That’s exactly right…but they didn’t when Boeing asked about the 777. The decision makers then were the guys who had built their careers on 707’s and 727’s but it’s not they who live with the results.

Speaking with our fleet captain yesterday, he told me that the 787 is going to be the same flight deck as the 777 therefore cross crew qualification on the two types. The decision makes won’t be from that era any more. 😉

Whoever linked sidesticks to performance??? I only state their benefits to ergonomics. Those that wish to hem themselves behind a control column for a long haul flight when they will inly use said column for 1% of the flight are welcome to that. However, if you actually tried one you might understand…

Over the last two and a half years of ultra long haul flying, I can honestly say that the control column has never bothered me. I understand that you might find it great having a table in front of you but for me it’s really not an issue, in fact I like having it there as my map is displayed right in front of me and I can rest my reading material on it for an easy read. 😉 I also find it a good indication of what the aircraft is doing and seeing how the autopilot is reacting to turbulence etc. 😀

I guess it’s horses for courses mate. 😀

[QUOTE=wysiwygThe sad thing is that the old dinosaurs in TWA, PANAM, Eastern, etc who were probably the ones that forced Boeing down this route are probably now retired from the industry and their ‘but that’s how we’ve always done it’ mentality plagues us for years to come.
[/QUOTE]

Bean counters select aircraft nowadays, it’s irreverent if it has a side stick or a column. They probably don’t even know what a side stick is….

They want the best aircraft for the job. 😉

I feel it really doesn’t matter weather an aircraft has a side stick or not, it doesn’t make it a better or more technically advanced aircraft. The customer did not want it, period.

The supplier listened to the customer and they said no, simple. Airbus had no customers when it was first launched so it was a gamble that paid off for them. The 777 out performs the A340, a side stick has no role in that equation.

crazy birds.

It’s a real bright future for Airbus and Boeing. Two different types of aircraft around the same time, aviation is looking good at the moment.

When Boeing designed the cockpit of the 772, as it was, didn’t they consider going Airbus, but went Boeing instead? (Using the center column and such.) (I’m not provoking — just wondering if the 777s are more operator friendly than the Airbus counterparts.)

The 777 is the most popular aircraft in our company. There is a waiting list to get on to it for the guys who are upgrading to Captain. There is no waiting list for the Airbus…..And for information, the 777 has a busier roster so it’s not for lifestyle purposes. 🙂

It is interesting to note that NASA chose to use sidesticks on all their space capsules and of course the space shuttle. Again, the people that Boeing asked about sidesticks were ones that had never tried them. Humans are understandably resistant to change but sometimes things just can’t be fully understood until they are tried in practice.

But Boeing kept the control column because the customers wanted it that way, not Boeing. Now there is talk of the 777 flight deck being used on the 787 for cross crew qualification purposes. 😉