Does the Boeing 747-400 require more skill to fly than other wide bodied 4 engine jets?
Big jets react slower, so things don’t go wrong as fast but if you don’t notice you can be in more trouble when they do. All modern jets are largely computerized, there hasn’t been a cable connection to the controls or engines since the 60s or so. Even if you think you are controlling an engine directly you are still only talking to its computer(s) which actually run the engine. There’s currently nothing directly comparable to the 747-400 in commercial service, when the A380 is in service it will be very similar to the 747 but with more modern control systems which will make it a bit easier to operate. Performance is very close, same field length for takeoff and landing, similar speed, just nearly twice the weight. The C5-B is a bit of a pig compared to the 747 but it does have some nice features to compensate.
