GREAT AVIATION QUOTES
This is the best of the best part of my aviation quote collection, the elite, the tip of the spear. Here are all the flying quotations from the 1986 movie Top Gun. For real fighter pilot quotes, see the Combat Section.
Top Gun as a movie was conceived in a dentist office, where Hollywood producers Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer picked up the May 1983 copy of California magazine. Inside was a long-form article 'Top Guns: At Mach 2 and 40,000 feet over California, it’s always High Noon', by Ehud Yoney, with stunning photos by Navy Topgun pilot Charles J. 'Heater' Heatley. The article featured real F-14 Tomcat aviators Alex 'Yogi' Hnarakis and Dave 'Possum' Cully at the soon-to-be-famous Fighter Weapons School. It has loads of great lines, like this:
Moving up to the F-14 Tomcat meant crossing the magic line that separates the men from the boys, like first-time sex, glorious and terrifying.
And Heater’s photos showed them how cinamatic F-14s could be:
Simpson and Bruckheimer went to Paramount with the article and and a four word movie pitch: “Star Wars on Earth”. It got them a deal.
Scriptwriters Jim Cash and Jack Epps, Jr., were hired to make a screenplay. The first draft apparently wasn’t great, so a second draft was made, with input from retired Rear Admiral Peter 'Viper' Pettigrew (credited as Technical Advisor), which was good enough to convince Paramount to start casting. During this time, scriptwriter Chip Proser was bought in to strenghen the story and dialogue, with input from several Navy people including Robert 'Rat' Willard, at the time the Executive Officer of Topgun (credited as Navy Aerial Coordinator). Another round of changes was made right before filming by writer Warren Skaaren (who is credited as Associate Producer). The movie credits Cash and Epps with “Written by”, Yonay with “Suggested by” for his article, and Jim 'Flex' Destafney as “Navy Dialogue Consultant”.
Almost all the lines have become quoteable by pilots. One of the quotes even made the American Film Institute’s list of the top 100 quotations in American cinema.
I could tell you more, but then I’d have to kill you. And right now, I feel the need, the need for quotes …
Maverick: I can't shoot this son of a bitch, let’s see if we can have a little fun with him.
Goose: Is this your idea of fun, Mav?
Maverick: Greetings!
Goose: Watch the birdie.
Maverick: Jeez, I crack myself up.
Goose: This is a great shot, Mav. I should be a photographer.
Maverick: Couger, your tail is clear, MiG 1’s bugged out.
Maverick and Goose
Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell, played by Tom Cruise, and Nick 'Goose' Bradshaw, played by Anthony Edwards, in the 1986 movie Top Gun. Written by Jim Cash and Jack Epps Jr.
Cougar, we're running low on gas, we gotta get out of here.
Cougar.
We're on vapor, Cougar.
Let's do it.
Cougar. Come on, Cougar.
Let's take it back to the ship, man.
Cougar, we gotta land this thing. We are way low on gas.
Merlin
Sam 'Merlin' Wells, played by Tim Robbins in the 1986 movie Top Gun. Written by Jim Cash and Jack Epps Jr.
LSO: Maverick, you're at three-quarters of a mile, call the ball.
Maverick: Roger. Maverick has the ball.
Maverick
Uncredited Landing Signal Officer voice and Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell, played by Tom Cruise, in the 1986 movie Top Gun. Written by Jim Cash and Jack Epps Jr.
The ball is the Optical Landing System invented by Commander Nicholas 'Nick' Goodhart of the Royal Navy in 1951. It automatically compensates for the ships movement, presenting the pilot with stable glidepath indications to the landing deck. The August 2019 article Call the Ball: The Optical Mirror Landing System by Thomas Wildenberg in Naval History, U.S. Naval Institute, gives background on the phrase:
“The British called the mirror’s reflection the ‘blob of light,’ but someone in VX-3 dubbed it the ‘meatball,’ World War II slang for the Japanese hinomaru emblem, which the light resembled. Later, this was shorted to the ‘ball.’ When an aircraft is on approach in the groove, the LSO will ask the pilot in the approaching aircraft to ‘Call the ball,’ meaning “Tell me when you can see the light.’”
Maverick: Any of you boys seen an aircraft carrier around here?
Merlin: Mav, we got a little problem up here. That MiG really screwed him up. I don't think he can make it back.
Maverick: You're okay, Cougar. Just stay on my wing, I'll take you all the way in.
Just stay with me.
Easy, Cougar.
Just a walk in the park, buddy.
Maverick and Merlin
Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell, played by Tom Cruise, and Sam 'Merlin' Wells, played by Tim Robbins, in the 1986 movie Top Gun. Written by Jim Cash and Jack Epps Jr. This foreshadows the end of the movie, where Maverick becomes an instructor, and immediately made his character more likable.
I’m holding on too tight. I’ve lost the edge.
Cougar
Bill 'Cougar' Cortell, played by John Stockwell, in the 1986 movie Top Gun. Written by Jim Cash and Jack Epps Jr.
Maverick, you just did an incredibly brave thing. What you should have done was land your plane. You don't own that plane, the taxpayers do.
Son, your ego is writing checks your body can't cash.
You've been busted. You lost your qualifications as section leader three times. Put in hack twice, by me. With a history of high-speed passes over five air-control towers and one admiral's daughter.
Stinger
Commander Tom 'Stinger' Jardian, played by James Tolkan, in the 1986 movie Top Gun. Written by Jim Cash and Jack Epps Jr. The admiral’s daughter was Penny Benjamin.
Just wanna serve my country, be the best fighter pilot in the Navy, sir!
Maverick
Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell, played by Tom Cruise, in the 1986 movie Top Gun. Written by Jim Cash and Jack Epps Jr. Stinger replies, “Don’t screw around with me, Maverick.”
You screw up just this much, you'll be flying a cargo plane full of rubber dog shit out of Hong Kong.
Stinger
Commander Tom 'Stinger' Jardian, played by James Tolkan, in the 1986 movie Top Gun. Written by Jim Cash and Jack Epps Jr.
Gentlemen. You are the top one percent of all naval aviators. The elite.
The best of the best.
We'll make you better.
Viper
Commander Mike 'Viper ' Metcalf, played by Tom Skerritt, in the 1986 movie Top Gun. Written by Jim Cash and Jack Epps Jr.
I can hold my own.
Maverick
Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell, played by Tom Cruise, in the 1986 movie Top Gun. Written by Jim Cash and Jack Epps Jr. Answer to the “personal question” by Charlie, “are you a good pilot?” 
Maverick: Yes, ma'am, the data on the MiG is inaccurate.
Charlie: How's that, lieutenant?
Maverick: Well, I just happened to see a MiG-28 do ...
Goose: We, we.
Maverick: Sorry Goose. We happened to see a MiG-28 do a four-G negative dive.
Charlie: Where did you see this?
Maverick: That's classified.
Charlie: It's what?
Maverick: It's classified. I could tell you, but then I'd have to kill you.
Maverick, Goose, and Charlie
Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell, played by Tom Cruise, Nick 'Goose' Bradshaw, played by Anthony Edwards, and Charlotte 'Charlie' Blackwood, played by Kelly McGillis, in the 1986 movie Top Gun. Written by Jim Cash and Jack Epps Jr.
Charlie: Well, if you were directly above him, how could you see him?
Maverick: Because I was inverted.
Charlie and Maverick
Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell, played by Tom Cruise, and Charlotte 'Charlie' Blackwood, played by Kelly McGillis, in the 1986 movie Top Gun. Written by Jim Cash and Jack Epps Jr.
Jester: The clock is ticking, and as of now, we are keeping score …
Maverick: All right, talk to me, Goose.
Jester and Maverick
Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell, played by Tom Cruise, and Lieutenant Commander Rick 'Jester' Heatherly, played by Michael Ironside, in the 1986 movie Top Gun. Written by Jim Cash and Jack Epps Jr. 
Come on, Mav. Do some of that pilot shit.
Goose
Nick 'Goose' Bradshaw, played by Anthony Edwards, in the 1986 movie Top Gun. Written by Jim Cash and Jack Epps Jr.
Goose, I've had about enough of this shit. I'm gonna hit the brakes, he'll fly right by.
Maverick
Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell, played by Tom Cruise, in the 1986 movie Top Gun. Written by Jim Cash and Jack Epps Jr.
Get your butts above the hard deck and return to base immediately.
Jester
Lieutenant Commander Rick 'Jester' Heatherly, played by Michael Ironside, in the 1986 movie Top Gun. Written by Jim Cash and Jack Epps Jr.
Maverick: Tower, this is Ghost Rider requesting a flyby.
Air Boss Johnson: Negative, Ghost Rider, the pattern is full.
Maverick and Air Boss Johnson
Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell, played by Tom Cruise, and Air Boss Johnson, played by Duke Stroud, in the 1986 movie Top Gun. Written by Jim Cash and Jack Epps Jr. The actul flyby of the Miramar tower was flown by Lieutenant Commander Lloyd 'Bozo' Abel and his RIO, Mark 'Slick' Schlichter.
Maverick: What's your problem, Kazansky?
Iceman: You're everyone's problem. That's because every time you go up in the air, you're unsafe. I don't like you because you're dangerous.
Maverick: That's right. Iceman. I am dangerous.
Maverick and Iceman
Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell, played by Tom Cruise, and Tom 'Iceman' Kazansky, played by Val Kilmer, in the 1986 movie Top Gun. Written by Jim Cash and Jack Epps Jr.
Well, that'll just about cover the flybys.
Viper
Commander Mike 'Viper ' Metcalf, played by Tom Skerritt, in the 1986 movie Top Gun. Written by Jim Cash and Jack Epps Jr.
I had the shot, there was no danger, so I took it.
Maverick
Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell, played by Tom Cruise, in the 1986 movie Top Gun. Written by Jim Cash and Jack Epps Jr. Viper, played by Tom Skerritt, replies:
“You took it. And broke a major rule of engagement. Then you broke another one with that circus-stunt flyby. [sigh] Lieutenant Mitchell. Topgun rules of engagement exist for your safety and for that of your team. They are not flexible, nor am I. Either obey them or you're history.”
Maybe I could learn how to be a truck driver. Mav, you have the number of that truck-driving school we saw on TV? Truck Master, I think it is. I might need that.
Goose
Nick 'Goose' Bradshaw, played by Anthony Edwards, in the 1986 movie Top Gun. Written by Jim Cash and Jack Epps Jr.
Jester: He's a wild card. Flies by the seat of his pants. Completely unpredictable.
Viper: He got you, didn't he?
Jester: Yeah.
Viper: Maverick. I flew with his old man. Tell me one thing. If you had to go into battle, would you want him with you?
Jester: I don't know. I just don't know.
Jester and Viper
Lieutenant Commander Rick 'Jester' Heatherly, played by Michael Ironside, and Commander Mike 'Viper ' Metcalf, played by Tom Skerritt, in the 1986 movie Top Gun. Written by Jim Cash and Jack Epps Jr.
Charlie: The MiG has you in his gunsight. What were you thinking at this point?
Maverick: You don't have time to think up there. If you think, you're dead.
Charlie and Maverick
Charlotte 'Charlie' Blackwood, played by Kelly McGillis, and Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell, played by Tom Cruise, in the 1986 movie Top Gun. Written by Jim Cash and Jack Epps Jr.
Gutsiest move I ever saw, man.
Hollywood
Rick 'Hollywood, Neven, played by Whip Hubley, in the 1986 movie Top Gun. Written by Jim Cash and Jack Epps Jr.
When I fly, I'll have you know that my crew and my plane come first.
Maverick
Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell, played by Tom Cruise, in the 1986 movie Top Gun. Written by Jim Cash and Jack Epps Jr.
Maverick: I feel the need.
Maverick and Goose together: The need for speed.
Maverick and Goose
Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell, played by Tom Cruise, and Nick 'Goose' Bradshaw, played by Anthony Edwards, in the 1986 movie Top Gun. Written by Jim Cash and Jack Epps Jr.
This line was number 94 in the American Film Institute’s list of the top 100 quotations in American cinema. High five!
Holy shit, we're head-to-head. I can't believe we're doing this.
Goose
Nick 'Goose' Bradshaw, played by Anthony Edwards, in the 1986 movie Top Gun. Written by Jim Cash and Jack Epps Jr.
He’s too close for missiles, Goose, I’m switching to guns.
Maverick
Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell, played by Tom Cruise, in the 1986 movie Top Gun. Written by Jim Cash and Jack Epps Jr.
The Defense Department regrets to inform you that your sons are dead because they were stupid.
Great balls of fire.
Goose
Nick 'Goose' Bradshaw, played by Anthony Edwards, in the 1986 movie Top Gun. Written by Jim Cash and Jack Epps Jr.
That was some of the best flying I've seen yet, right up to the part where you got killed. You never, never leave your wingman.
Jester
Lieutenant Commander Rick 'Jester' Heatherly, played by Michael Ironside, in the 1986 movie Top Gun. Written by Jim Cash and Jack Epps Jr.
You're not gonna be happy unless you're going Mach 2 with your hair on fire.
Charlie
Charlotte 'Charlie' Blackwood, played by Kelly McGillis, in the 1986 movie Top Gun. Written by Jim Cash and Jack Epps Jr.
What I’m about to tell you is classified. It could end my career.
Viper
Commander Mike 'Viper ' Metcalf, played by Tom Skerritt, in the 1986 movie Top Gun. Written by Jim Cash and Jack Epps Jr.
Iceman: You are still dangerous. You can be my wingman anytime.
Maverick: Bullshit. You can be mine.
Iceman and Maverick
Tom 'Iceman' Kazansky, played by Val Kilmer, and Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell, played by Tom Cruise in the 1986 movie Top Gun. Written by Jim Cash and Jack Epps Jr.
Didn’t find what you were looking for? There are many more fighter pilot quotes on the Combat page, and movie lines on the Airplane! page. Or try a search of the whole collection: