Ask the Pilot

There’s something I need to make clear to all the irrational, jingoistic would-be aviation pundits out there: Airbus aircraft are no more dangerous than their Boeing counterparts. Because of the recent crashes of Air France Flight 447 and Yemenia Flight 626, the Interwebz are ablaze with ignorant armchair aeronautical engineers insisting that the consecutive crashes involving Airbus-built jets are proof that they are inferior to Boeing. I’m just waiting for some chawbacon to blame it on the godless socialist European employees of Airbus. Jeez.
Here are some of the issues raised:
-Fly by wire: Most of your newer Boeing aircraft also use it. And it works extremely well for the military forces of the world flying under much more extreme circumstances, don’t you think? And yes, the auto features can be disengaged. Here’s where you need to look to get some education if you think otherwise.
-Composite components: Again, look to military aircraft. Composites are not causing a problem there, are they?
Let’s remember this – Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger’s plane was an Airbus. He plopped it down on the Hudson and it survived, and nobody was killed or even seriously injured. Of course, that is the third recent loss of a mainline aircraft involving an Airbus.
But statistically speaking, that’s not so unexpected. If two Boeings in a row crashed, would we call for the Boeings to be grounded? Nope. It’s happened before, and nobody pointed fingers at Boeing.
Look, Airbus makes a perfectly fine aircraft. Statistically, it’s no less safe than a Boeing. I’ll happily [...]