4 ms·

In the past few years I've flown a bunch on the AA A321T configuration, brand new planes. I was shocked at just how much better the 787 is in almost all regards

In the past few years I've flown a bunch on the AA A321T configuration, brand new planes. I was shocked at just how much better the 787 is in almost all regards in terms of the environmental quality of being on the plane. From the air, to the noise.. everything was noticeably better. When the A321T lands, the noise created was peaking ridiculous dB and hurting my ears. I was expecting something similar on the 787 and chalked it up to "lighter/thinner materials, more sound gets through" and it was shockingly almost silent by comparison.

Reason077 9y ago
The A320neo (and 737 MAX) are significantly quieter than the previous generations, thanks to their new super-high-bypass geared turbofan and LEAP engines. American has 100 A321neo on order, but they haven't started being delivered yet.
thesumofall 9y ago
Sorry, but those are just two entirely different planes with very different requirement sets. One is a wide body the other is a narrow body, for starters. A350 vs 787 is a slightly better, if still not perfect, comparison
- avs733 9y ago
  A better way to look at it is that they are two different generations of planes. I fly/have flown a lot in a prior role. Excepting the 747, which let you get so far away from the engines that it was often irrelevant, newer planes create significantly improved passenger experiences (ignoring seat pitch). The A350 (2013 First Flight) , A380 (2005FF), and B787 (2009FF) are significant cabin environmental quality improvements over the A330(1992FF), A340(1991FF), B777(1994FF). They aren't just using different materials that are using IMMENSELY different technology and computing power in the design process. That lets the engineers pay attention to details they couldn't before. For Comparison (look at the front and rear wings especially: 1994(B777era) F1-straight lines, single curves, few compound surfaces [0] 2005(B787era) F1-lots of curves, compound curse galore, intentionally designed interactions of surfaces [1] Thats the different in design capacity driven by computing tools and technology. [0] http://www.spannerhead.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Ferrari_412_T2.jpg http://www.spannerhead.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Ferrar... [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_FIA_Formula_One_World_Championship#/media/File:Heikki_Kovalainen_Jerez_Feb_2009_3611a.jpg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_FIA_Formula_One_World_Cha...
  - sokoloff 9y ago
    Upper deck on an A380 was like sitting in a quiet living room, just with weird furniture. Totally surreal experience.
  - tavert 9y ago
    2008 or 2017-2018 would be more dramatic examples of recent Formula 1 aero taken to extremes - 2009 was the most aerodynamically restricted year in recent regulations.
    - avs733 9y ago
      I know but I was going for what lined up to make my point :) If you look at details, the progression from 94 to 2008 is HUGE but its very much in details. That was the point more so than figuring out which McLaren had the most appendages.
gsnedders 9y ago
> In the past few years I've flown a bunch on the AA A321T configuration, brand new planes. I was shocked at just how much better the 787 is in almost all regards in terms of the environmental quality of being on the plane. Brand new planes of a design that first flew 25 years ago, of a family of aircraft that first flew 31 years ago, compared with aircraft of a design that first flew 9 years ago. It's hardly surprising that a much more modern clean-sheet design is better; the A321neo would be a more interesting comparison, as that should be much quieter than the A321ceo, but that's still not a clean-sheet design.
- deleted 9y ago
  [deleted]

Reason077 9y ago

The A320neo (and 737 MAX) are significantly quieter than the previous generations, thanks to their new super-high-bypass geared turbofan and LEAP engines. American has 100 A321neo on order, but they haven't started being delivered yet.

thesumofall 9y ago

Sorry, but those are just two entirely different planes with very different requirement sets. One is a wide body the other is a narrow body, for starters. A350 vs 787 is a slightly better, if still not perfect, comparison

avs733 9y ago
A better way to look at it is that they are two different generations of planes. I fly/have flown a lot in a prior role. Excepting the 747, which let you get so far away from the engines that it was often irrelevant, newer planes create significantly improved passenger experiences (ignoring seat pitch). The A350 (2013 First Flight) , A380 (2005FF), and B787 (2009FF) are significant cabin environmental quality improvements over the A330(1992FF), A340(1991FF), B777(1994FF). They aren't just using different materials that are using IMMENSELY different technology and computing power in the design process. That lets the engineers pay attention to details they couldn't before. For Comparison (look at the front and rear wings especially: 1994(B777era) F1-straight lines, single curves, few compound surfaces [0] 2005(B787era) F1-lots of curves, compound curse galore, intentionally designed interactions of surfaces [1] Thats the different in design capacity driven by computing tools and technology. [0] http://www.spannerhead.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Ferrari_412_T2.jpg http://www.spannerhead.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/Ferrar... [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_FIA_Formula_One_World_Championship#/media/File:Heikki_Kovalainen_Jerez_Feb_2009_3611a.jpg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2009_FIA_Formula_One_World_Cha...
- sokoloff 9y ago
  Upper deck on an A380 was like sitting in a quiet living room, just with weird furniture. Totally surreal experience.
- tavert 9y ago
  2008 or 2017-2018 would be more dramatic examples of recent Formula 1 aero taken to extremes - 2009 was the most aerodynamically restricted year in recent regulations.
  - avs733 9y ago
    I know but I was going for what lined up to make my point :) If you look at details, the progression from 94 to 2008 is HUGE but its very much in details. That was the point more so than figuring out which McLaren had the most appendages.

gsnedders 9y ago

> In the past few years I've flown a bunch on the AA A321T configuration, brand new planes. I was shocked at just how much better the 787 is in almost all regards in terms of the environmental quality of being on the plane. Brand new planes of a design that first flew 25 years ago, of a family of aircraft that first flew 31 years ago, compared with aircraft of a design that first flew 9 years ago. It's hardly surprising that a much more modern clean-sheet design is better; the A321neo would be a more interesting comparison, as that should be much quieter than the A321ceo, but that's still not a clean-sheet design.

deleted 9y ago
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