Most of the time, a fly-by-wire aircraft would require intensive pilot attention to a variety of things ranging from fuel load distribution to the actual moving of the flight controls. For example, in the old days, a pilot flying an F-4 near the speed of sound would have to use rudders (the thingys on the floor fighter jocks normally use as foot rests) to control roll, which would normally be controlled by ailerons (lateral movement of stick thingy between your legs). In the F-18, lateral stick inputs give you roll, regardless of flight regime, but the computer is moving whatever control surface(s) needs to be moved to achieve what the pilot is commanding by stick input.
Excellent reply, however although all new fighters and bombers are fly-by-wire, they do not have to meet the safety standards of a commercial airliner or even a small single engine General Aviation airplane. And, they all have the option to pull down the visor and pull that handle between your legs, where by you shoot out the top (or bottom in some cases) of the airplane and come down on a parachute.
The B-777 was Boeing's first Fly-By-Wire airplane, but it still has controls that are cable to hydraulic interface from the cockpit. The trim systems and the inboard spoilers are not fly-by-wire. I believe the 787 is all fly-by-wire. The philosophy is still different for Boeing than for Airbus and hence my comment.
Dennis is not alone in his opinion on this. While I am certainly not an expert a friend of mine owns a company that trains mechanics for the airline industry as well as performing inspections for manufacturers as well. Apparently the Airbus craft are much more challenging to work on from a design standpoint as well.
Personally since United and Frontier both use Airbus craft, I fly them frequently myself, as generally other priorties when choosing flights come ahead of an aircraft presence (a direct flight vs having to make a connection for example).
