--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The first plane ride was in a homemade…" description: "\"The first plane ride was in a homemade glider my buddy and I built. Unfortunately we didn't get more than four feet off the ground, because it crashed...." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f0/alan-shepard-11358_buddy_the-first-plane-ride-was-in-a-homemade-g_149559.png" --- # The first plane ride was in a homemade glider my buddy and… ![“The first plane ride was in a homemade glider my buddy and I built. Unfortunately we didn't get more than four feet off the ground, because it crashed.” quote by Alan Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f0/alan-shepard-11358_buddy_the-first-plane-ride-was-in-a-homemade-g_149559.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f0/alan-shepard-11358_buddy_the-first-plane-ride-was-in-a-homemade-g_149559.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f0/alan-shepard-11358_buddy_the-first-plane-ride-was-in-a-homemade-g_149559.png) > “The first plane ride was in a homemade glider my buddy and I built. Unfortunately we didn't get more than four feet off the ground, because it crashed.” [Alan Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-shepard/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The homemade glider flight failed, highlighting the risks of experimental aviation. **In simple terms:** Early glider crashed, showing experimental risks. Key Takeaway Learn from failures when pursuing innovation. Themes innovation risk failure experiment learning Mood cautious inspired Type technical motivational When to use this quote - prototype testing - entrepreneurial ventures - space exploration Key Concepts aeronautical engineering risk management resilience Questions to Reflect On - What lessons arise from this crash? - How can risk be balanced with ambition? A Different Perspective Failure can discourage future attempts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Feet off the ground](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feet-off-the-ground/) [Plane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plane/) [Plane rides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plane-rides/) [Planes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/planes/) ## Related quotes > [Seasons change, so do cities. People come into your life and people go, but it's comforting to know: the ones you love are always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-patrick-king/seasons-change-so-do-cities-people-come-into-your-life-and-people-go/) [Michael Patrick King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-patrick-king/) > [I don't want to pass through life like a smooth plane ride.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/i-don-t-want-to-pass-through-life-like-a-smooth-plane-ride/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [It was an hour and a half plane ride, so I slept. 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It was the only time I think the better team…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-mantle/in-1960-when-pittsburgh-beat-us-in-the-world-series-we-outscored-them/) [Mickey Mantle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-mantle/) > [Being six feet off the ground does give one a sense of superiority.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-whalen-turner/being-six-feet-off-the-ground-does-give-one-a-sense-of-superiority/) [Megan Whalen Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-whalen-turner/) ## More by Alan Shepard > [I realized up there that our planet is not infinite. It's fragile. 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And I had to hit the ball with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-shepard/because-of-the-suit-i-was-wearing-i-couldn-t-make-a-good-pivot-on-the/) [Alan Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-shepard/) > [There's no question that all the generations got excited about the first flights, with Kennedy's inspiration to go to the moon, leaving the planet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-shepard/there-s-no-question-that-all-the-generations-got-excited-about-the/) [Alan Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-shepard/) > [Then I thought, with the same clubhead speed, the ball's going to go at least six times as far. There's absolutely no drag, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-shepard/then-i-thought-with-the-same-clubhead-speed-the-ball-s-going-to-go-at/) [Alan Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-shepard/) > [The pilot looked at his cues of attitude and speed and orientation and so on and responded as he would from the same cues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-shepard/the-pilot-looked-at-his-cues-of-attitude-and-speed-and-orientation/) [Alan Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-shepard/) > [So everything turned out fine, and we were given the opportunity to go to Washington and be briefed on the project of man in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-shepard/so-everything-turned-out-fine-and-we-were-given-the-opportunity-to-go/) [Alan Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-shepard/) > [Miles and miles and miles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-shepard/miles-and-miles-and-miles/) [Alan Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-shepard/) > [Then there was the challenge to keep doing better and better, to fly the best test flight that anybody had ever flown. That led…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-shepard/then-there-was-the-challenge-to-keep-doing-better-and-better-to-fly/) [Alan Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-shepard/) > [We also knew it would be difficult, because of the financial condition of the family, for me to go to college.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-shepard/we-also-knew-it-would-be-difficult-because-of-the-financial-condition/) [Alan Shepard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-shepard/) [Explore all 60 Alan Shepard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-shepard/) ## More Buddy quotes > [I talk to my dad all the time, he's more like my buddy than my father, and he's not happy that I use him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-spade/i-talk-to-my-dad-all-the-time-he-s-more-like-my-buddy-than-my-father/) [David Spade](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-spade/) > [“Now I had a mate and a pal. 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