Aero-News: Quote of the Day

ANN's Quote of the Day usually derives from current news, though we reserve the right to pick quotes out of history that have a bearing on the day's events and issues.

Sometimes, you'll find them timely and in keeping with the content of the day's news... and sometimes, they'll just be thought-provoking.

Reader suggestions and comments are welcome... and if particularly intriguing, timely, or poignant, may themselves become future Quotes of the Day.

Let us hear from you, folks!

Aero-News Quote of the Day

"At 20, a human being is at the flower of his prime; at 20, the TBM aircraft family is demonstrating the strength of its maturity while enjoying the vigor of youth."

Source: EADS Socata president and CEO Jean-Michel Léonard, waxing poetic about the 20th anniversary of the first flight of the prototype TBM 700. On July 14, 1988, Chief Test Pilot Bernard Dorance and Flight Test Engineer Jean Piatek (shown at center) performed the TBM 700's maiden takeoff, initiating a one hour, 15 minute evaluation flight. The TBM 700 represented an entirely new design at the time, combining high speed and performance with the efficiency of a turboprop engine.

FMI: www.socata.eads.com