NARROWBODY AIRCRAFT
Unless you fly transoceanic frequently you have probably been on one or more of the following. I definitely enjoy the Airbus 320 family over the Boeing narrowbody family
Boeing 727
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| A monument of inefficiency and power | Good shot showing the swept wing design |
Many pilots I've talked to say the 727 is their favorite plane. It is one of the few planes in service that still requires them to 'fly.' It has the highest thrust to weight ratio of almost anything commercial. It is horribly fuel inefficient, loud, obnoxious. But its three engine with swept-wing design is hard not to love. Definitely an oldie but a goodie. UA uses these on the bottom feeder routes. I read from UA they are to be phased out by 2003 and replaced with A320 and 757. First class will get you away from most of the noise. They are the old seats and those of you over 6' tall will get a sore neck without a neck pillow.
Boeing 737-200,300,500,600,700,800,900
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| The new 737 cockpit (600 and up) | The old 737 cockpit (500 and down) |
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| 737-800 can seat as much as a 757-200 | The 737-500 seats around 120 people |
They took the old 737 fuselage and made it longer, longer, longer. Forgot to add restrooms and other services while they were at it. American commissioned dozens of the 800 series in 2000. The seat pitch was horrible and the seats were CHEAP (I do not know if they have added the more leg room feature to this series). I have to warn you that CO also flies these planes coast to coast. AA flies these from the bay area to their Miami and NY markets too. They are not a fun plane to spend more than 3 hours on I guarantee you. And full flights are an absolute baggage nightmare....NO BIN SPACE! But the AA 800s have 5 or 6 rows of first class...much better than United's 2 (200,300,500). UA has fit some of the seats with the new adjustable head rest cloth seats but the 200 and most of the 300 have the old vinyl/leather 727-style seats. NASTY!
Boeing 757
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| A wonderful plane to spend time on | The cockpit of the 757/old 767 |
Next to the Airbus 320 my favorite narrow body for flights. Good sized plane with a nice amount of upgradable seats (24 typically). United and American configure these very similarly. The newer ones have the coach seats with the headrest. UA has over 100 of these planes and uses them for popular business and recreational routes. Two rows of exit row seating make it nice when you have to settle for coach. The bulky overheat monitors are gaudy compared with the Airbus screens that swing down from the bottom of the overhead bins.
MD80/90
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| The 'super' 80 (more like stupid if you ask me) | The md90...not much difference |
They both seat around 164 people, are good for 2,400 to 2,800 miles and are five wide so your shot at a middle seat is limited. They have tight bins and if you are on the window seat you cannot sit with your feet in front of you unless you're a kid. AA has monster first cabins on these...5 or 6 rows depending on the configuration and market. Commonly known to be the cheapest craft to build and operate. Over 50% of American's fleet consists of MD80s and Fokker 100s. Delta relies on these pieces of crap too. This is the plane that crashed and killed people (AA) in Little Rock and outside LA (Alaska). Cheap crummy plane not worth risking your life to fly on it!
Fokker 100
AA uses a lot of these. About the size of a DC9. Cheap crummy seats and you will die if you spend more than 3 hours on this plane.
DC9
Even smaller than the MD80. Almost like a regional jet. About the size of a Fokker 100. Same comments apply.
Airbus 319
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| A319 cockpit instruments only takeoff, land | Italian Gov't A319 notice the diamond tip on wings |
You want to know how to spot a 319 from a 73x really quick? Look at the end of the wings. If there is a little triangle shaped piece attached to the wingtip it's a 319. Else 73x! I've only been on this a couple of times. Has good first class seating (4 rows) and seats 134 people...about the same as a 735.
Airbus 320
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| Modern A320 cockpit | Northworst A320 leaving twin cities |
A great plane to fly. Seats 160-some people. It is capable of instrument-only operation including takeoff and landing. This means that while all of the Boeing narrowbodies are grounded you can takeoff and land. It has two rows of emergency exits and the legroom is almost twice that of first class. If you upgrade be sure to request a seat NOT in row 1. The bulkhead is very tight if you are 5'10 or taller. They didn't put the cutouts for your feet in the bulkhead. Otherwise it is a slow, efficient, quiet plane. Airbus is a conglomerate subsidized by numerous European governments.
And many shapes, sizes and colors of regional jets and props I cannot remember!
