A320 and B757 on the Liner: A Line Pilot's Perspective

This paper evaluates the advanced avionic systems of the Airbus A320, including the application of fly-by-wire, and puts them in context with those of the Boeing 757. The practical problems encountered in line flying are solved slightly differently by each major manufacturer, and it is only by direct comparison that the best solutions can sometimes be identified. Many early reservations expressed by pilot associations about features of the A320 have proved groundless, but there is still room for improvement, and cross-fertilization of ideas can only be of benefit to future designs.