"Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked…

“Eagles may soar, but weasels don’t get sucked into jet engines” is a humorous quotation used in government and business. The saying means that there are dangers in climbing up the corporate/government ladder, so most people remain “weasels” (an insulting term).

The saying “Eagles may soar, but a weasel will never get sucked into a jet engine” has been cited in print since at least February 1990; early 1990s citations do not contain any attribution. Some websites credit the saying to Jason Hutchison or John Benfield, but without any documented citations.

The Quote Garden: Humorous Quotations
Eagles may soar in the clouds, but weasels never get sucked into jet engines. ~Attributed to both Jason Hutchison and John Benfield

Google Groups: alt.cult-movies
Newsgroups: alt.cult-movies
From: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Date: 5 Feb 90 19:22:05 GMT
Local: Mon, Feb 5 1990 2:22 pm
Subject: Re: Rocky Horror!!!

“Eagles may soar, but a weasel will never get sucked into a jet engine.”

Google Groups: rec.games.frp
Newsgroups: rec.games.frp
From: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Date: 7 Feb 90 17:02:32 GMT
Local: Wed, Feb 7 1990 12:02 pm
Subject: Re: WuJen/Mage

“Eagles may soar…
but a weasel will
never get sucked into
a jet engine!”

Google Groups: alt.fan.monty-python
Newsgroups: alt.fan.monty-python
From: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) (Royal J Carroll)
Date: 18 May 90 16:39:46 GMT
Local: Fri, May 18 1990 11:39 am
Subject: Re: Isn’t it awfully nice . . .

Eagles may soar, but a weasel never gets sucked into a jet engine.

Google Groups: sci.electronics
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
From: ssave@srvr1 (Shailendra Anant Save)
Date: 13 Nov 90 04:19:59 GMT
Local: Mon, Nov 12 1990 11:19 pm
Subject: Re: Static RAM <10ns ?

Eagles may soar, but weasels don’t get sucked into jet engines.
(For those who don’t know, a weasel is a wolverine)

Google Books: rec.games.board
Newsgroups: rec.games.board, rec.games.board.ce
From: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) (Joel Hopper)
Date: 15 Oct 91 18:21:04 GMT
Local: Tues, Oct 15 1991 1:21 pm
Subject: Followup??? Re: Please Restrict Follow-ups?

“Eagles may soar, but weasels don’t get sucked into jet engines.”
- Anonymous

Google News Archive
3 November 1998, Victoria (TX) Advocate, ‘Curiousity Shop” by L. M. Boyd, pg. 5B, col. 1:
It has been said, by whom I do not recall, that “eagles may soar, but weasels don’t get sucked into jet engines.”

Yahoo! Answers
Eagles may soar, but weasels don’t get sucked into jet engines. What does this mean?
Does anybody know what this saying means?? thanks!
October 21, 2008
Best Answer - Chosen by Asker
it is better to keep a low profile than to seek the limelight you become to much of a target and have futher to fall