SikPilot

I'm curious as to what you guys have to say about flying with a joystick? Especially if you flew mega hours with a yoke.

C17MooseDriver

Flying with a stick is far superior to a yoke, IMO. If you're flying with a stick, it probably means it's fly by wire, which makes the aircraft soo much more maneuver and easier to handle. It's been awhile since I transitioned from a yoke, but the transition is not too difficult. Since leaving the military, I'm transitioning back to the yoke, and the transition that way isn't too difficult either. Just have to get used to it at first, and you'll transition either way just fine.

Slice

Being in the guard, I've flown the CRJ and F-16 multiple times in the same week. In my case the throttles are in the opposite hands too. It's never been a problem.

JetJock16

OK, we're all pilot's which means we've learned to fly a/c on the verge of out of control and when it does go over the edge we’ve trained to recover (hopefully). As pilots we can adapt, it's in our nature.

I'm not curious about how hard it is, I can learn. What I want to know is what it’s like to fly a commercial jet with a joystick, like in the Airbus's, compared to say a Boeing yoke. Which do you prefer and why? How does it fly in gusty Wx on short final? Do you still have to same feedback? I heard the Airbus auto-trims much like an F-16

Thank You!

Fred Flintstone

The bus is a bit tricky in a cross wind landing or gusty conditions. This isn't the joystick's fault, but the fly by wire is slower than humans to react to pitch & roll excursions. It also changes control laws in the flare, adding to the fun.

Just try to remember that Fifi is trying to maintain the last attitude you had dialed in but has a lazy way of responding to the bumps. The closer you are to the ground the less willing you are to trust her!

It takes time to not stir the pot, but it can be learned. As for the stick itself, it is great. No yoke to hit your knees on, and gives room for the most civilized thing the French ever did, putting a tray table in front of the drivers.

Feedback? None, you are fighting a spring, like a computer joystick. Only your joystick moves, so no "following the other guy through" on the controls.

Autotrim? Yes, up to 30 degrees bank and to the pitch limits for the phase you are in. The bus will hold the load factor and roll rate you input, up to the limits of the computers. The less you touch the stick, the better off you are in most cases.

ExAF

What he said. Definitely prefer the sidestick and table option.

A320fumes

As a C-17A & A-320 guy, 75/76 currently, I can tell you that the stick is far superior. There is no problem in transitioning though. On a side-note, the 75/76 are superior aircraft.

AZFlyer

At the risk of thread hi-jacking...Id be curious to hear why!

reddog25

only thing I can think of would be pay....love da bus.........

Fred Flintstone

Well AZFlyer, as a bus driver and many times cockpit guest in a 757, I will say the 757 has a lot more power and better climb rate than the bus. I appears to be much more straight forward on FMC programming and X-Wind landings as well.

Having said that, the bus is a generation ahead of the 757 for cockpit layout and system usage. I'm also typed in the Gulfstream 450/550 and IT is light years ahead of even the bus on ease of navigation, with HUD, EVS and now Synthetic vision coming soon. Check out www.gulfstreamplaneview.com to see some really neat toys. The Gulfstream however has systems right out of the 60s.

So, it's all a trade off. The bus is more fuel efficient, the Boeing feels sturdier. I don't think the perfect plane has ever been built, but the Airbus sidestick with a Gulfstream cockpit in a 757 would be fun to fly!