--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: FLY A HELICOPTER? SURE, WHY NOT. Leo had…" description: "\"“FLY A HELICOPTER? SURE, WHY NOT. Leo had done plenty of crazier things that week. The sun was going down as they flew north over the Richmond Bridge, ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d50/rick-riordan-27_brave-face_fly-a-helicopter-sure-why-not-leo-had-do_2525317.jpg" --- # FLY A HELICOPTER? SURE, WHY NOT. Leo had done plenty of… ![“FLY A HELICOPTER? SURE, WHY NOT. Leo had done plenty of crazier things that week. The sun was going down as they flew north over the Richmond Bridge, and Leo couldn’t believe the day had gone so quickly. Once again, nothing like ADHD and a good fight to the death to make time fly. Piloting the…” quote by Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d50/rick-riordan-27_brave-face_fly-a-helicopter-sure-why-not-leo-had-do_2525317.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d50/rick-riordan-27_brave-face_fly-a-helicopter-sure-why-not-leo-had-do_2525317.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d50/rick-riordan-27_brave-face_fly-a-helicopter-sure-why-not-leo-had-do_2525317.jpg) > ““FLY A HELICOPTER? SURE, WHY NOT. Leo had done plenty of crazier things that week. The sun was going down as they flew north over the Richmond Bridge, and Leo couldn’t believe the day had gone so quickly. Once again, nothing like ADHD and a good fight to the death to make time fly. Piloting the chopper, he went back and forth between confidence and panic. If he didn’t think about it, he found himself automatically flipping the right switches, checking the altimeter, easing back on the stick, and flying straight. If he allowed himself to consider what he was doing, he started freaking out. He imagined his Aunt Rosa yelling at him in Spanish, telling him he was a delinquent lunatic who was going to crash and burn. Part of him suspected she was right. “Going okay?” Piper asked from the copilot’s seat. She sounded more nervous than he was, so Leo put on a brave face.”” [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Leo’s adrenaline-fueled confidence collapses into panic when he overanalyzes his actions, showing how focus can be disrupted by self‑doubt. **In simple terms:** Overthinking kills instinct. Key Takeaway Trust your training, stay present. Themes confidence panic overanalysis adrenaline self‑doubt Mood tense reflective Type narrative psychological When to use this quote - high‑stakes tasks - piloting - sports competition - public speaking - emergency response Key Concepts flow state cognitive load performance anxiety Questions to Reflect On - How can you stay in the flow under pressure? - What triggers your self‑doubt? A Different Perspective If anxiety spikes, performance may degrade despite skill. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Brave face](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brave-face/) [Chopper Went](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chopper-went-1291256/) [Going Flew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/going-flew-1291255/) [Nervous Leo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nervous-leo-1291254/) [Piloting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/piloting-266532/) [Piloting Chopper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/piloting-chopper-1291253/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Time Fly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time-fly/) ## Related quotes > [Nothing like ADHD and a good fight to the death to make time fly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/nothing-like-adhd-and-a-good-fight-to-the-death-to-make-time-fly/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [You know, piloting really isn't my hobby. And, it's probably not something I'd do in my spare time if I could do whatever I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duane-g-carey/you-know-piloting-really-isn-t-my-hobby-and-it-s-probably-not/) [Duane G. Carey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duane-g-carey/) > [Sometimes you're so nervous about piloting something that you could probably just not empower others to finish what they're supposed to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilmer-valderrama/sometimes-you-re-so-nervous-about-piloting-something-that-you-could/) [Wilmer Valderrama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilmer-valderrama/) > [“piloting my own spaceship. HA HA HA HA HA!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-roberts/piloting-my-own-spaceship-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha/) [Richard Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-roberts/) > [“Love was like piloting a jet through a mountain range, blind. It was freeing and exhilarating, but at the same time, at any second…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lydia-michaels/love-was-like-piloting-a-jet-through-a-mountain-range-blind-it-was/) [Lydia Michaels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lydia-michaels/) > [The media can be an instrument of change. It can maintain the status quo and reflect the views of the society or it can,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-couric/the-media-can-be-an-instrument-of-change-it-can-maintain-the-status-2/) [Katie Couric](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-couric/) > [Whenever I've messed around with radio-controlled things, there's always been a part of me that's thought, I wonder if there might actually be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-helms/whenever-i-ve-messed-around-with-radio-controlled-things-there-s/) [Ed Helms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-helms/) > [I have - I have more than an interesting task in piloting Wales into our new democracy, without wanting to exercise draconian powers on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-davies/i-have-i-have-more-than-an-interesting-task-in-piloting-wales-into/) [Ron Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-davies/) > [They don't hand out Ph.D.s in test piloting, but you pick up a tremendous amount of scientific and engineering knowledge along the way. After…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-grissom/they-don-t-hand-out-ph-d-s-in-test-piloting-but-you-pick-up-a/) [Gus Grissom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-grissom/) > [“Time can fly as fast as it wants, but they will take their pleasant time about living.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-delinksy/time-can-fly-as-fast-as-it-wants-but-they-will-take-their-pleasant/) [Barbara Delinksy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-delinksy/) > [Does time fly when you're having sex or was it really just one minute?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/does-time-fly-when-you-re-having-sex-or-was-it-really-just-one-minute/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Wither thou goest, there goest I, two flames sparked from but one ember; both forward and backward doth time fly, wither thou art, remember.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/wither-thou-goest-there-goest-i-two-flames-sparked-from-but-one-ember/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [Time may fly by faster than we want, but the memories collected along the way is what makes everything worth living for. ¥](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/myself/time-may-fly-by-faster-than-we-want-but-the-memories-collected-along/) [Myself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/myself/) > [I threw my watch out the window just to watch time fly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/green-monk/i-threw-my-watch-out-the-window-just-to-watch-time-fly/) [Green Monk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/green-monk/) > [“Obsessing over a boy makes the time fly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alecia-whitaker/obsessing-over-a-boy-makes-the-time-fly/) [Alecia Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alecia-whitaker/) ## More by Rick Riordan > [“It made sense, and I felt kind of stupid. I’d been hanging around dryads”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/it-made-sense-and-i-felt-kind-of-stupid-i-d-been-hanging-around-dryads/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [“That awkward moment when you jump out a window because your friend jumped out a window, then you remember that your other friend can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/that-awkward-moment-when-you-jump-out-a-window-because-your-friend/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [Oh, dear Hazel.” Aphrodite folded her fan. “Such optimism, yet you have heartrending days ahead of you. Of course war is coming. Love and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/oh-dear-hazel-aphrodite-folded-her-fan-such-optimism-yet-you-have/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [Kids, if anything, are harder to write for because they are a more discerning audience. They will not stay with you if you go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/kids-if-anything-are-harder-to-write-for-because-they-are-a-more/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [“He started toward the entrance. Seriously, how could he not? He stopped when he noticed the girl. She was kneeling in her vegetable garden,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/he-started-toward-the-entrance-seriously-how-could-he-not-he-stopped/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [Hercules used noise! Brass bells! He scared them away with the most horrible sound he could-" said Percy "Percy... Chiron's collection!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/hercules-used-noise-brass-bells-he-scared-them-away-with-the-most/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [“When you take someone’s hand and lead them to Valhalla, you get a glimpse into their soul.” “Did that happen when you took me?”…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/when-you-take-someone-s-hand-and-lead-them-to-valhalla-you-get-a/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [“he didn’t look as good as Piper had last night after she’d suddenly been transformed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/he-didn-t-look-as-good-as-piper-had-last-night-after-she-d-suddenly/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [There’s my baby!” I cried, quite carried away. “There’s my Poochiekins!” Ammit ran at me and leaped into my arms, nuzzling me with his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/there-s-my-baby-i-cried-quite-carried-away-there-s-my-poochiekins/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [“Leo plunked the cheese wheel in front of me. "Cut me a wedge of this, my good ma. Chop-chop!" I scowled at him. "Don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/leo-plunked-the-cheese-wheel-in-front-of-me-cut-me-a-wedge-of-this-my/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [It's all still about having a good story. You have to have a good story as your anchor, as your main focus. So for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/it-s-all-still-about-having-a-good-story-you-have-to-have-a-good/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [I disobeyed Ra's wishes, and so he ordered my onw father, Shu-" "Hang on," I said. "Shoe?" "S-h-u," she said. "The god of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/i-disobeyed-ra-s-wishes-and-so-he-ordered-my-onw-father-shu-hang-on-i/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [“Nico knelt and picked it up. He regarded Jason, as if waiting for an attack. "If the others found out-" "If the others found…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/nico-knelt-and-picked-it-up-he-regarded-jason-as-if-waiting-for-an/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [Wouldn't that put a twist in your toga?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/wouldn-t-that-put-a-twist-in-your-toga/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) > [ \[Hazel\] hissed in frustration. 'I hate eidolons. I thought Piper made them promise to stay away.' 'Oh...' Frank said, like he'd just had his… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/hazel-hissed-in-frustration-i-hate-eidolons-i-thought-piper-made-them/) [Rick Riordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) [Explore all 2,993 Rick Riordan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/) ## More Brave face quotes > [All the pain Nothing left to gain Feeling bad but put on a brave faceà This is why my emotions are this wayà](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-davies/all-the-pain-nothing-left-to-gain-feeling-bad-but-put-on-a-brave-face/) [Ryan Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-davies/) > [Let us be brave in the face of adversity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-elder/let-us-be-brave-in-the-face-of-adversity/) [Seneca the Elder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-elder/) > [Worthless it's what I feel it radiates through my bones i wish it would go away and just when I start to get back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/worthless-it-s-what-i-feel-it-radiates-through-my-bones-i-wish-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [To heal my wounds, I need to be brave enough to face them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/to-heal-my-wounds-i-need-to-be-brave-enough-to-face-them/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Become abundant with your compliments to others. We're all so fragile, especially when we put on a brave face. A sincere compliment can penetrate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-ban-breathnach/become-abundant-with-your-compliments-to-others-we-re-all-so-fragile/) [Sarah Ban Breathnach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-ban-breathnach/) > [For a long time I thought-'I've got to buck up and be strong. I've got to put on a brave face-and get through this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-st-james/for-a-long-time-i-thought-i-ve-got-to-buck-up-and-be-strong-i-ve-got/) [Rebecca St. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-st-james/) > [Strength & courage are measured in the struggle which one overcomes with brave face.The strongest people are not those who always win,strongest people are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dranil-kr-sinha/strength-courage-are-measured-in-the-struggle-which-one-overcomes/) [DrAnil Kr Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dranil-kr-sinha/) > [“Everyone grieves differently. No one handles the loss of a loved one the same. Some put on a brave face for others, keeping everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-j-klune/everyone-grieves-differently-no-one-handles-the-loss-of-a-loved-one/) [T.J. Klune](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-j-klune/) > [In the past, I tried to put on a brave face and smile after a defeat, but then it would backfire in training, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/millie-bright/in-the-past-i-tried-to-put-on-a-brave-face-and-smile-after-a-defeat/) [Millie Bright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/millie-bright/) > [Seventeen seconds and I'm over it. Ready for the disconnect. Putting on a brave face. Trying not to listen yo the voices in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gotye/seventeen-seconds-and-i-m-over-it-ready-for-the-disconnect-putting-on/) [Gotye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gotye/) > [You have to make sure you lead from the front and put a brave face on it during the tough times to bring people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-bruce/you-have-to-make-sure-you-lead-from-the-front-and-put-a-brave-face-on/) [Steve Bruce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-bruce/) > [You want to try to put on a brave face, but I think I'm learning that that's not the case.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becca-kufrin/you-want-to-try-to-put-on-a-brave-face-but-i-think-i-m-learning-that/) [Becca Kufrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becca-kufrin/) > [I always put on a brave face when I was the most terrified, the most trapped and out of control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natalia-kills/i-always-put-on-a-brave-face-when-i-was-the-most-terrified-the-most/) [Natalia Kills](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natalia-kills/) > [“In the movie La La Land, Mia has to put on a brave face at auditions, then put on her best clothes and go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-green/in-the-movie-la-la-land-mia-has-to-put-on-a-brave-face-at-auditions/) [Bill Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-green/) > [I think that many people are ashamed when they feel afraid. There's this thing in our society that you're not allowed to feel scared.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-roth/i-think-that-many-people-are-ashamed-when-they-feel-afraid-there-s/) [Eli Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-roth/) [Browse all 45 Brave face quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brave-face/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“FLY A HELICOPTER? SURE, WHY NOT. Leo had done plenty of crazier things that week. The sun was going down as they flew north over the Richmond Bridge, and Leo couldn’t believe the day had gone so quickly. Once again, nothing like ADHD and a good fight to the death to make time fly. Piloting the chopper, he went back and forth between confidence and panic. If he didn’t think about it, he found himself automatically flipping the right switches, checking the altimeter, easing back on the stick, and flying straight. If he allowed himself to consider what he was doing, he started freaking out. He imagined his Aunt Rosa yelling at him in Spanish, telling him he was a delinquent lunatic who was going to crash and burn. Part of him suspected she was right. “Going okay?” Piper asked from the copilot’s seat. She sounded more nervous than he was, so Leo put on a brave face.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Rick Riordan" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/fly-a-helicopter-sure-why-not-leo-had-done-plenty-of-crazier-things/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Brave face" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/fly-a-helicopter-sure-why-not-leo-had-done-plenty-of-crazier-things/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d50/rick-riordan-27_brave-face_fly-a-helicopter-sure-why-not-leo-had-do_2525317.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d50/rick-riordan-27_brave-face_fly-a-helicopter-sure-why-not-leo-had-do_2525317.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d50/rick-riordan-27_brave-face_fly-a-helicopter-sure-why-not-leo-had-do_2525317.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“FLY A HELICOPTER? SURE, WHY NOT. Leo had done plenty of crazier things that week. The sun was going down as…” — Rick Riordan", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Rick Riordan", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-riordan/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“FLY A HELICOPTER? SURE, WHY NOT....", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/fly-a-helicopter-sure-why-not-leo-had-done-plenty-of-crazier-things/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-riordan/fly-a-helicopter-sure-why-not-leo-had-done-plenty-of-crazier-things/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```