Couple of ones for me: (pre-licence) taking off from a remote lodge as pax in the Rockies and hearing the pilot say "**** we've too much weight in the back, don't know if we can make it" and waiting puckered up as he coaxed her through translation with the trees just below us.
Highlight - taking my mum and dad flying in the R44 shortly after getting my CPL and her commenting, never ever thought I'd have a son who'd take me up in a helicopter and my dad just grinning!