Any landing you can walk away from….
Or Aviation Aphorisms & their validity… Sorry for the title; just trying to draw people in!
There are many aviation aphorisms floating around and I thought it would be interesting to collect them and see if they have any validity as an aviation heuristic. So here are a few off the top of my head:
“Runway behind you, altitude above you, fuel in the bowser.” Things that you always need an abundance of. Reasonable short way of keeping those things in mind.
”KISS” Keep It Simple Stupid. A way of telling pilots to simplify things when things get complex - focus on the essentials.
”There are old pilots and there are bold pilots. But there are no old & bold pilots.” Emphasising risk averse attitude. A reminder to keep ego in check.
”A superior pilot uses his superior judgment to avoid situations requiring demonstrations of his superior skill.” A witty way of reminding pilots to remain risk averse. Always a useful thing to keep in mind.
“Takeoffs are optional. Landings are mandatory." This emphasises the importance of a safe landing in aviation. About as useful as third nipple.
"The only time you have too much fuel is when you're on fire." Emphasizing the importance of having sufficient fuel reserves for safety. Fuel is good.
"Aviate, Navigate, Communicate." A reminder of the priorities in emergency situations for pilots: first, fly the aircraft, then navigate, and finally communicate with air traffic control. Not sure if it’s an aphorism or an aide memoire?
"A good landing is one you can walk away from. A great landing is one you can use the airplane again for." Underlining the significance of a safe and well-executed landing. Not very helpful.
I would be very much interested in other languages than English for aviation aphorisms too.
Thanks!