One of the difficult parts of interpreting Alto's character is that he doesn't get in touch with his emotions until late in the series. As such, when he's suddenly forced to confront his feelings regarding his father or his friends, he's thrown off balance.
The central problem that Alto faces has nothing to do with romance; it has to do with the question of his identity. His insecurity as a pilot comes from the fact that he has to prove to himself and others that he has a genuine reason to pilot (rather than simply as a means of rebelling against his father).
Alto's failed stunt during episode one becomes a symbol of that insecurity: through his need to prove himself, and his inability to do so. In contrast, his rescue of Ranka symbolizes the opposite, by proving that he is needed as a pilot.
This sets the stage for Alto's relationships with the girls. Through his interactions with Sheryl, Alto is forced to confront his insecurities; an example of this can be found in Sheryl's decision to enroll in flight school in episode nine (since he didn't have any more of a "reason" to join than she did).
This influence is seen throughout the early stages of their interactions. While he admires Sheryl's ability to define herself on her own terms, he's also unable to overcome his own insecurities to reach that state, leading to tension between the two of them.
With Ranka, Alto finds validation of his role as a "pilot", by acting as her protector. It's interesting to note that the manner in which Alto watches over Ranka from a distance in episodes one and five (the Folmo reference fits in here) is not unlike Brera late in the series, after ursurping Alto's function as Ranka's protector. This is apparent in Alto's choice of words in episode four, as well; by referring to his "obligation" to go to the Miss Macross concert, he shows that he takes his role as Ranka's protector very seriously.
Episode ten brings about an interesting development. In that episode, we have Alto playing the role of a pilot, and Ranka playing the role of a singer. These roles, as well as the underlying romance between them, serve to construct Alto and Ranka's identities as "pilot" and "singer".
This is important because it marks the point at which Alto and Ranka's professional and personal desires become blurred. At this point, Ranka starts to associates her ambitions for success as a means to win Alto's affections. Meanwhile, Alto associates his relationship with Ranka as a means of validating his position as pilot. This creates a certain amount of romantic tension between the two, as they both enter a relationship that both of them, for different reasons, are not truly committed to.
Alto's rivalry with Brera is likewise centred on his role as Ranka's protector, rather than his relationship with her. Their conflicts are not based on Brera's interactions with Ranka, but rather on his existance as a bodyguard. Once again, this forces Alto to confront his insecurities about why he is piloting in the first place: if he's not needed to protect Ranka, then what is his justification for piloting?
The turning point lies in episode nineteen, where Alto overcomes his insecurity about his piloting by revisiting the stunt show from episode one. This step, along with his showdown with Ozma, is vital because it establishes that he doesn't need to prove anything to be a pilot: he
is a pilot. Alto's identity as a pilot ceases to construct him.
It's really only from this point in the story onwards that we can start talking about Alto's relationships at an emotional level. His father is no longer an oppressive symbol of the past; Alto sees that his father is just a man (with Alto's reference to how small he suddenly looked). Likewise, Sheryl is no longer a constant reminder of his weakness as a pilot; she's a woman (one whom finds that he likes, at that), with strengths and weaknesses not unlike his own. In short, he stops thinking of them in terms of symbols, and starts relating to them as people.
The focal point in all this isn't about Alto's "choice". Both girls illustrate stages in his maturation; one by drawing out his desire to define himself by conforming to an identity (that of a pilot), and the other by granting him the freedom to live as he is (his identity conforms to him). In so doing, both play an important role in his growth (one might even say that they acted as his wings, throughout the story
).
Everything else, including the romance, is fairly straightforward after that point.
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