All really great flying adventures begin at dawn.

Flying is like sex - I've never had all I wanted but occasionally I've had all I could stand.

Here you are truly separate from the earth, at least for a little while, removed from the cares and concerns that occupy you on the ground.

This thing we call luck is merely professionalism and attention to detail, it's your awareness of everything that is going on around you, it's how well you know and understand your airplane and your own limitations. Luck is the sum total of your of abilities as an aviator. If you think your luck is running low, you'd better get busy and make some more. Work harder. Pay more attention. Do better preflights.

A little mountain will kill you just as dead as a big one if you fly into it.

With the stick in my right hand, the throttle in my left, and the rudder beneath my feet, I can savor that essence from which life is made.

Mistakes are inevitable in aviation, especially when one is still learning new things. The trick is to not make the mistake that will kill you.