“Though I Fly Through the Valley of Death, I Shall Fear No Evil. For I am at 80,000 Feet and Climbing.” (at the entrance to the old SR-71 operating base Kadena, Japan)
"You've never been lost until you've been lost at Mach 3.” (Paul F. Crickmore, test pilot)
"Blue water Navy truism: There are more planes in the ocean than submarines in the sky.” (from an old carrier sailor)
“When one engine fails on a twin-engine airplane you always have enough power to get you to the scene of the crash.”
“Airspeed, altitude and brains. Two are always needed to successfully complete the flight.”
“Mankind has a perfect record in aviation; we never left one up there!”
“The Piper Cub is the safest airplane in the world; it can just barely kill you.” (attributed to Max Stanley, Northrop Grumman test pilot)
“A pilot who doesn't have any fear probably isn't flying his plane to its maximum.” (Jon McBride, astronaut)
“Never fly in the same cockpit with someone braver than you.”
As the test pilot climbs out of the experimental aircraft, having torn off the wings and tail in the crash landing, the crash truck arrives. The rescuer sees a bloodied pilot and asks, “What happened?” The pilot's reply: “I don't know; I just got here myself!" (attributed to Ray Crandell. Lockheed test pilot)