My 5-yr-old son will ask why? Then ask why again. Why? Why? Why? As pilots we should ask ourselves what if that doesn’t work? And then what if that doesn’t work. What if? What if? Don’t box yourself in. Always have an out. Preferably a flexible changeable out. Quote by Derek Sivers in the 2016 book Tools of Titans.
Category: Airmanship Quotes
If You’re Looking for a Formula
Quote is from the book Tools of Titans. It’s not fast or exciting or sexy. It’s more diligent checklist than Top Gun Mach 2 hair on fire. But it’s how the good get great. Maria Popova is a Bulgarian writer, blogger, and critic living in Brooklyn, New York. She is known for her wonderful blog BrainPickings.org. Original photo is two KC-135 …
Anne McClain on Facing Fears
Anne McClain has faced down many fears, and is now going to be rewarded with sights that are literally out of this world. She’s been an Army combat helicopter pilot who deployed to Iraq, an instructor pilot and a test pilot. She is currently a NASA astronaut, in the pipeline to fly to Mars. Quote is from an interview …
Surfing Perpetual Pursuit
World Surf League Champion 11 times, Kelly Slater clearly didn’t stop learning when he reached the top. And as someone who is 50, I can tell you, getting better at flying is also a lifelong journey.
Time is a River
Pilots work with time. On-time. Speed = distance/time. We must manage our own inner time as well. From slow times to supersonic.
Maya Angelou on Becoming a Great Pilot
At an airshow I admire the biplanes, the jets, the smoke and the sounds. But the persistence of the pilots to get this good is most amazing.
Living the Dream
From the first hour of flight training, realize that you are already ‘living the dream!’ Eric Auxier. Airline captain and writer.
Mikaela Shiffrin on Winning Formula
“I still don’t think there is a winning formula. It’s really just working your butt off.” Mikaela Shiffrin She is the youngest slalom champion in Olympic alpine skiing history. She is also the current world champion in slalom. There is no magic formula for success. The winning formula involves hard work. And sounds a lot like the seven P’s: Proper Prior …
You’re Not in a Dangerous Situation Until
Scott Crossfield — fighter pilot, aeronautical engineer, first person to fly twice the speed of sound and X-15 chief engineering test pilot — quoted in the classic book X-15 Diary released this week. He is also quoted as saying: In all of this business there’s a requirement of intense concentration—if you can train yourself to be self-disciplined. If you close the …
Fighting Complacency
Fighting complacency is not as exciting as fighting fires, but it’s a battle we will join many more times. We train for engine failures, electrical loss, and lots more. And we should practice multiple worst case failures. But we must also learn to handle ourselves on all those flights when nothing is going on. (Quote is from Coelho’s 2008 novel …