Here’s 108 of the best aviation quotes ever! Consider this list the 100 best aviation quotes of all time - with 8 freebies thrown in because you've been on your best behavior. So, if you've ever experienced the sky on a glorious morning, or if you're exploring the possibility of an aviation career, these quotes still offer plenty of wisdom, inspiration, and giggles, too. Check this massive list out - it's sure to inspire anyone who's been flying and felt the lure of the sky.
Inspirational Quotes About Dreams of Flight
It's easy to imagine the way a pilot feels as he traverses the bright blue sky. Talk about limitless possibilities. Check out these inspirational aviation quotes from pilots, aviation enthusiasts, and would-be aviators as they explore how a pilot feels in free heaven.
“When once you have tasted flight, you will forever walk the earth with your eyes turned skyward, for there you have been, and there you will always long to return.” – Leonardo DaVinci
“The desire to fly is an idea handed down to us by our ancestors who, in their grueling travels across trackless lands in prehistoric times, looked enviously on the birds soaring freely through space, at full speed, above all obstacles, on the infinite highway of the air.” – Wilbur Wright
“Sometimes, flying feels too God-like to be attained by man. Sometimes, the world from above seems too beautiful, too wonderful, too distant for human eyes to see.” – Charles A. Lindbergh
“Man must rise above the Earth—to the top of the atmosphere and beyond—for only thus will he fully understand the world in which he lives.” – Socrates
“Within all of us is a varying amount of space lint and star dust, the residue from our creation. Most are too busy to notice it, and it is stronger in some than others. It is strongest in those of us who fly and is responsible for an unconscious, subtle desire to slip into some wings and try for the elusive boundaries of our origin.” – K.O. Eckland
“I fly because it releases my mind from the tyranny of petty things.” – Antoine de Saint-Exupery
“Learning to fly an airplane taught me a way of thinking, an approach to problem-solving that was applicable and effective. Pilots are very methodical and meticulous, and artists tend not to be.” – Chris Carter
“Pilots are a rare kind of human. They leave the ordinary surface of the word, to purify their soul in the sky, and they come down to earth, only after receiving the communion of the infinite.” – Jose Maria Velasco Ibarra
“Lovers of air travel find it exhilarating to hang poised between the illusion of immortality and the fact of death.” – Alexander Chase
Great Aviation Quotes About Wisdom and Experience
You probably remember your mentor - the one who guided you when you learned to fly your plane. Was your instructor strict and relentless? Or did they spur on "the desire to fly" in your heart and soul? This section is dedicated to the ones that came before, whose experience and erudition speak volumes. These pioneers and their quotes still cause us to think well about our vocation.
“If you can walk away from a landing, it’s a good landing. If you can use the aircraft the next day, it’s an outstanding landing.” – Chuck Yeager
“Both optimists and pessimists contribute to our society. The optimist invents the airplane and the pessimist the parachute.” – Gil Stern
“You’ve never been lost until you’ve been lost at Mach 3.” – Paul F. Crickmore
“Flying the airplane is more important than radioing your plight to a person on the ground incapable of understanding it.” – Unknown
“Let’s get one thing straight. There’s a big difference between a pilot and an aviator. One is a technician; the other is an artist in love with flight.” – Elrey Borge Jeppesen
“He moves not through distance, but through the ranges of satisfaction that come from hauling himself up into the air with complete and utter control; from knowing himself and knowing his airplane so well that he can come somewhere close to touching, in his own special and solitary way, that thing that is called perfection.” – Richard Bach
Flying is the Lure: Passion for Flying
Talk about the romantic side of flying! When a pilot describes the world in which he lives, he'll wax poetic - and say the things that only someone who's been flying for years would be able to verbalize with such fluency.
“Any pilot can describe the mechanics of flying. What it can do for the spirit of man is beyond description.” – Barry Goldwater
“Aviation and space travel, in particular – have always been especially captivating.” – Felix Baumgartner
“Aviation is for the common man. My goal is to enable everyone to fly. It shouldn’t be only for the rich.” – Tony Fernandes
“Aviation is poetry. It’s the finest kind of moving around, you know, just as poetry is the finest way of using words.” – Jessie Redmon Fauset
“Aviation will give new nourishment to the religious spirit of mankind. It will add airspace to those other great heighteners of the cosmic mood: the wood, the sea, the desert.” – Christian Morgenstern
“Flying is a lot like playing a musical instrument; you’re doing so many things and thinking of so many other things, all at the same time. It becomes a spiritual experience.” – Dusty Mctavish
“Flying is more than a sport and more than a job; flying is pure passion and desire, which fill a lifetime.” – Adolf Galland
“Flying might not be all smooth sailing, but the fun of it is worth the price.” – Amelia Earhart
“Great pilots are made not born… A man may possess good eyesight, sensitive hands, and perfect coordination, but the end result is only fashioned by steady coaching, much practice, and experience.” – Unknown
““Lovers of air travel find it exhilarating to hang poised between the illusion of immortality and the fact of death.” – Alexander Chase
“More than anything else, the sensation of flying is one of perfect peace mingled with an excitement that strains every nerve to the utmost. If you can conceive of such a combination.” – Wilbur Wright
“The desire to fly is an idea handed down to us by our ancestors who, in their grueling travels across trackless lands in prehistoric times, looked enviously on the birds soaring freely through space, at full speed, above all obstacles, on the infinite highway of the air.” – Wilbur Wright
“It is hard enough for anyone to map out a course of action and stick to it, particularly in the face of the desires of one’s friends; but it is doubly hard for an aviator to stay on the ground waiting for just the right moment to go into the air.” – Glenn Curtiss
“Setting off unknown to face the unknown, against parental opposition, with no money, friends, or influence, ran it a close second. Clichés like ‘blazing trails,’ flying over ‘shark-infested seas,’ ‘battling with monsoons,’ and ‘forced landings amongst savage tribes’ became familiar diet for breakfast. Unknown names became household words, whilst others, those of the failures, were forgotten utterly except by kith and kin.” – Amy Johnson
“Every flyer who ventures across oceans to distant lands is a potential explorer; in his or her breast burns the same fire that urged adventurers of old to set forth in their sailing-ships for foreign lands.” – Jean Batten
Best Aviation Quotes on Pilot Humor and Wit
Here's the funny side of aviation! From biting sarcasm and wit to sheer humor, these quotes will tickle your funny bone, and shed a little levity on this technical, dangerous, wonderful world of ours.
“There are three simple rules for making a smooth landing. Unfortunately, no one knows what they are.” - Unknown
“If black boxes survive air crashes, why don’t they make the whole plane out of that stuff?” – George Carlin
“The only mystery in life is why the kamikaze pilots wore helmets.” – Al McGuire
“If you push the stick forward, the houses get bigger. If you pull the stick back, they get smaller. That is, unless you keep pulling the stick all the way back, then they get bigger again.” – Unknown
“The propeller is just a big fan in front of the plane used to keep the pilot cool. When it stops, you can actually watch the pilot start sweating.” – Unknown
“What is the similarity between air traffic controllers and pilots? If a pilot screws up, the pilot dies; If ATC screws up, the pilot dies.” – Unknown
“Every takeoff is optional. Every landing is mandatory.” – Jodie Lazenby
“Flying isn’t dangerous. Crashing is what’s dangerous.” – Unknown
“Airspeed, altitude, and brains. Two are always needed to successfully complete the flight.” – Unknown
“A fool and his money are soon flying more aircraft than he can handle.” - Basic Flight Training Manual
“Remember, you fly an airplane with your head, not your hands and feet.” - Bevo Howard
“Learn from the mistakes of others. You won’t live long enough to make all of them yourself.” – Unknown
“There are old pilots and there are bold pilots. However, there are no old, bold pilots.” – Unknown
“Both optimists and pessimists contribute to our society. The optimist invents the airplane and the pessimist the parachute.” – Gil Stern
The Most Inspiring Quotes of All Time on Challenges and Perseverance
From the commercial pilot who's been flying for years and loves every minute, to the brave pilots that represent us in harder times - here's a list of quotes that proves that "great pilots are made not born." So, if you feel like you have a little way to go before being great, yourself, that's ok - the sky's the limit!
"Adventure is the essence of life." – Dick Rutan
"The desire to fly is an idea handed down to us by our ancestors who, in their grueling travels across trackless lands in prehistoric times, looked enviously on the birds soaring freely through space, at full speed, above all obstacles, on the infinite highway of the air." – Wilbur Wright
"Setting off unknown to face the unknown, against parental opposition, with no money, friends, or influence, ran it a close second. Clichés like ‘blazing trails,’ flying over ‘shark-infested seas,’ ‘battling with monsoons,’ and ‘forced landings amongst savage tribes’ became a familiar diet for breakfast. Unknown names became household words, whilst others, those of the failures, were forgotten utterly except by kith and kin." – Amy Johnson
"Every flyer who ventures across oceans to distant lands is a potential explorer; in his or her breast burns the same fire that urged adventurers of old to set forth in their sailing-ships for foreign lands." – Jean Batten
"Both optimists and pessimists contribute to our society. The optimist invents the airplane and the pessimist the parachute." – Gil Stern
"When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the aircraft takes off against the wind, not with it." – Henry Ford
"Lovers of air travel find it exhilarating to hang poised between the illusion of immortality and the fact of death." – Alexander Chase
"You start with a bag full of luck and an empty bag of experience. The trick is to fill the bag of experience before you empty the bag of luck." – Unknown
"Good judgment comes from experience. Unfortunately, the experience usually comes from bad judgment." – Dr. Kerr L. White
"There are old pilots and there are bold pilots. However, there are no old, bold pilots." – Hamilton Lee
Famous Aviation Quote Collection About the Impact on Society
How has flying impacted society? You might be surprised. Take a look at this list and remember - even if you're an airline pilot flying 2 hour flights domestically, or a fighter pilot pursuing Tom Cruise dreams every darn day, you have had an impact - and we're grateful for it!
"Aviation and space travel, in particular – have always been especially captivating." – Felix Baumgartner
"Aviation constituted a new and possibly decisive element in preventing or fighting a war, and I was in a unique position to observe European aviation, especially in its military aspects." – Charles Lindbergh
"Aviation has struck a delicately balanced world, a world where stability was already giving way to the pressure of new dynamic forces, a world dominated by a mechanical, materialist, Western European civilization." – Charles Lindbergh
"Aviation is going to control the world economically and militarily whether we like it or not. Airpower is not merely military aviation, it is also civilian aviation and airpower is peace power." – Roscoe Turner
"Aviation seems almost a gift from heaven to those Western nations who were already the leaders of their era, strengthening their leadership, their confidence, their dominance over other peoples." – Charles Lindbergh
"Aviation will give new nourishment to the religious spirit of mankind. It will add airspace to those other great heighteners of the cosmic mood: the wood, the sea, the desert." – Christian Morgenstern
"In aviation, they have auto-pilot and color radar and a lot of other instrumentation that is a backup for pilots. It’s really brought the incidents of plane crashes way down. The same thing ought to happen in the medical industry, I think." – Dennis Quaid
"Aviation was neither an industry nor a science. It was a miracle." – Igor Sikorsky
"Aviation is fine as a sport. But as an instrument of war, it is worthless." – Ferdinand Foch
"Aviation is for the common man. My goal is to enable everyone to fly. It shouldn’t be only for the rich." – Tony Fernandes
"Aviation is poetry. It’s the finest kind of moving around, you know, just as poetry is the finest way of using words." – Jessie Redmon Fauset
"Aviation is proof that given the will, we have the capacity to achieve the impossible." – Edward Vernon Richenbacher
"Aviation is the branch of engineering that is least forgiving of mistakes." – Freeman Dyson
"Aviation records don’t fall until someone is willing to mortgage the present for the future." – Amelia Earhart
"Aviation is the most extensive and rapid instrument of culture known to modern society." – Orville Wright
"Sports, entertainment, and aviation are three of the most exciting professions in the world; you are dealing with the same magnitude." – John Travolta
"What the history of aviation has brought in the 20th century should inspire us to be inventors and explorers ourselves in the new century." – Bertrand Piccard
"Flying is a lot like playing a musical instrument; you’re doing so many things and thinking of so many other things, all at the same time. It becomes a spiritual experience." – Dusty Mctavish
"Great pilots are made not born… A man may possess good eyesight, sensitive hands, and perfect coordination, but the end result is only fashioned by steady coaching, much practice, and experience." – Unknown
"The exhilaration of flying is too keen, the pleasure too great, for it to be neglected as a sport." – Orville Wright
The Thrill You Experience When You Fly an Airplane
You step out into the most glorious morning can possibly imagine...and you remember why the thrill of aviation has captured your spirit so. You're not alone. It's a fascinating industry, with an indelible impact on the hearts and souls of everyone and anyone who's felt the endless possibilities of a boundless blue sky.
"Any pilot can describe the mechanics of flying. What it can do for the spirit of man is beyond description." – Barry Goldwater
"Aviation is a dynamic profession. The rate of obsolescence of equipment is high, and new aircraft have to be placed in inventory periodically to stay abreast of the requirements of modern war." – Keith B. McCutcheon
"Aviation is proof that given the will, we have the capacity to achieve the impossible." – Edward Vernon Richenbacher
"Flight is the only truly new sensation that men have achieved in modern history." – James Dickey
"Fly and you will catch the swallow." – James Howell
"Flying is more than a sport and more than a job; flying is pure passion and desire, which fill a lifetime." – Adolf Galland
"Flying might not be all smooth sailing, but the fun of it is worth the price." – Amelia Earhart
"Flying prevails whenever a man and his airplane are put to a test of maximum performance." – Richard Bach
"Flying was a very tangible freedom. In those days, it was beauty, adventure, discovery, the epitome of breaking into new worlds." – Anne Morrow Lindbergh
"I fly because it releases my mind from the tyranny of petty things." – Antoine de Saint-Exupery
"I don’t think I possess any skill that anyone else doesn’t have. I’ve just had perhaps more of an opportunity, more of an exposure, and been fortunate to survive a lot of situations that many others weren’t so lucky to make it. It’s not how close can you get to the ground, but how precise can you fly the airplane." – Bob Hoover
"Lovers of air travel find it exhilarating to hang poised between the illusion of immortality and the fact of death." – Alexander Chase
"Mistakes are inevitable in aviation, especially when one is still learning new things. The trick is to not make the mistake that will kill you." – Stephen Coonts
"More than anything else, the sensation of flying is one of perfect peace mingled with an excitement that strains every nerve to the utmost. If you can conceive of such a combination." – Wilbur Wright
"Never quit. Never give up. Fly it to the end." – Chuck Aaron
"The highest art form of all is a human being in control of himself and his airplane in flight, urging the spirit of a machine to match his own." – Richard Bach
"Sometimes you have to go up really high to see how small you are." – Felix Baumgartner
Aviation Pioneers and History
Hats off - big salute - to these men and women. Without the risks they took, the strides they made, and the perseverance they showed, we wouldn't be where we are now. Their words matter.
"Aeronautics was neither an industry nor a science. It was a miracle." – Igor Sikorsky
"Aviation constituted a new and possibly decisive element in preventing or fighting a war, and I was in a unique position to observe European aviation, especially in its military aspects." – Charles Lindbergh
"Aviation seems almost a gift from heaven to those Western nations who were already the leaders of their era, strengthening their leadership, their confidence, their dominance over other peoples." – Charles Lindbergh
"Aviation has struck a delicately balanced world, a world where stability was already giving way to the pressure of new dynamic forces, a world dominated by a mechanical, materialist, Western European civilization." – Charles Lindbergh
"Aviation and space travel, in particular, have always been especially captivating." – Felix Baumgartner
"Aviation is going to control the world economically and militarily whether we like it or not. Airpower is not merely military aviation, it is also civilian aviation, and airpower is peace power." – Roscoe Turner
"To most people, the sky is the limit. To those who love aviation, the sky is home." – Jerry Crawford
"What is the similarity between air traffic controllers and pilots? If a pilot screws up, the pilot dies; If ATC screws up, the pilot dies."
""The desire to fly is an idea handed down to us by our ancestors who, in their grueling travels across trackless lands in prehistoric times, looked enviously on the birds soaring freely through space, at full speed, above all obstacles, on the infinite highway of the air." – Wilbur Wright
"Aviation will give new nourishment to the religious spirit of mankind. It will add airspace to those other great heighteners of the cosmic mood: the wood, the sea, the desert." – Christian Morgenstern
"The fundamental magic of flying, a miracle that has nothing to do with any of its practical purposes of speed, accessibility, and convenience, and will not change as they change." – Anne Morrow Lindbergh
"In flying, you need at least two of these three to stay alive: altitude, speed, or brains." – Unknown
"Fighter pilots have ice in their veins. They don’t have emotions. They think, anticipate. They know that fear and other concerns cloud your mind from what’s going on and what you should be involved in." – Buzz Aldrin
"Learning to fly an airplane taught me a way of thinking, an approach to problem-solving that was applicable and effective. Pilots are very methodical and meticulous, and artists tend not to be." – Chris Carter
"Pilots are a rare kind of human. They leave the ordinary surface of the word, to purify their soul in the sky, and they come down to earth, only after receiving the communion of the infinite." – Jose Maria Velasco Ibarra
"The exhilaration of flying is too keen, the pleasure too great, for it to be neglected as a sport." – Orville Wright
Conclusion
There you have it - a massive list of the best aviation quotes, all the way back to your boy Socrates, to more recent personalities. Which quotes were your favorites? Bookmark this page - every time you ask yourself why you do it, or any time you need to laugh at how ludicrous these days get sometimes, or if you need a jolt of motivation, these quotes still offer plenty of juice. Happy flying!
