On or about Wed, 17 Dec 2003 05:24:41 -0500, Cub Driver
allegedly uttered:

In the 1970s Boeing bet the company on the 747. Now Airbus is betting
the company on the Next Bigger Thing. Boeing has absolutely no
response to this.

Niggle, 747 work started in 1963 and first flight was in 69. But yes,
they bet the farm on the 747 and scored big. Very ballsy move.

Overall, Airbus's fleet is newer than Boeing's, if somewhat duller.

Not sure why the Airbus products are duller - these are commercial
airliners we're talking about, never the most exciting objects around.

Boeing has got to bet on something quirky that will replace planes it
can afford to lose (757, 767) while stealing orders from planes Airbus
*can't* afford to lose.

With me, Boeing has already won. I'd never fly a jumbo jet if there
was a twin-aisle widebody available, whether it's a 747 or a NBT..

Hence the A340 and A330 - both twin aisle widebodies, including the
longest ranged commercial airliner (A340-500 IIRC). I fly a A330 back
to the UK fairly regularly form the US and I have to say it's damn
comfortable (vibration, noise, and space). HAven't been on a 777 but
I'd assume it would be also slicker than the ageing 767s and DC-10s.

I'll take the 787 (as I assume it will finally be named) over anything
else on the market, Airbus or Boeing.

I'll take what ever gets me there cheapest in a modicum of comfort
(unless one of the aircraft turns out to have a bad safety record,
something becoming increasingly unlikely in today's engineering
environment).

---
Peter Kemp

Life is short - Drink Faster