Can an Airbus Pilot Fly a Boeing and Vice Versa?

Let's start by enumerating differences between both, Boeing has a longer history in aviation and the differences between brands make it noticeable.

General Aviation

24 July 2019, 15:25

Since the 90s Boeing and Airbus pretty much had the aircarft market so when talking about comercial flights we will find these two in airline’s floats. So how much difference is there between both for flying it?

Airbus/Boeing Differences

Let’s start by enumerating differences between both, Boeing has a longer history in aviation and the differences between brands make it noticeable.

While in Boeing you have to move several switches and do checks with Airbus the start up procedure is fully done in just a few minutes wanting to reduce the human factor in possible errors.
Airbus autothrust counts with several positions such as climb and TO/GA while with Boeing autothrottle the pilot sets a speed and the levers will move automatically.
Another difference we find is related with flaps while in Airbus we count with 4 positions and a maximum of 35° ,Boeing counts with 8 and a maximum of 40°.
Also the trim, on Airbus goes automatic while in Boeing it can be regulated from the yoke.
Last and most known one is the yoke and side-stick having with this last one(side-stick) to be more gentle meanwhile the yoke usually gives a better sense of the aircraft maneuvering. Basics goes the same way in every plane, an Attitude indicador is an Attitude indicator in a B747, an A320 and in a Cessna 175. So does this differences make such a hustle to deal with Boeing coming from Airbus and viceversa?

It has actually been tested

Baltic Aviation Academy actually tried It with an experienced A320 pilot in a B737 Classic sim asking him to land it, however he still needed the help of an experienced copilot with this plane in order to make it. As you can see he has to ask about everything, basics work the same way you won’t hear him asking about rudder pedals or how the yoke works but when It comes to more specific and technical requirements he needs the help of the copilot, without him this video would be of a 32 ton Boeing going VFR skipping most of the procedures.

We asked some pilots how they felt about using the other manufacturer planes.Sabina (IG:@pilotsabina) actually told she is changing from Boeing to Airbus soon, she claimed that with the right mindset and good studying she’ll do fine and we wish you good luck with it!

Mario Tercero