--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Pushing Tin,' I went to air traffic…" description: "\"Pushing Tin,' I went to air traffic control school in Toronto for that. Passed with flying colors, by the way. If I ever become an air traffic controll..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d17/billy-bob-thornton-2003_air-traffic-control_pushing-tin-i-went-to-air-traffic-contro_2435052.jpg" --- # Pushing Tin,' I went to air traffic control school in… ![“Pushing Tin,' I went to air traffic control school in Toronto for that. Passed with flying colors, by the way. If I ever become an air traffic controller and I'm the guy in charge of your plane, you're in good hands.” quote by Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d17/billy-bob-thornton-2003_air-traffic-control_pushing-tin-i-went-to-air-traffic-contro_2435052.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d17/billy-bob-thornton-2003_air-traffic-control_pushing-tin-i-went-to-air-traffic-contro_2435052.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d17/billy-bob-thornton-2003_air-traffic-control_pushing-tin-i-went-to-air-traffic-contro_2435052.jpg) > “Pushing Tin,' I went to air traffic control school in Toronto for that. Passed with flying colors, by the way. If I ever become an air traffic controller and I'm the guy in charge of your plane, you're in good hands.” [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker boasts about his air traffic control training, implying he would be a reliable guardian for someone's safety. **In simple terms:** Confidence in his ability to protect and manage complex tasks. Key Takeaway Trust expertise in high‑stakes situations. Themes confidence skill protection Mood assertive playful Type dramatic humorous When to use this quote - career brag - personal promise - safety assurance Key Concepts air traffic control responsibility Questions to Reflect On - How do you assess someone's competence? - When is confidence reassuring vs. reckless? A Different Perspective Overconfidence can mask limitations. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Air traffic control](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/air-traffic-control/) [Air traffic controller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/air-traffic-controller/) [Colors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/colors/) [Control](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/control/) [Plane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plane/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Traffic control](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/traffic-control/) ## Related quotes > [Another air traffic controller fell asleep on the job, but he had a good excuse. He was watching President Obama’s deficit speech.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/another-air-traffic-controller-fell-asleep-on-the-job-but-he-had-a/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [I don't know: Why aren't people fascinated by air traffic controllers?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-fuller/i-don-t-know-why-aren-t-people-fascinated-by-air-traffic-controllers/) [Kurt Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-fuller/) > [I fly an aeroplane, and I think a lot about how much I do not want ever to run into an optimistic air traffic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-pollack/i-fly-an-aeroplane-and-i-think-a-lot-about-how-much-i-do-not-want/) [Sydney Pollack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-pollack/) > [“The thing you have to understand about that crash,” Ratwatte said, “is that New York air traffic controllers are famous for being rude, aggressive,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/the-thing-you-have-to-understand-about-that-crash-ratwatte-said-is/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [Against Bermane Stiverne, they said he was going to be the toughest test, but I passed that with flying colours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deontay-wilder/against-bermane-stiverne-they-said-he-was-going-to-be-the-toughest/) [Deontay Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deontay-wilder/) > [“My neighbour from the plane was a good foot shorter than me”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-cusk/my-neighbour-from-the-plane-was-a-good-foot-shorter-than-me/) [Rachel Cusk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-cusk/) > [Eating a lot on the plane is not good for jet lag.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nobu-matsuhisa/eating-a-lot-on-the-plane-is-not-good-for-jet-lag/) [Nobu Matsuhisa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nobu-matsuhisa/) > [“Air traffic control is going to have a steamy old fit on your dime, boy. They can get in line behind the police, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-tayler/air-traffic-control-is-going-to-have-a-steamy-old-fit-on-your-dime/) [Howard Tayler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-tayler/) > [Usually, there is no equivalent of air traffic control at sea. Some busy areas operate 'traffic separation schemes,' but mostly, ships are treated like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-george/usually-there-is-no-equivalent-of-air-traffic-control-at-sea-some/) [Rose George](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-george/) > [Any mother could perform the jobs of several air-traffic controllers with ease.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-alther/any-mother-could-perform-the-jobs-of-several-air-traffic-controllers/) [Lisa Alther](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-alther/) > [The safety of the flying public should not be for sale. Handing air traffic control over to a private entity partly governed by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-nelson/the-safety-of-the-flying-public-should-not-be-for-sale-handing-air/) [Bill Nelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-nelson/) > [“In early March 2015 the Government Accountability Office issued a report warning that the air traffic control system is vulnerable to cyberattack.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-koppel/in-early-march-2015-the-government-accountability-office-issued-a/) [Ted Koppel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-koppel/) > [The reality is that we do not have an air traffic control system that is smart enough and technologically capable enough to be able…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-may/the-reality-is-that-we-do-not-have-an-air-traffic-control-system-that/) [James May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-may/) > [I think the hardest thing that, historically, the industry may have relied upon is that we can't control weather, we can't control air traffic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-munoz/i-think-the-hardest-thing-that-historically-the-industry-may-have/) [Oscar Munoz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-munoz/) > [A shortage of airports runways and gates along outmoded air traffic control systems have made U.S. air travel the most congested in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-lahood/a-shortage-of-airports-runways-and-gates-along-outmoded-air-traffic/) [Ray LaHood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-lahood/) ## More by Billy Bob Thornton > [Robert Duvall taught me years ago. He said, "You know theatre is not real. I don't like plays." You know, he doesn't like plays.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/robert-duvall-taught-me-years-ago-he-said-you-know-theatre-is-not/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [I think I fully commit myself to any role to the extent to which I can. In other words there's some roles that maybe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/i-think-i-fully-commit-myself-to-any-role-to-the-extent-to-which-i/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [Just the other day, my assistant was on the line with Calvin Klein. Golly, I usually shop at Sears.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/just-the-other-day-my-assistant-was-on-the-line-with-calvin-klein/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [I don't have a fear of flying; I have a fear of crashing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/i-don-t-have-a-fear-of-flying-i-have-a-fear-of-crashing/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [Heavy role in the movies that I've done that I have loved and fit my soul; A Simple Plan, Monster's Ball, Sling Blade, One…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/heavy-role-in-the-movies-that-i-ve-done-that-i-have-loved-and-fit-my/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [When I was coming up in the '80s television, if you were on television that meant either you were a young actor just coming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/when-i-was-coming-up-in-the-80s-television-if-you-were-on-television/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [The movies I've made about the South, they were my experience and it's something that I know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/the-movies-i-ve-made-about-the-south-they-were-my-experience-and-it-s/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [Man, I was drowning in sadness. And Angelina, she lifted me right up out of there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/man-i-was-drowning-in-sadness-and-angelina-she-lifted-me-right-up-out/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [I've been largely an improvisational actor for most of my career, except for when I've worked with the Coen brothers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/i-ve-been-largely-an-improvisational-actor-for-most-of-my-career/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [I always have an idea before we even start the movie because if you hire the wrong person, within a couple of days you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/i-always-have-an-idea-before-we-even-start-the-movie-because-if-you/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [People want the truth but they only want the truth so they can talk bad about you on the blog or on television. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/people-want-the-truth-but-they-only-want-the-truth-so-they-can-talk/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [Usually when you're playing a character, you think a lot about their backstory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/usually-when-you-re-playing-a-character-you-think-a-lot-about-their/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [I've lived in California for half of my life. It's weird, everyone thinks of me as this guy who's from the South ... I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/i-ve-lived-in-california-for-half-of-my-life-it-s-weird-everyone/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [You have to really know what you're saying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/you-have-to-really-know-what-you-re-saying/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [People a lot of times say that you know it must be hard to direct yourself. That's a myth. It's easier to direct yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/people-a-lot-of-times-say-that-you-know-it-must-be-hard-to-direct/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) [Explore all 192 Billy Bob Thornton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) ## More Air traffic control quotes > [There is also the fact that NORAD-Northeast was conducting war game exercises that morning, a fact that has been very little talked about and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-marrs/there-is-also-the-fact-that-norad-northeast-was-conducting-war-game/) [Jim Marrs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-marrs/) > [Growing up in Hawaii, my natural instinct was to think that I was going to become a professional surfer or skater. Moving to Los…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-mock/growing-up-in-hawaii-my-natural-instinct-was-to-think-that-i-was/) [Evan Mock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evan-mock/) > [“Ask Tabby to hack into air traffic control and see which flight has those coordinates.” I point at the screen. “Find out where it’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-t-geissinger/ask-tabby-to-hack-into-air-traffic-control-and-see-which-flight-has/) [J.T. Geissinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-t-geissinger/) > [Our enemies are also seeking the abilities to sabotage our power grid, our financial institutions, our air traffic control systems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/our-enemies-are-also-seeking-the-abilities-to-sabotage-our-power-grid/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I think the hardest thing that, historically, the industry may have relied upon is that we can't control weather, we can't control air traffic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-munoz/i-think-the-hardest-thing-that-historically-the-industry-may-have/) [Oscar Munoz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-munoz/) > [ I'm confident because of the - what we \[USA government\] call the strategic agreement we're now working on with them, we will be deeply… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-biden/i-m-confident-because-of-the-what-we-usa-government-call-the/) [Joe Biden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-biden/) > [“AUGUST 5, 1981. That’s the date it became official. It’s rare that we can point to an exact date when a business theory or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-sinek/august-5-1981-that-s-the-date-it-became-official-it-s-rare-that-we/) [Simon Sinek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-sinek/) > [I fly an aeroplane, and I think a lot about how much I do not want ever to run into an optimistic air traffic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-pollack/i-fly-an-aeroplane-and-i-think-a-lot-about-how-much-i-do-not-want/) [Sydney Pollack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-pollack/) > [“The thing you have to understand about that crash,” Ratwatte said, “is that New York air traffic controllers are famous for being rude, aggressive,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-gladwell/the-thing-you-have-to-understand-about-that-crash-ratwatte-said-is/) [Malcolm Gladwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-gladwell/) > [From bank accounts to financial systems, power grids to air traffic controls - our most critical infrastructure remain attractive cyber targets, and if they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-quigley/from-bank-accounts-to-financial-systems-power-grids-to-air-traffic/) [Mike Quigley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-quigley/) > [There are many things in life over which you have no choice. But the greatest activity of life is well within your dominion. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/there-are-many-things-in-life-over-which-you-have-no-choice-but-the/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) > [The reality is that we do not have an air traffic control system that is smart enough and technologically capable enough to be able…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-may/the-reality-is-that-we-do-not-have-an-air-traffic-control-system-that/) [James May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-may/) > [“In early March 2015 the Government Accountability Office issued a report warning that the air traffic control system is vulnerable to cyberattack.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-koppel/in-early-march-2015-the-government-accountability-office-issued-a/) [Ted Koppel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-koppel/) > [Advances in technology - hugely beneficial though they are - render us vulnerable in new ways. For instance, our interconnected world depends on elaborate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-rees/advances-in-technology-hugely-beneficial-though-they-are-render-us/) [Martin Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-rees/) > [“Don't you think...doesn't it seem sometimes like life is like a plane?...And we're all piloos, you know, of our own planes. When things are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gayle-friesen/don-t-you-think-doesn-t-it-seem-sometimes-like-life-is-like-a-plane/) [Gayle Friesen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gayle-friesen/) [Browse all 35 Air traffic control quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/air-traffic-control/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Pushing Tin,' I went to air traffic control school in Toronto for that. Passed with flying colors, by the way. 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