Californicationdude wrote:
However Boeing still outnumbers Airbus in terms of aircraft in service by almost 6 to 1.
Not surprising seeing how the first Airbus was delivered in 1979 and Boeing has been building jetliners since 1955. Airlines are naturally reluctant to commit big orders for a new company so it took awhile for Airbus to prove itself and get rolling. As you correctly pointed out Airbus has closed the gap and now competes on basically a level playing field.
As interesting as all that trivia is none of it addresses the relative safety of different manufactures, different models, different airlines and their degree of training and professionalism of pilots, maintenance staff, operations department, etc. I am very comfortable flying in an airliner made by Airbus, Boeing and even the few Mc Donald Douglas birds still around.
I worked for an airline that, in it's history, flew everything from WWII surplus C-54's to B747's and never had a fatal accident. Training and professionalism had a lot more to do with that record then aircraft manufacturers.
True ID I agree the most important factor is training and professional maintanence...but I still personally feel more comfortable in a boeing thats just me.....when I think of airbus I get an image of an french engineer smoking his cigarette and saying...yes but no but maybe and then taking a wine break and then a 8 week summer break and then coming back to the plane and saying "hmmm problems here..yes but no but maybe" hmmm fuckkkkit its a US client... ship it now".. "Im going for a smoke break... blame it on the british if there are problems mon ami". [code][/code]
When I think of boeing I think of some smart hard working guy who is trapped inside working all day due to the cold and rain... and doesnt want to go home early due to his fat fugly wife being at home...however for some strange reason he takes lots of trips to RIO and says damn Im riding these planes every month they better be safe
And oddly this engineer comes back from his 4 day rio trip flush and well exercised and full of energy and vigor figuring when he can hop on another boeing jet to RIO