have the AP on 99% of the time. The plane that had the AP off the most was the 717 and it has the AT off way more than either of the Boeing/Airbus I've flown. All of them have a yoke/stick that takes your inputs and moves flight controls. The idea of S-turns/side steps being unsafe has more to do with the fact that they're not really needed.


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Lol wut? Former F-16 driver that's flown both of those, as well as a Douglas and Airbus with no issues. Then again, I also fly an old radial engine, tailwheel...now that's a plane I see airline pilots of all types have issues with.

 

Unless you have a few thousand hours in a MD88 I don't want to hear about your stick and rudder "skills".😂