This one was on the BBC over the weekend...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/player/nol/newsid_7270000/newsid_...sb=1&news=1&bbcws=1#

Video two posted by Pete is a graphic example of one of the extreme short coming of the A-320.

The airplane does not have enough aileron and the flight control system does not allow the pilot to move the ailerons at a rapid enough rate to over come gusts at low altitude.

It is the ONLY airplane I've ever flown in which it is not uncommon to hit the control stops with the stick in all four directions on a landing on a gusty day.

The Airbus A-320 has some serious issues!

Those conditions would not have been nearly as big a factor in any Boeing aircraft.

Don't know about the 320 but the A330 certainly does not run out of stick control. I don't know what sort of X-wind that was but it would have been interesting to see the same in a 737!

Boeings hve had their issues too - like the rudder PCU issues on the earlier 737s or the Centre Tank Fuel pump issues on 737s or 747s that ended in more than a couple of catashrophes for more than a couple of Boeings!

No aereoplane is perfect I guess.......

I am not trashing Airbus in general but I am saying that the A-320 has a serious flaw with slow and ineffective ailerons at low speed.

Hopefully they fixed that serious and dangerous design flaw in the later models. However I was talking with an A-340 capt just the other day who was complaining of the same on the A-340-600.

He claimed that the only way to pick up a wing in gusty conditions was to use rudder. Same as the A-320.

I've flown several Boeing airframes and in that particular situation I find it to be a much easier aircraft to control than a bus.

Surestrike

Being interested in this, I had a chat to a friend of mine who is a senior check on the 320 and now the 330 and he did acknowledge what you said about the aileron control on the 320.

He also mentioned that in most cases guys were overcontrolling on the sidestick which aggrevated the situation. But he agreed that a slight increase in roll rate in Direct Law would help.......

MLG,

If you don't mind my asking who'd you fly 330's for?

quote:

Originally posted by surestrike:
MLG,

If you don't mind my asking who'd you fly 330's for?

Qantas

Oh,

Say high to Trevor Merton for me. I guess he may be retired by now.

Tell him it is the guy from New Mexico who checked him and out in the Lodestar

Greg

Surestrike

Will see of he is still with us & if so will pass along the message......

quote:

Originally posted by surestrike:
Oh,

Say high to Trevor Merton for me. I guess he may be retired by now.

Tell him it is the guy from New Mexico who checked him and out in the Lodestar

.

Greg

Lodestar? Didn't know any of us who flew Lodestars but me were still alive. Flew a Lodestar for International Paper back in the stone age.

Maybe center wing tanks on the 74 blow up, and maybe they don't. Mine never did. Depends on whether or not you believe the FBI. Many don't

Jet,

I got typed and flew the Lodestar for a bit, wound up instructing in them then they were sold. She was a good old bird as long as you didn't let load her aft or get any ice in the slots.

The 1820 was a bit finicky at times but over all I always enjoyed the ole girl.