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Quotes From the Past:
from Hanoi Jane
"My position on the POW issue has been widely
misquoted and taken out of context. What I originally said and have continued to say is
that the POW's are lying if they assert it was North Vietnamese policy to torture American
prisoners."
"Who isBeing Brainwashed?"
An Indochina Peace Campaign Report
Santa Monica: Indochina Peace Campaign 1973
"We have no reason to believe that US Air Force
officers tell the truth. They are professional killers."
Washington Star, 19 Apr 73:
"Yes, the president should resign. He has lied to
the American people, time and time again, and betrayed their trust. He is no longer an
affective leader.
Since he has admitted guilt, there is no reason to put
the American people through an impeachment. He will serve absolutley no purpose in
finishing out his term. The Only possible solution is for the president to save some
dignity and resign."
William Jefferson Clinton, 1974 on President Nixon.
1) Flying machines:- "Heavier-than-air flying machines are impossible."
Physicist, Lord Kelvin, President, Royal Society, [ENGLAND] 1885.
2) Toys:- "Airplanes are interesting toys but of no military value."
Marechal Ferdinand Foch, Professor of Strategy, Ecole Superieure de Guerre, France.
3) Inventions:- "Everything that can be invented has been invented."
Charles H. Duell, Commissioner, U.S. Office of Patents, 1899.
Airspeed and altitude is like money in the bank...
You can always take some out but can't always put it back in.
Once you've got the flying bug you'll never get rid of it. Even when there's a missle on your six and your wishing you never had it.
-Sgt.Scott Wolcott JR. Civil Air Patrol
Everything that I had worked for, studied,
learned, trained for, for 30 years, Came together in
that split second in time, that moment.
- Brig. Gen. Steve Richie on the time when he got his third and fourth kills in one minute-twenty nine seconds
"Striker, listen, and you listen close: flying a plane is no different than riding a bicycle, just a lot harder to put baseball cards in the spokes."
- Rex Kramer (Robert Stack), Airplane! (1980)
There are old pilots and there are bold pilots,
BUT THERE ARE NO OLD, BOLD PILOTS.
Harry J. Task, Maj. USAF (ret.)
"If your aircraft designation doesn't start with an "A", then you're just there to support those that do"!
Steve "Krusty" Morris
Displaced All-Weather Attack Pilot
"Burning debris never reversed on anyone."
When you are out of airspeed, altitude and ideas . . .
EJECT! EJECT! EJECT!
The mother of a young man who had just earned a commision and his pilots wings said to him, "Now you remember son, don't take any chances, you fly low and slow!"
"Remember three things; The open sky above you, the runway behind you and the gas not in you'r tanks, don't you one damn bit of good."
Eland, a pilot with 54 years of experience under his wings.
"Son, an airplane is like a woman. If you rough handle her, she'll kill ya. Treat her with respect and she'll take care of you for the rest of your life."
George Twitchell Eperienced Mountain Pilot and CAP Captain
"I had never flown an eighty-one-thousand-pound jet before, and we were surprised when we started taxiing. We felt a thump, thump, thump underneath us, and we were concerned until we realized that all that weight standing on the tires had molded a temporary flat spot on them."
F-15E Pilot, Desert Storm, January 17th, 1991.
Takeoffs are optional, landings are mandatory.
Always remember: the aircraft you are flying is most probably built by the lowest bidder.
"He who sees first, lives longest."
Flying flight simulators does not make you a pilot. High G does.
Give me kinetic energy any day and I'll take his potential energy and shove it up his ass!
Pink Williams, Fighter Pilot
There is nothing absolutely nothing, to describe what goes on inside a pilot's gut when he sees a SAM get airborne.
Commander Randy "Duke" Cunningham, USN
Just as [my] missile left the rail the MiG [-21] executed a maximum G, tight turning, starboard break turn. He couldn't have seen me. Either his wingman called a break or his tail warning radar was working. I had an instantaneous plan view of him and he was really hauling... The missile couldn't handle it, exploding our of lethal range.
Commander Randy "Duke" Cunningham, USN
Waiting for a proper moment to begin my evasion tactic was agonizing. Panic rose up in my throat, urging loss of reason. At teh last moment I pulled up with eight Gs after breaking down ad starboard. The missile couldn't take the turn, going off a thousand feet below.
Commander Randy "Duke" Cunningham, USN
I Fly close to my man, aim well and then of course he falls down.
Captain Oswald Boelcke
Probably the World's First Ace
German Air Service, WW-I
No guts, no glory. If you are going to shoot him down, you have to get in there and mix it up with him.
Major Frederick C. "Boots" Bless, USAF
10 Victories, Korean Conflict
Months of preparation, one of those few opportunities, and the judgement of a split second are what makes some pilot an ace, while others think back on what they could have done.
Colonel Gregory "Pappy" Boyington, USMC
28 Victories, WW-II
Fighting spirit one must have. Even if a man lacks some of the other qualifications, he can often make up for it in fighting spirit.
Brigadier General Robin Olds, USAF
I had another [MiG] in sight at my 10 o'clock, in a left turn.... I pulled sharp left, turned inside him, pulled my nose up about 30 [degrees] above the horizon, ...barrel rolled to the right, held my position upside down above and behind the MIG until the proper angular deflection and rang parameters were satisfied, completed the rolling maneuver, and fell in behind and below the MiG-21 at his seven o'clock position at about.95 mach. Range was 4500 feet, angle off 15. The MiG obligingly pulled up well above the horizon and exactly down sun. I put the pipper on his tailpipe,
received a perfect [missile] growl, squeezed the trigger once, hesitated, then once again. The first Sidewinder leapt in front and within a split second, turned left in a definite and beautiful collision course correction .... Suddenly the MiG-21 erupted in a brilliant flash [of] orange flame.
The Yo-Yo is very difficult to explain. It was first perfected by the well-known Chinese fighter pilot Yo-Yo Noritake. He also found it difficult to explain, being quite devoid of English.
Squadron Leader K.G. Holland, RAF
Fighter Pilot
The winner [of an air battle] may have been determined by the amount of time, energy, thought and training an individual has previously accomplished in an effort to increase his ability as a fighter pilot.
Commander Randy "Duke" Cunningham, USN
The important thing in [tactics] is to suppress the enemy's useful actions but allow his useless actions. However, doing this alone is defensive.
Miyamotot Musashi (1584-1645)
Japanese Samurai and Philosopher
More than 60 Victories in Hand- to-Hand Combat
To get ability you need good training.
Colonel Erich "Bubi" Hartmann, GAF
352 Victories, WWII
The most important thing for a fighter pilot is to get his first victory without too much shock.
Colonel Werner Moelders, Luftwaffe
115 victories, WW-II and Spanish Civil War
Success flourishes only in perseverance -ceaseless, restless perseverance.
Baron Monfred von Richthofen
80 Victories, WWI
You fight like you train.
Motto, U.S. Navy Fighter Weapons School (TOPGUN)
Fight to fly, fly to fight, fight to win.
Motto, U.S. Navy Fighter Weapons School (TOPGUN)
The guy who wins is the guy who makes the fewer gross mistakes.
Lieutenant Jim "Huck" Harris, USN
U.S. Navy Fighter Weapons School Instructor
Everything I had ever learned about air fighting taught me that the man who is aggressive, who pushes a fight, is the pilot who is successful in combat and who has the best opportunity for surviving battle and coming home.
Major Robert S. Johnson, USAAF
In nearly all cases where machines have been downed, it was during a fight which had been very short, and the successful burst of fire had occurred within the space of a minute after the beginning of actual hostilities.
Lt. Colonel W.A. "Billy" Bishop, RAF
Fly with the head and not with the muscles. That is the way to long life for a fighter pilot. The fighter pilot who is all muscle and no head will never live long enough for a pension.
Colonel Willie Bats, GAF 237 Victories, WW-II
A good fighter pilot must have one outstanding trait- aggressiveness.
Major John T . Godfrey, USAAF
Once at the enemy, you should not aspire just to strike him, but to cling after the attack.
There's no kill like a guns kill.
Lt. Commander Joe "Hoser" Satrapa, USN Gunnery Instructor
Aggressiveness was fundamental to success in air-to-air combat and if you ever caught a fighter pilot in a defensive mood you had him licked before you started shooting.
Captain David McCampbell, USN
Leading U.S. Navy Ace, WW-II
34 Victories (9 on One Mission)
The smallest amount of vanity is fatal in airplane fighting. Self-distrust rather is the quality to which many a pilot owes his protracted existence.
Captain Edward V. "Eddie" Rickenbacker, USAS
Leading U.S. Ace, WW-I
In contests of [tactics] it is bad to be led about by the enemy. You must always be able to lead the enemy about.
If you are thoroughly conversant with [tactics], you will recognize the enemy's intentions and thus have many opportunities to win
Every time your opponent attempts to dive at you or attack you in any way, the best thing to do is to turn on him, pull the nose of your machine up, and fire.
Lt. Colonel W.A. "Billy" Bishop, RAF
When reaching a stalemate, win with a technique the enemy does not expect.
I never went into the air thinking I would lose.
Commander Randy "Duke" Cunningham, USN
Habit brought my head swiveling around to look behind me. I was just in time to see a Focke-Wulf bouncing, nose twinkling from the .30-calibers. My left hand slammed forward on the throttle, my right hand hauled back and left on the stick, my heart went to the top of my head and the Thunderbolt leaped upward. I racked the Jug into a tight left climbing turn, staying just above and in front of the pursuing Focke-Wulf..... To get any strikes on me the [German] had to turn inside me. The Focke-Wulf just didn't have it. At 8,000 feet he stalled out first ahead of me, and then
hauled his nose up steeply to place his bullets while the Thunderbolt roared smoothly; I kicked over into a roll and locked onto his tail.
It should not be taken that one must always be the first one to attack regardless of the situation or circumstances, but at the same time, it is generally desirable to be the one to initiate the attack and thereby put het opponent in the defensive position
If you think "Here is a master of . . . [tactics]," then you will surely lose.
My system was to always attack the [enemy] at his disadvantage if possible, and if I were attacked at my disadvantage I usually broke off the combat, for in my opinion the [Germans] in the air must be beaten at [their] own game, which is cunning. I think that the correct way to wage war is to down as many as possible of the enemy at the least risk, expense and casualties to one's own side.... I hate to shoot a [victim] down without him seeing me, for although this method is in accordance with my doctrine, it is against what little sporting instincts I heave left.... At the same
time, when one is taken at his advantage and one has to fight, one always has... to fight him like anything, for, as far as fighting the [Germans] in the air is concerned, nothing succeeds like boldness, and the [enemy] is usually taken aback when boldness is displayed.
Major James T.B. McCudden, RAF
57 Victories, WW-I
A MiG at your six is better than no MiG at all.
Unknown U.S. Fighter Pilot
The aggressive spirit, the offensive, is the chief thing everywhere in war, and the air is no exception.
Baron Manfred von Richthoven
One of our achievements at this period was the "Rosarius Traveling Circus." This was a flight comprised of all air-worthy captured planes we could find. They traveled through the West from unit to unit in order to familiarize our pilots with enemy technique. The leaders could fly these enemy types themselves. In this way we found out that we had usually overrated their performance.? The circus proved a great success.
Lt. General Adolph Galland, Luftwaffe
On individual combat tactics, aggressiveness is the keynote of success. ... The enemy on the defensive gives you the advantage, as he is trying to evade you, and not to shoot you down.
Major Thomas B. "Tommy" McGuire, USAAF
Only peace can give us a life that we realy want to live.
"A peak under the hood is worth a hundred hours of dual."
-CFII, during a practice instrument approach
"If you wanna know the pro's of thrust vectoring, ask a Harrier pilot.
If you wanna know the con's of thrust vectoring, ask an Argentine pilot."
"Flying is not dangerous, crashing is"
Regarding the wear of sunglasses: "It's never to dark to look cool"
"Death is a small price to pay to look good in the pattern"
Wingman is only allowed to say three things: "Two", "Bingo", and "Lead, you're on Fire"
We wanted a man of the caliber of Boelcke or Mannock or MĖlders or Malan to explain the unknown and to clear our confused and apprehensive minds; but on this occasion the right senior officer was not present.
Air Vice-Marshal J.E. "Johnnie" Johnson, RAF
Leading RAF Ace in Europe, WW-II
38 Victories
An excellent weapon and luck had been on my side. To be successful the best fighter pilot needs both.
Lt. General Adolph Galland
General of the Fighter Arm, Luftwaffe, 1941-45
104 Victories
Nothing is true in tactics.
Commander Randy "Duke" Cunningham, USN
5 Victories, Vietnam Conflict
... a fighter pilot must be free to propose improvements ( in tactics) or he will get himself killed.
Commander Randy "Duke" Cunningham, USN
I didn't turn with enemy pilots as a rule. I might make one turn - to see what the situation was - bur not often. It was too risky.
General John C. Meyer
Vice-Chief of Staff, USAF
26 Victories, WW-II and Korean Conflict
There are only two types of aircraft - fighters and targets.
Major Doyle "Wahoo" Nicholson, USMC
Fighter pilot
Bombing is often called "strategic" when we hit the enemy, and "tactical" when he hits us, and it is often difficult to know where one finishes and the other begins.
Air Vice-Marshal J.E. "Johnnie" Johnson, RAF
The most important thing is to have a flexible approach.... The truth is no one knows exactly what air fighting will be like in the future. WE can't say anything will stay as it is, but we also can't be certain the future will conform to particular theories, which so often, between the wars, have proved wrong.
Brigadier General Robin Olds, USAF
16 Victories, WW-II and Vietnam Conflict
Great pilots are made not born.... A man may possess good eyesight, sensitive hands, and perfect coordination, but the end product is only fashioned by steady coaching, much practice, and experience.
Air Vice-Marshal J.E. "Johnnie" Johnson, RAF
Nothing makes a man more aware of his capabilities and of his limitations than those moments when he must push aside all the familiar defenses of ego and vanity, and accept reality by staring, with the fear that is normal to a man in combat, into the face of Death.
Major Robert S. Johnson, USAAF
27 Victories, WW-II
The most important thing in fighting was shooting, next the various tactics in coming into a fight and last of all flying ability itself.
Lt. Colonel W.A. "Billy" Bishop, RAF
Probably the leading RAF Ace of WW-I
72 Victories
I had no system of shooting as such. It is definitely more in the feeling side of things that these skills develop. I was at the front five and a half years, and you just get a feeling for the right amount of lead.
Lt. General Gunther Rall, Luftwaffe
Third Leading Luftwaffe Ace, WW-II
275 Victories
As to gunnery passes, the best was when you dived with speed, made one pass, shot an opponent down quickly, and pulled back up..... The secret was to do the job in one pass; it could be from the side or from behind and I usually tried to open fire at about 150 feet.
Major Erich Rudorffer, Luftwaffe
Seventh Leading Ace, WW-II
222 Victories (13 on One Mission)
Sometimes you miss with the first bullets and the tracers give you away.
Colonel Francis S. "Gabby" Gabreski, USAAF
Leading American Ac in Europe, WW-II
34.5 Victories, WW-II and Korean Conflict
(The commanding officer) ordered the tracer ammo removed... I'll never forget the spectacular results we got. Our kill rate went up from 50 to 100 per cent.
Colonel Charles W. King, USAF
5 Victories, WW-II
You can gave computer sights or anything you like, but I think you have to go to the enemy on the shortest distance, and knock him down from point-blank range. You'll get him from in close. At long distance, it's questionable.
Colonel Erich "Bubi" Hartmann, Luftwaffe
World's Leading Ace, Luftwaffe
352 Victories, WW-II
When one has shot down one's first, second or third opponent, then one begins to find out how the trick is done.
Baron Manfred van Richthofen
Leading Ace of WW-I, German Air Service
80 Victories
Aerial gunnery is 90 percent instinct and 10 percent aim.
Captain Frederick C. Libby, RFC
First American to Shoot Down 5 Enemy Aircraft, WW-I
24 Victories (10 as Observer, 14 as Pilot)
I am not a good shot. Few of us are. To make up for this I hold my fire until I have a shot of less than 20Ō deflection and until I'm within 300 yards. Good discipline on this score can make up for a great deal.
Lt. Colonel John C. Meyer, USAAF
Go in close, and then when you think you are too close, go on in closer.
Major Thomas B. "Tommy" McGuire, USAAF
Second Leading A.S . Ace, WW-II
38 Victories
Good flying never killed (an enemy) yet.
Major Edward "Mick" Mannock, RAF
Probably Second Leading British Ace, WW-I
50-73 Victories
Guns are like alcohol: valuable, useful, popular, and fun - but, without discretion, self-destructive to the user. Ã
Suddenly you go into a steep turn. Your Mach drops off. The MiG turns with you, and you let him gradually creep up and outturn you. At the critical moment you reverse your turn. The hydraulic controls [F-86] work beautifully. Te MiG [-15[ cannot turn as readily as you and is slung out to the side. When you pop your speed brakes, the MiG flashes by you. Quickly closing the brakes, you slide onto his tail and hammer him with your "50's"
Colonel Harrison R. "Harry" Thyng, USAF
10 Victories, WW-II and Koran Conflict
I opened fire only when the whole windshield was black with the enemy ... at minimum range ... it doesn't matter what your angle is to him or whether you are in a turn or any other maneuver
Colonel Erich "Bubi" Hartmann, Luftwaffe
I'd hate to see an epitaph on a fighter pilot's tombstone that says, " I told you I needed training."... How do you train for the most dangerous game in the world by being as safe as possible? When you don't let a guy train because it's dangerous, you're saying, "Go fight those lions with your bare hands in that arena, because we can't teach you to learn how to use a spear. If we do, you might cut your finger while you're learning. "And that's just about the same as murder.
Colonel "'Boots" Boothby, USAF
Fighter Pilot
I liked the whole front of my windscreen to be full of the enemy aircraft when I fired.
Colonel Erich "Bubi" Hartmann, Luftwaffe
A good fighter pilot, like a good boxer, should have a knockout punch..... You will find one attack you prefer to all others. Work on it till you can do it to perfection... then use it whenever possible.
Captain Reade Tilley, USAAF
7 Victories, WW-II
We wanted a man of the caliber of Boelcke or Mannock or MĖlders or Malan to explain the unknown and to clear our confused and apprehensive minds; but on this occasion the right senior officer was not present.
Air Vice-Marshal J.E. "Johnnie" Johnson, RAF
Leading RAF Ace in Europe, WW-II
38 Victories
"Only the spirit of attack,
born in a brave heart,
will bring success
to any fighter aircraft,
no matter how highly developed
it may be."
- Adolf Galland
Aviation in itself is not inherently
dangerous. But to an even greater
degree than the sea, it is terribly
unforgiving of any carelesness,
incapacity or neglect.
"Combat flying is long hours of total boredom interrupted by seconds of sheer terror."
"I've had a ball !"
- Chuck Yeager, describing his Air Force career which spanned over 30 years.
COME TO THE EDGE
Come to the edge. We might fall. Come to the edge. It's too high!
Come to the edge !
And they came, and he pushed, and they flew.
Logue, Christopher
English poet (1926- )
"When we walk to the edge of all the light we have and take the step into the darkness of the unknown, we must believe that one of 2 things will happen: there will be something solid for us to stand on, or we will learn to fly."
Dear Lord,
be good to me.
The sky is so vast
and my airplane is so small.
"To put your life in danger from time to time....breeds a saneness in dealing with day-to-day trivialities."
"Did you ever notice whenever a pilot dies because of bad weather, they're always buried on a sunny day."
[Airplanes are] near perfect, all they lack is the ability to forgive.
At the Reno air races:
"You can grab ahold of an airplane here, and literally take your life in both hands. One for the throttle and one for the stick, and you can control your own destiny free of most rules and regulations. Well, it may not be better than your wedding night, but it's probably better than the second one."
"You know, adrenalin is a naturally induced narcotic, but it's stronger than most narcotics. And once you get it movin' around in there, I mean, it's a rush that's hard to describe, and you get it when you get this puppy movin'."
"...if everything is going along smoothly something
MUST have been overlooked."
"Just keep looking around; there's always something you've missed."
"Get enough sleep. If you can't leave your worries at home, stay there with them."
"The nicest VFR is just as dangerous as the worst IFR."
No bird soars too high,
If he soars with his own wings.
"It's the most exciting thing you have ever done with your pants on!"
Flying is the perfect vocation for a man who wants to feel like a boy,
but not for one who still is.
There are four ways to fly: the right way, the wrong way, the company way and the captain's way. Only one counts.
Jet and piston engines work on the same principle: Suck and squeeze, blow and go.
There are three rules for making a smooth landing: Unfortunately, no one knows what they are.
Any pilot who does not privately consider himself the best in the game is in the wrong game.
If an earthquake suddenly opened a fissure in a runway that caused an accident, the NTSB would find a way to blame in on pilot error.
A smooth touchdown in a simulator is as exciting as kissing your sister.
Any attempt to stretch fuel is guaranteed to increase headwinds.
Everything is accomplished through teamwork until something goes wrong, then one pilot gets all the blame.
If it doesn't work, rename it; if that doesn't help, the new name isn't long enough.
A thunderstorm is nature's way of saying, "Up yours."
"High Flight"
Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth, and danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings; Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth Of sun-split clouds- and done a hundred things You have not dreamed of- wheeled and soared and swung High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there, I've chased the shouting wind along and flung My eager craft through footless halls of air.
Up, up the long delirious burning blue I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace, Where never lark, or even eagle flew; And, while silent lifting mind I've trod The high untrespassed sanctity of space, Put out my hand, and touched the face of God...
-J.G. Magee, Jr. [WWII fighter pilot]
'Aviate, Navigate, Communicate'
'The superior pilot uses his superior judgment to avoid situations regarding superior skill'
Oh! I've slipped through the swirling clouds of dust,
a few feet from the dirt,
I've flown the Phantom low enough,
to make my bottom hurt.
I've TFO'd the deserts, hills, valleys
and mountains too,
Frolicked in the trees,
where only flying squirrels flew.
Chased the frightened cows along,
disturbed the ram and ewe,
And done a hundred other things,
that you'd not care to do.
I've smacked the tiny sparrow,
bluebird, robin, all the rest,
I've ingested baby eaglets,
simply sucked them from their nest!
I've streaked through total darkness,
just the other guy and me,
And spent the night in terror of
things I could not see.
I've turned my eyes to heaven,
as I sweated through the flight,
Put out my hand and touched,
the master caution light.
-Author Unknown
"My *first* wife didn't like to fly, either"
"One good hole in the overcast is worth ten published approaches"
"Eagles may soar, but weasels never get sucked into jet air intakes"
I used to work with a group of ex-USAF transport pilots who used to always tell me: "I'd rather be lucky than good, anyday"
"Real pilots roll over and slip it in."
I'm waiting to be told how cobras, hooks, or vectored thrust help in combat. They're great at air shows, but zero energy is a fighter pilot's nightmare. Shoot your opponent down and his number two will be on your tail thinking it's his birthday - a target hanging there in the sky with zero energy.
- Ned Firth of Eurofighter at Farnborough '94
There is no excuse for an airplane unless it will fly fast!
Whoopie! Man, that may have been a small one for Neil, but it's a long one for me.
- Pete Conrad, the shortest Apollo astronaut, upon becoming the 3rd man to walk on the moon. He came up with these words months before the event, and won a $500 bet proving that NASA didn't write the famous Armstrong quote.
It is appearances, characteristics and performance that make a man love an airplane, and they, told truly, are what put emotion into one. You love a lot of things if you live around them, but there isn't any woman and there isn't any horse, not any before nor any after, that is as lovely as a great airplane, and men who love them are faithful to them even though they leave them for others.
"Flying is learning to throw yourself at the ground, and miss."
- Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy
"Flying an aeroplane with only a single propellor to keep you in the air. Can you imagine that?"
- Capt. Picard, in STTNG episode "Booby Trap"
Son, never ask a man if he is a fighter pilot. If he is, he'll let you know. If he isn't, don't embarrass him.
- The Great Santini "Get ready for a fighter pilot".
A busy person has time for what he takes time for. If flying is important to YOU, YOU will find a way to accomplish it. If it is not that important to YOU, there is no reason to attempt to fool yourself or anyone else about what is important to you.
Airport Test: Go through your address book, call people and ask them to drive you to the airport. The ones who will drive you are your true friends. The rest aren't bad people, they are just acquaintenances.
Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.
Character is what you do when no one is looking.
Flying is like sex - I've never had all I wanted but occasionally I've had all I could stand.
- Stephen Coonts in Cannibal Queen
If it flies, floats, or fornicates, it's cheaper to rent.
Of the living ... none, not one who truly loves the sky would trade a hundred earth bound hours for one that he could fly.
Science, Freedom, Beauty, Adventure... aviation offers it all.
You just have to get comfortable with fear.
- 99s at a Women Pilot's seminar
"No aircraft ever took and held ground."
"Turn to kill, not to engage."
- CDR Willie Driscoll, USN
How about "There are old pilots and there are bold pilots, but there are no old, bold pilots".
- Anon. (First heard from an Aussis cropduster in Indonesia back in 1969).
"The only time a fighter has too much gas is when it's on fire."
- CDR Tom Sobieck, VF-51, 1989
"Willie, how long can you tread water?"
- CDR Randy "Duke" Cunningham,
after his and Willie's F-4 took a missile hit over NVN and he dashed for the coast.
"A MiG at your six is better than no MiG at all."
Anonymous US fighter pilot.
"Better to roll the hobbs meter than roll the plane!"
"Two CFI's flying together is equal to 1/2 a student."
"The duty of the fighter pilot is to patrol his area of the sky, and shoot down any enemy fighters in that area. Anything else is rubbish!" Manfred von Richtofen
- Quote refers to why Richtofen would not let members of his Staffel strafe troops in the trenches.
You're not a real pilot till you take the bus home.
"Better to be on the ground wishing to be in the air than in the air wishing to be on the ground"
"Once you have flown, you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, there you long to return."
- Leonardo da Vinci (1452 - 1519)
Quote of a Chinese WX man during the WW-II: "Ceiling and visibility obscured by darkness."
"A human being is the best computer available to place in a spacecraft. . . It is also the only one that can be mass produced with unskilled labor."
"Every F-4 takes off with two in flight emergencies:
1. It's on fire
2. It's low on fuel."
- Anonomous (Navy) F-4 Pilot
"Bother" said Pooh when his engine stalled on take-off.
In a world full of people only some want to fly, isn't that crazy...
"An F-4, proof that even a brick can fly if you put a big enough engine on it; and the F-4 took two!"
"Be certain your Equal Time Point is not beyond your Point of No Return."
Passengers prefer old captains and young stewardesses.
The only thing worse than a captain who never flew as copilot is a copilot who once was a captain.
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