I thought all Airbuses used sidesticks instead of central control columns. Then I saw a documentary film which showed American Airlines A330s (340s?) with a central control column.Have Airbus changed their policy, or is this just an operator specific change?

I believe the A330 was long before the more modern and less cluttered cockpit of the 319/20/21 and 340.

No not all Airbus aircraft.The A300/310 had the conventional yoke.American Airlines does not have A330/340 aircraft, they do have A300s though, which, as mentioned, have conventional yokes.The order the airbus aircraft were first flown is.300, 310, 320, 321, 319, 340, 330.pAnmAn

the entire airbus series is available as either side stick or center yoke. It is purchasers option and in the US about 65% of the fleet utilizes the yoke option. I read this on an airbus related website within the last few months. It may have been through an airline website - I will see if I can track it down again.

Bumping this message in hopes the MAAM thread will move into the archives or onto the Hangar Chat forum where it belongs! Better yet, let the parties involved sort it out themselves IN PRIVATE. Now there's an idea!

As far as I know, stick is the only "option" in the any Airbus with FBW. Interestingly, Boeing offered the choice of stick or yoke on the 777, and everyone chose yoke...

If you are talkking about the Horizon documentary on the BBC last week it was an A300.RegardsHoward