Just looking to see how anyone flying the A320 like the aircraft. For any Delta (NWA) out of DTW, how are the trips. I will be living about an hour away and just want to know the overall satisfaction. How is it getting use to the sidestick, etc. Would appreciate any info. Thanks

 

Nate,

I'm not at DAL so can't speak to DAL/NWA lines, however, the Bus is a good airplane. Very comfortable up front and few really bad problems. The sidestick is easy...nice for lunch, too.
The only problems I had related to the box. It is "difficult" at times and not the most intuitive piece of equipment. The plane flies well. I think some guys are hesitant to fly it like a "normal" plane.
I enjoyed it.

 

I REALLY REALLY like the BUS.

But like charles said the box is not friendly at all. It ate my lunch once or twice in the FTD.

If you can master the Fix to Fix you will do fine in the 320. I really enjoy the sidestick and it is pretty natural.

 

For the size of the airplane it has a nice cockpit, the stick and tray table are nice. I found it to be riddled with electronic problems however. It is fairly common on taxi out to have to pull over and start pulling breakers and rebooting the airplane. The manual has page after page of fixes for electrical anomolies.

 

Have to say this hasn't been my experience. I rarely have to do resets.

I'm a DTW 320 FO. The trips are VERY different from when NWA built them. Regardless of your seniority, you will fly redeyes. You will have some 4 leg days, you will have min rest overnights, you will have 12 hours rests AFTER a redeye, then you will go fly 7 hours of block. You will have 3-5 hour sits on your last day before your last leg, and you will fly in & out of LGA all the time. But guess what.......the 757/767 does the same thing.

That being said, it's a great airplane & I enjoy it very much. Come on over to the 320. You'll love it.

 

The 320 is a GREAT airplane. It is, however, completely different from anything else. Learning the bus is very similar to learning a foreign language that has nothing in common with your own. You have to forget most of what you know about other aircraft systems and techniques and totally commit yourself to learning something new. Once you learn it though its an absolute pleasure to fly.

Good luck, and remember....

RETARD RETARD
(you'll get that if you do fly the bus)

 

NateC130:

I'm an older guy who was weened on Boeings. Being a subscriber to the "if it's not a Boeing, I'm not going" philosophy, I was skeptical about the bid to the A319/320. I was wrong.

The Airbus was fun to fly. The autoflight system is designed and engineered with a different philosophy from that found within Boeing; however, once one gets used to the fly "from a fix anchor point", it's a piece of cake.

The cockpit is the roomiest of any narrow body and is very comfortable, the sidestick is easy to get used to and the aircraft remarkably stable during minimum, low visibility approaches. If you are hand flying an approach, you'll fine the aircraft stability a pleasure. Besides, eating lunch or dinner at 33,000 on a table is the way to go.

Bid the 'Bus and I think you'll really enjoy flying it. BTW, all of the negative comments about "the 'Bus" were from pilots who never flew the aircraft !

Have fun and G'Day Mate

 

Concur with all the above. Most comfortable narrowbody in the fleet. Got a mx problem? Turn it off...turn it on...problem fixed (no need to pull over). You WILL be assimilated! (Sent a PM as well).

 

To all who answered this thread, thanks so much for giving me the positive insight. I'm returning from Mil Leave and am we are buying a house in Lansing, Mi. I went to Michigan State and grew up there so getting back to MI is a good thing except for the winters. Anyway coming off the Maddog, I was finally getting use to the aircraft but now since I have no reason to believe CVG (where I was at before mil leave) is going to be around in a couple of years, changing aircraft and moving to DTW I beleive is the best option. So again thanks to all of you who put their two cents in and know I really appreciate it and look forward to flying the Bus.
in DTW.

Nate

 

Nate,

I know you haven't started yet, but welcome back.

You'll enjoy the 320. Ergonomically(sp?) I think it's one of the best commercial aircraft there is. It's extremely comfortable, and things are easily reachable(unlike Douglas Birds ) Even the overhead panels are turned inward so you can see them a little easier. There is a ton of room up front. It's a true lazy man's airplane, so I fit quite well with it.