Boeing Tanker: Beans, Bullets, Oil, and politics .. and did we mention: politics ??

[LazersGoPEWPEW]

Care to elaborate?

There's a reason they call them Scarebus.

 

[Flash]

As someone who works with both Boeing and Airbus products daily (ups), Airbus makes shitty, shitty products.

I have a buddy that flew both the A320 and the 737 (C-40), surprised me by saying he preferred the Airbus. Said it was just a better plane overall.
As for Airbus winning, with so few American defense contractors left I am happy to see some more competition, even if it does come from a European (not just French) conglomerate. May the best plane win........even if it isn't American.

 

[A4sForever]

I have a buddy that flew both the A320 and the 737 (C-40), surprised me by saying he preferred the Airbus. Said it was just a better plane overall....

Don't know what his particular experience was but I "think" the C-40 was a -700 series 737 which came out in 1993. It's upgraded from its derivative earlier 737-300's, to be sure -- but it's still not as "new" as its present competing Airbus technology. Kinda like comparing apples and French pastry ....

Simple stuff: the 320-'Bus is wider, fully digital fly-by-wire, computer maintenance enabled, easy(er) to upgrade electronically, and has larger cargo doors amongst it's bag of tricks.

The 737?? The 737 fuselage is the same X-section as the 707/727.

Like I say ... it's like comparing apples and French bread.

The Whale, for example, made it's Bus competitors look like shit when all things were considered. Chiefly crossing the Big Pond performance, reliability, power, speed, and just being a pilot's airplane .... and that's what counts for me.

Each to his own, but after flying in and training on both companies' aircraft over the years -- I'll take Boeing. Having ridden in the tube on both as a passenger and deadheading crewmember -- I'll take Boeing. Given the choice of promoting a domestic company or a European-based "consortium" .... I'll take Boeing.

Anytime, Baby ...

 

[flopper]

First Bell labs, now our military aircraft

 

[pourts]

Somebody was trying to tell me one time that the Airbus had a common setup for all its aircraft, i.e. if you qualed on one, you were set for all of their planes. But with Boeing, you have to get a different qual (not sure if using the right terminology here) for each aircraft, and some of the control setups are different. Also, doesn't Airbus use a stick compared to Boeing's yoke? Not a huge factor but interesting nonetheless.

 

[nugget61]

Somebody was trying to tell me one time that the Airbus had a common setup for all its aircraft, i.e. if you qualed on one, you were set for all of their planes. But with Boeing, you have to get a different qual (not sure if using the right terminology here) for each aircraft, and some of the control setups are different. Also, doesn't Airbus use a stick compared to Boeing's yoke? Not a huge factor but interesting nonetheless.

I know that the trip to get cert in a 767 (if currently cert in 757) is about 3 weeks (including school, sims and checkride).
The buses that I've seen have armrest style joysticks.

 

[FrankTheTank]

The A-300 and A-310 have similar cockpits, a yoke (no stick) and one type rating (A-310).

I think A-319/320 are common and have a joystick.

A-300 Cockpit Shot:
http://www.airliners.net/photo/FedEx-Express/Airbus-A300B4-622R(F)/0949538/M/http://www.airliners.net/photo/FedE...hoto_id_DESC_&prev_id=1006257&next_id=0145166

 

[mtsupilot09]

Well said, A4s.

 

[cisforsmasher]

DOD reopens Tanker bids

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7498546.stm

i couldnt search for the old thread thanks to some pain in the ass advertising otherwise I would have posted this there.

 

[Morgan81]

I guess it's now best two out of three. I just hope that it hasn't been scheduled for a best of seven series.

 

[OUSOONER]

I have Boeing wrapping it up at their place in Game 5 ...any takers?

 

[nvrg1vup]

Boeing lobbied the heck out of the politicians. Who do you think they know in the White House?


Artist's Conception of Tanker = Artist's Conception of the MMA
It's so dreamy.

 

[Lawman]

I think this article is definately worth a look, if only because of this quote.

Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics John Young will make the decision whether to award the tanker buy to the Northrop Grumman-EADS team or Boeing, Gates said.

Apparently the final call will not go to the AF leadership.

http://www.military.com/news/article/pentagon-to-reopen-tanker-bidding.html

 

[scoolbubba]

sick burn. regardless of their shenanigans, they ought to have some kind of say in what they get...am I right?

 

[phrogdriver]

Secretary Gates is so fed up with the Air Force, I'm half expecting him to outsource their mission to an HR firm out of Bangalore. They'll take what he gives them and be happy they still have their jobs, at this point!