i can't tell the differences (;ﾟ∀ﾟ)

>>135229
Your autism clearly isn't nearly as powerful as OP's.

wasn't it literally just that modifying an existing design was easier to get approved by the FAA/other air agencies

like the whole shit with the 737 max which probably should have been handled like a new design anyway

hence, everything is just a variant on a handful of designs these days ( ´ω`)

>>135214
I wasted my life flying with A320s and I can say that it's not the comfiest voyage but the cheapest and the only thing that matters is safety which is what the A320s are famous for

>>135249
i heard it was because all 737 airlines (southwest, ryanair, alaska, lion air, jeju air) didnt want to pay for all their 737 pilots to be type rated for a new aircraft

That's modern technology in general. Everything is just the same lame ripoffs of each other with no originality

>>135303
Imo, I think it's simply a series of increasingly convergent evolutions. Given a set of constraints (maximize fuel efficiency, FAA won't allow you go past mach 1, incredibly diminished returns on R&D investment due to mature tech, the cruel apathy of physics, etc.), it's natural to see competing designs become more and more similar as different engineers find the single best solution to similar problems.

I'm a tank guy, and we face a similar phenomenon where modern tanks are all beginning to all look the same. It's a little sad compared to the wild diversity of the early-mid 1900s, but tech & material science has finally caught up to the point where the local maxima is attainable. And the local maxima, by definition, has a singular peak. In a way, similar to the human face, there's a certain beauty in observing and noticing the more subtle features. Because engineers have gotten so close to "perfection", differences and deviations are often done with nuanced intention, and there's another certain beauty understanding that intention.

Fun fact, M1A2 SEPv3 (among other things) included the Trophy active protection system. This system is mounted on the turret and weighs around 1.5 tons. However, because the turret must be balanced to rotate quickly and efficiently, there's a 1.5 ton counterweight on the other side.

>>135681
i am a bit more optimistic. i think with changing demands and innovation elimination some issues (though not all). we may see a resurgance of more interesting plane designs. i think once cheaper sustainable jet fuel alternatives come back and airports start running out of gate slots i think we will see a resurgance in double decker jumbos.

>>135761
to add to this we are already seeing airlines bring back their a380s or delay their retirement. qatar, korean air, and asiana airlines have already delayed the retirement of the a380. meanwhile lufthansa and qantas had restarted using the a380 post covid. even malaysia airlines is considering returning it. as for the 747 the -400 varient's retirement has been pushed to 2028 so i think there may be a bright ahead future for the ultra big jumbos.

>>135681
A similar thing is happening in firearms. Everyone is adopting AR-15 style rifles. Gone are the days of a country designing its own unique rifle, at least in the West. (´ー`)