Charles Elwood Yeager was a United States Air Force officer, flying ace, and record-setting test pilot. He became the first pilot in history confirmed to have broken the sound barrier. Yeager’s career began in World War II as a private in the United States Army Air Forces in 1941. Yeager flew planes in World War II and later became a test pilot for the U.S. Air Force. He set all kinds of speed and altitude records throughout his career. Yeager served as a pilot for more than 30 years before retiring.
Yeager was born on February 13, 1923, in Myra, West Virginia. Yeager enlisted in the U.S. Army in September 1941, shortly after graduating from high school, and was assigned to the Army Air Corps. In October 1947, Yeager was chosen from several volunteers to test-fly the secret experimental X-1 aircraft, to test the capabilities of the human pilot and aerodynamic capabilities of the aircraft. It was during this test that he became the first human to have broken the sound barrier. He retired from the air force with the rank of brigadier general in 1975. His autobiography, Yeager, was published in 1985. He passed away on December 7, 2020.
1 Everybody that I’ve ever seen that enjoyed their job was very good at it. -Chuck Yeager
You can only excel at your job if you genuinely love it. Enjoy your work and you’ll have a much better chance at succeeding in it.
2 At the moment of truth, there are either reasons or results. -Chuck Yeager
In the end, what matters is the results that you produce. If you’re unable to do that, the only thing that you can give are reasons. And reasons don’t get you anywhere.
3 Rules are made for people who aren’t willing to make up their own. -Chuck Yeager
Make your own rules and follow them. You don’t need someone else to tell you how you should be living. Live by a code that you’ve made for yourself, not one that someone else made for you.
4 I have no regrets about my life, People ask, “If you had to do it all over again, would you do it differently?” No. -Chuck Yeager
What matters in the end is that you do not regret any moment of your life. Live it such that if given a chance to live it differently, you wouldn’t think twice before refusing.
5 The best pilots fly more than the others; that’s why they’re the best. -Chuck Yeager
It is practice that makes one the best. If you want to be better than the rest in something, you also need to practice more than the rest.
6 It’s just to do the job as best you can, if it turns out good, fine, if it doesn’t, that’s the way it goes. -Chuck Yeager
No matter what it is you are doing, give it your all. All that you should be concerned with is to give it your all. The rest is not in your hands. If it doesn’t work out, then there’s nothing you can do about it.
7 If you want to grow old as a pilot, you’ve got to know when to push it, and when to back off. -Chuck Yeager
Things only go right if you do it at that right time. There’s a time to go forward and one to back off. Know when to do what and you’ll be better off at what you do.
8 There’s no such thing as a natural-born pilot. -Chuck Yeager
Talent can only get you so far. No one is born a genius, they become so by years of practice and perseverance.
9 You do what you can for as long as you can, and when you finally can’t, you do the next best thing, you back up but you don’t give up. -Chuck Yeager
There are too many opportunities that life gives you. There’s never a dead end waiting for you. Once you reach the end, a new path opens up for you to take. What’s important is that you never give up.
10 You don’t concentrate on risks, you concentrate on results. No risk is too great to prevent the necessary job from getting done. -Chuck Yeager
The bigger risk in life is to not take any risks. Never shy away from taking risks because everything great can only be achieved if you once you put it all on the line.
11 It’s really difficult for fanatic churchgoers to understand God can’t help me, I’m the only one who can help me. Chuck Yeager
The only person that can help you is you yourself. There’s nobody else who can do that for you. Your life is in your hands, praying and having faith does not if you do not do anything by yourself.
12 What good does it do to be afraid? It doesn’t help anything, you better try and figure out what’s happening and correct it. Chuck Yeager
There’s no point in being afraid. Fear has no place in the path to success. Recognize your flaws and correct them. Being afraid never brings you anywhere.
13 Never wait for trouble. -Chuck Yeager
Never wait for the worst to come. Be prepared beforehand. By the time the storm has come, it’ll already be too late to run for cover.
14 If something doesn’t have scientific evidence to back it up, I don’t believe it, I’m a straight shooter. -Chuck Yeager
Always question every belief. Until and unless there’s scientific proof backing something up, it’s foolish to believe in it. Blind faith only works against you.
15 If you can walk away from a landing, it’s a good landing, if you use the airplane the next day, it’s an outstanding landing. -Chuck Yeager
If you’re alive at the end of the day, then that is something to be grateful for. But along with that, if you’ve managed to save something, then that’s all the more better.
Top 15 Quotes by Late Flying Legend Chuck Yeager
1. Everybody that I’ve ever seen that enjoyed their job was very good at it. -Chuck Yeager
2. At the moment of truth, there are either reasons or results. -Chuck Yeager
3. Rules are made for people who aren’t willing to make up their own. -Chuck Yeager
4. I have no regrets about my life, People ask, “If you had to do it all over again, would you do it differently?” No. -Chuck Yeager
5. The best pilots fly more than the others; that’s why they’re the best. -Chuck Yeager
6. It’s just to do the job as best you can, if it turns out good, fine, if it doesn’t, that’s the way it goes. -Chuck Yeager
7. If you want to grow old as a pilot, you’ve got to know when to push it, and when to back off. -Chuck Yeager
8. There’s no such thing as a natural-born pilot. -Chuck Yeager
9. You do what you can for as long as you can, and when you finally can’t, you do the next best thing, you back up but you don’t give up. -Chuck Yeager
10. You don’t concentrate on risks, you concentrate on results. No risk is too great to prevent the necessary job from getting done. -Chuck Yeager
11. It’s really difficult for fanatic churchgoers to understand God can’t help me, I’m the only one who can help me. Chuck Yeager
12. What good does it do to be afraid? It doesn’t help anything, you better try and figure out what’s happening and correct it. Chuck Yeager
13. Never wait for trouble. -Chuck Yeager
14. If something doesn’t have scientific evidence to back it up, I don’t believe it, I’m a straight shooter. -Chuck Yeager
15. If you can walk away from a landing, it’s a good landing, if you use the airplane the next day, it’s an outstanding landing. -Chuck Yeager
