What are the main visual differences between Boeings and Airbuses, specifically 737s/757s and A320s? My drive to/from work goes right by the airport, so I'm always looking up at the planes taking off and landing. (I'm sure my fellow drives appreciate that!)

From what I can tell, the Airbuses have slightly smaller tails (?), but probably have other small nuances that could be spotted.

Not many flights in these parts are Airbuses, anyway, just some HPs and maybe a rare US.

It sure is a kick when the BA 747 passes just 100 or 150 feet above you, though!

[This message has been edited by motnot (edited 06-08-2000).]

The easiest way to spot the Airbus 300, 310, 319 and 320 series aircraft is to look at the wing tips. These airbuses have the little tail fins that sit both above and below the wing tips, whereas the various Boeing jets just have upward sloping wing tip fins. The larger Airbuses -- 330 and 340 -- are also easy to differentiate. The 340 has four engines and looks like a Boeing 707 on steroids, while the 330 appears plumper than the 767. Is that of any help?

Airbus 319/320/321 series planes are distinguished by the "wingtip fences" Shareholder described, whereas the narrowbody Boeings (737/757) don't have this. I find it difficult to distinguish the planes by just looking at the tails (unless they are side-by-side). Also, A320's have single piece wing flaps, while the B737/757's have triple-slotted flaps. The 757 and newer 737s (-300 series or later) have engine pods that are mounted kind of forward of the wing and do not hang below the wing as much as the engine pods on the 320.

The A330 and 340 are nearly identical except that the 330 uses two big engines and the 340 uses four medium engines. Both have the upward pointing wing tips ("winglets"). The Boeing 767 has no winglets and has a narrower fuselage.

FewMiles..

The A330 and A340 use the same aircraft body. The only difference is with the length of wings and engine numbers.

If you know enough about what each airline owns, you can tell what type of aircraft it is by looking at the owner.

If is much harder to tell apart the A319/20/21.

Boeing 757's have a very distinctive front nose profile.

Boeing 737's (Fat Albert) engines are very close to the ground. The Tail also has a leading edge to it.

Now, how do you distinguish between a 757 and a 767?

757 narrowbody, 767 widebody

... or check the pay stub of the pilots!

[This message has been edited by geo1004 (edited 06-08-2000).]

Simple method to distinguish the 319/20/21

The 319 has one set of emergency exit windows, the 320 has a pair on each side, and the 321 has another exit door ahead of the wing.

Just a word on the A-320 wingtips. Not all of them have it. The early (-100) models don't.

The 737 tail cone has a curve up from the end of the taper to the APU exhaust. The A-320/21/19/18 has a straight pointy end (except for the CPU exhuast).

The 737-300/400/500 also have a piece that breaks the angle between the fuselage and the leading edge of vertical fin. The -100/200 do not have this (haven't looked at a -NG yet to see if they have it.

The 737-300/400/500 also have the engine nacelles flattened at the bottom for gorund clearance. The A-320 family sits higher off the ground.

Finally, the 737 front looks like a 707/727. The A-320 family seems to have a rounder nose.

The 757 & 767 has the same rating, therfore if you get certified in one and can fly the other. They were developed at the same time and have identical cockpits.

The 757 and 767 have different amount of doors. The 757 has 6, while the 767 has only 4, yet they both have 4 window exits over the wings.

The A319 & A320 can be told apart based on the window exits over the wings, the shorter A319 has two, while the 320 four.

Easiest way to distinguish a 737 (any generation) from a narrow-body Airbus....watch the coach passengers as they deplane from a transcon flight. The Airbus passengers will be much happier. 737 victims may exhibit violent tendancies.

[This message has been edited by harold (edited 06-09-2000).]

Only the 767-300's have two pairs of window exits. The -200's have only one pair.

Not exactly... TWA's 767-231ER aircraft are equipped with two overwing emergency exits.

Even with 757s, there are some differences in emergency exit door layouts. Some have overwing exits, some do not. On the ones that do not have overwing exit doors, a smaller exit door is located just aft of the wings.



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