‘One has no sense of speed or movement when well up in the air. All you get is the rush of wind past your head & the roar of your engine. You get plenty of sensation when you shut your engine off, put her nose down to glide to earth, or when you stunt up at a good height.’

‘I now consider myself a bird-man, as I have flown a plane on my own, & stunted about the skies for 5 hours at all heights up to 3,500 ft. This I did in about 6 flights. I have put in something like 14 hours in the air already (i.e.) Dual, & solo. Dual is with an instructor.’
6 May 1917

‘Some of our fellows failed when it came to flying. Some got chucked out as “duds” (no good), some had bad crashes, & were lucky to get off with their lives. Two or three poor beggars were killed.’

‘It’s wonderful the amount of crashes, & breakages, & smash-ups they get in a flying school. For my part I had luck, & never even strained a wire —I’ve got a lot of flying to do yet, so I won’t boast.’

‘The day I was launched, that is, when the instructor sent me up on my own, I felt as happy as larry, & king of the air.’