Overall, technically speaking, which is better?

Question

From a purely technical standpoint. And overall rather than a specific aircraft type, which is better? Boeing or Airbus? And why? What criteria would you use to make such a judgement and what texts would you use to back these claims up?

Answer 1

From a technical and economical standpoint, Boeing aircraft are known to be better than Airbus aircraft. However, as many said on this page, Airbus aircraft tend to be more human engineered than Boeing's aircraft.
Speed is a key feature in Boeing aircraft. Let's take the Boeing 747-400 and the Airbus A340-600, for example. the Boeing 747-400 cruises at a typical speed of MACH .85 (MACH 1 is the speed of sound) or at 567mph (913 kph) at a cruise altitude of 35,000 feet. The Airbus A340-600, cruises at MACH .83, 550mph, or 885kph.
Maximum service altitude also accounts for the performance of both aircraft. This counts because the higher the altitude, the thinner the air, thus reducing drag. The Boeing's 747-400's max. altitude is 45,000 feet, while the Airbus A340-600's max. altitude is 39,000 feet. Therefore, Boeing aircraft can save fuel while travelling at a higher speed. Boeing aircraft are also known to be able to service at a higher altitude and a higher speed than Airbus aircraft, on most accounts.
Despite Boeing's achivements over Airbus, Airbus aircraft have an advantage over Boeing's aircraft. Airbus, being a newer company, is more suseptible to newer designe in airframes. Boeing uses similar airframes in all most of thier aircraft, changing mainly the interiors and technical equipment. Airbus aircraft are also known to have a higher range than Boeing's aircraft.
Both companies are also known to be copying each other, with instances such as the A380 and the 747-8; the 787 and the A350.

Answer 2

Boeing's are usually more traditional designs, Airbus usually more innovative, in fact the first airliner with fly-by-wire and the first airliner with composite materials are Airbus.
I think that now they are almost the same, but probably Airbus are a little better, but we can say they are at the same level.
Airbus overcame Boeing last year in the airliners sector(Don't know for number of airliners or for business volume), while some years ago it was a weak competitor, now It's the world leading company in airliners manufacturing. This means that Boeing is growing slower than Airbus.
I think that the answers should be almost 50%-50%, but a lot of people answered Boeing only because it's American, being the living evidence of their protectionism, in fact USA are used to buy foreign products only when there are really no alternatives(like for Marine One, where the Agusta EH101 were the only possible alternative), otherwise they choose the American alternative although it's not the best.
I'm Italian, and Italian industries are NOT part of the Airbus consortium(UK,France,Germany,S... Italian main airplanes industries (Alenia and Aermacchi) works(or worked) with both (Airbus and Boeing), but Alenia is more linked to Boeing, in fact B-787 fuselages are going to be built in Italy, so for interest I should say "Boeing is better", but I don't because I don't think it's true.

Answer 3

Speaking as a private pilot, airplane fanatic and passenger on both aircraft my vote goes to the airbus.
Boeing has been using the same airframes with tech upgrades. The Airbus is newer and more up-to-date with modern technology.
From a passenger stand point. The passenger facilities (W/C) are roomier and better designed with human engineering in mind instead of space and money constraints. Most have private entertainement systems (games, movies, phone, screen) for each and every seat. Some of the better airlines you can even select, pause, fast foward and rewind any of the movies offered at your leisure. The finish quality of the cabin area (trim, lighting, seats, carpets, etc) appears to be much better then the Boeing planes. An Air France flight I was recently on even included flight safe baby hammocks that can be hung from hooks on the overhead storage at certain seats.
Talking with crew and friends who are flight crews they seem to prefer the airbus also. Pilots also mention the human engineering that went into the cockpit design.
I believe that Boeing relys on the fact that they have a corner on the market and that there are more Boeings in active fleets.
They need to get off their duffs or Airbus will take first seat infront of my country men.

Answer 4

Well, it all depends of what kind of models you are comparing... No point for you to compare a boeing wide-body with an airbus narrow-body...

So, the equal comparison will be B777 and A340.. B777 has 2 engines which do good for airlines because it is cheaper to maintain compared to A340 which has 4 engines.. Even with only two engines as compared to the A340-600 with four, the Boeing 777 engines are larger and produce more thrust each. Further, Boeing has produced the Longer Range B777-200 with a range of 8820 nautical miles as compared to the A340-600 with 7500 nautical miles.

However, B 777 is governed by ETOPS (extended twin-engine operation) regulation while A340 doesn't...

Boeing 777 is also a fly-by-wire system , it's just that they still use the traditional yoke instead of the new joystick....

Recently, Airbus announced delay on their a380 project which cost them hell.... They had also changed a few directors in a few months time....

Overally, I would say Boeing... If it ain't Boeing, I ain't going...

Answer 5

Technically they are about on par with each other. Though Boeings are generlly faster and more fuel efficent. Though Airbus is produce the first civil passenger fly-by-wire design... the A320. Boeing though are going to be the first to get an all composite design off the drawing board, i believe they hope to begin flight testing it... the 787, in the new year. Airbus currently work with deisgns modified from the 80's, boeing are currently working off modified right from the 60's to the 90's.

Answer 6

They are both excellent well proven aerospace manufacturers, they both have their good/bad points there is very little criteria for saying which is best, because there really is little betweent them to go on. Modern airbuses are fly by wire systems and have inbuilt safety features that actually take control away from the pilot, ie, the latest airbuses wont let the pilot exceed maximum bank angle and have inbuilt safety envelopes that the plane won't let the pilot exceed. Sometimes, the automated systems can be misinterpreted and before the pilot knows it, he's in the trees ie French airshow. (a design of the autopilot that has now been rectified) best bet is to have a look at Boeing's and Airbus' websites as they have technical information that can be compared, ie B757/A321 B737/A319/8

Answer 7

Technically Airbus is far greater because I work for the company that makes the cutting tools for it

Answer 8

In simply terms Boeing is the Rolls Royce and Airbus is the Skoda.

Answer 9

technologically boeing is better than airbus.....but in terms of luxury ,airbus is leading..........but the new airbus model..the huge A-380 is more advanced than any other civilian flyin machine...ya after air force one ofcourse!!!!!!!!

Answer 10

i have a question like that too!!! ok i think both of the compaines are good!! so ithink it is a 50-50!!