"Every page proves there's always a way-if you prepare, commit, and adjust. Mario shows exactly how: convert standards into habits, habits into judgment, and judgment into results you can repeat. The cockpit lessons are specific, and he carries them straight into hiring, training, risk management, and customer trust. Though containing plenty of intriguing personal narrative, this book is a working system for turning technical skill into durable enterprise value." -- Alan Way , Executive Director, Private Clients, LOUIS XIII Americas, Remy Cointreau Group In the cockpit, there's no room for excuses-only inputs, outcomes, and the next decision. In My Pursuit of Excellence: Life and Leadership in the Air , pilot and instructor Mario McGee invites readers into the rare perspective of flight, where confidence is earned one correction at a time and humility is part of the checklist. With the steady presence of a teacher who refuses to waste a student's time, Mario shows what excellence actually looks like: how you breathe when you're tense, how you decide when the picture isn't right, and how you course-correct before small errors become big ones. From military aviation to general aviation, he carries the same standard: build judgment, not ego; build skill, not luck. This story doesn't stay in the sky. Mario takes what aviation taught him-discipline, clear communication, and safety-first leadership-and turns it into a way of running a life and a business. As he builds Bario Aviation, he doesn't just train pilots; he trains decision-makers. He teaches people to speak the step before they take it-power, pitch, trim-so their words train their hands, and their hands train their confidence. The result is both inspiring and practical: a memoir that reads like a flight lesson for the rest of your life, reminding you that lift is available to anyone willing to learn, align, and rise. "Mario McGee does not write to impress you. My Pursuit of Excellence pulls you into the cockpit mindset where excuses disappear and choices get real: breathe, assess, decide, execute, then tell the truth about what happened so you can do it better next time. His voice is direct, seasoned, and deeply human. You equally feel the stakes and the hope. Mario's story will make you want to live with higher standards...excellence." -- Claudia Cataldi , President, Brazilian Press Association of Electronic and Digital Media, Alumni, Brazilian War College "In aviation, trust is standards, preparation, and truth-telling when it would be easier to gloss over a miss. In the most sincere and compelling way, My Pursuit of Excellence shows how that discipline becomes a life philosophy-and a business philosophy-where competence is a form of care." -- Christopher Olshan , President, The Luxury Council, and author of White-Glove Trust: The Impeccable Details That Build Enduring Relationships " My Pursuit of Excellence shows exactly how precision and integrity compound over time. It's the rare memoir that doubles as a masterclass in personal ROI." -- Cheryl B. King , finance and empowerment strategist, and author of Your Worth "Mario shows how to move from talent to trust, how to make promises you can deliver under pressure, and why that changes careers and companies. This is a guide to becoming the person people rely on when it counts. Very moving and quite motivational!" -- Lesley Yvonne Hunter , speaker, model, and author of Madness to Manifestation "This is influence without hype language or ego. ...Mario's voice is calm, direct, and useful with ribbons of compassion for every dreamer." -- Donna Wilson , President of Strategic Intersections, LLC, and author of Behind the Glass Doors: The Unwritten Rules for Success and Fulfillment "Leadership is logistics plus judgment. Mario nails both. From inches-close refueling to scaling training programs, he shows how standards and humility build real performance. This book earns its title and earns a spot on any manager's shelf." -- Roger Carlton , former city manager of Miami Beach, author of Managing Paradise Mario McGee is a pilot, flight instructor, and aviation entrepreneur. A former U.S. Air Force airborne communications and in-flight refueling specialist and instructor, he has spent decades in aerospace as a teacher, mechanic, and leader. He is the President and Chief Pilot of Bario Aviation, Inc., where he is known for an uncompromising safety culture and a practical, plainspoken teaching style that builds confidence through mastery. MY PURSUIT OF EXCELLENCE is his debut book.