"A Pilot's Greatness"

A man's greatness does not necessarily come from the amount of money he earns. His greatness can come by simply doing his own life's work well. A man is not necessarily judged by how rich, talented and famous his children become. Greatness can come in imparting in his offspring great moral values. Lessons taught, such as family cohesiveness, honesty, community involvement, charity, a strong sense of right and wrong and a firm belief in God, are the signs of a man's greatness

An aviator's greatness does not necessarily come in the amount of flight time logged, ratings earned, great flights flown or records broken. It does not necessarily come with low level aerobatic maneuvers or races won. It can come from employing his talents to help save lives and to search for less fortunate airmen. It can come in imparting those talents to offspring and others, teaching them how to search and save lives.

Greatness can come to the aviator who teachers others the correct art of flight and how to defend the homeland using those talents so well taught.

Greatness also comes to the aviator who defines his limits and then uses his entire energy to become the best pilot possible within those limits.

But most importantly, greatness comes to the aviator who simply survives. 

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– Pat Quinn, 1992
*Written as a tribute to his father, but in truth, it became a reflection of his own life and legacy.