There are two kinds of airplanes - those you fly and those that fly you . . . You must have a distinct understanding at the very start as to who is the boss.

There is no more alluring airspace in the world than the slit up a China girl's dress.

Rule books are paper - they will not cushion a sudden meeting of stone and metal.

Nobody who gets too damned relaxed builds up much flying time.

Electronics were rascals, and they lay awake nights trying to find some way to screw you during the day. You could not reason with them. They had a brain and intestines, but no heart.

Flying is hypnotic and all pilots are willing victims to the spell.

He knew that we gave constant lip service to the dictates of safety and howled like Christians condemned to the arena if any compromise were made of it. He knew we were seekers after ease, suspicious, egotistic, and stubborn to a fault. He also knew that none of us would have continued our careers unless we had always been, and still were, helpless before this opportunity to take a chance.