Aeroplanes Quote by Ross Macpherson Smith
“The aeroplane is the nearest thing to animate life that man has created. In the air a machine ceases indeed to be a mere piece of mechanism; it becomes animate and is capable not only of primary guidance and control, but actually of expressing a pilot's temperament.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Aviation Conference, Sydney, 1915
He describes airplanes as the closest thing to living beings, reflecting a pilot’s temperament and animating the machine.
In simple terms: Airplanes feel alive, reflecting the pilot’s temperament.
Key Takeaway
Respect the human element in technology.
Themes
technology
human‑machine interaction
flight
Mood
inspirational
technical
Type
aerospace
philosophical
When to use this quote
- pilot training
- aircraft design
- aviation education
Key Concepts
aeronautics
psychology
Questions to Reflect On
- How does a pilot’s mood affect flight?
- Can machines ever be truly animate?
A Different Perspective
May romanticize machines, ignoring technical limits.
![“It is apparent to me that the possibilities of the aeroplane, which two or three years ago were thought to hold the solution to the [flying machine] problem, have been exhausted, and that we must turn elsewhere.” quote by Thomas A. Edison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/2d5/thomas-a-edison-866_aeroplanes_it-is-apparent-to-me-that-the-possibilit_1009237.jpg)
