GREAT AVIATION QUOTES
SEX

The pilots life is founded on three things: sex, seniority, and salary, in that order.

Attributed to Dr. Ludwig Ledere

Corporate physician, American Airlines. The line is sourced to him in Hard Landing: The Epic Contest for Power and Profits That Plunged the Airlines into Chaos, 1995. However, the phrase was also used in a 1950 article in ALPA’s magazine The Air Line Pilot. So I'm calling this as attributed to until I see something convincing.

Landing on the ship during the daytime is like sex, it’s either good or it’s great. Landing on the ship at night is like a trip to the dentist, you may get away with no pain, but you just don’t feel comfortable.

Attributed to LCDR Thomas Quinn, USN

This is all about fun. 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. It may not be better than sex, but it's definitely better than the second time. Adrenaline is a narcotic; it may be a naturally induced narcotic, but it is a narcotic. And once you get it movin' around in there, it's a rush like none other.

Attributed to Alan Preston

Air race pilot.

Remember when sex was safe and flying was dangerous?

Cliché

Regarding aerobatics: It’s like having sex and being in a car wreck at the same time.

Cliché

Renting airplanes is like renting sex: It's difficult to arrange on short notice on a Saturday, the fun things always cost more, and someone’s always looking at their watch.

Cliché