del HardimanDel Hardiman's journey began in poverty, but it led him to incredible heights-literally. From flying the Secretary of the Army on the first official Army jet mission to a six-year role as the personal pilot for the NASA Administrator, Del's career tok him across the U.S., Europe, Israel, South America, and five times to Moscow. His memoir, Dangerous Enclosures, is filled with astonishing true stories, including 16 'Close Calls, ' some of which nearly cost him his life-like the time he crashed in fog at the age of 19. Del was, by all measures, a survivor.As a young man, Del earned his Commercial Pilot License, Instrument Rating, Flight Instructor Certification, Seaplane Rating, and later, both Rotary Wing (helicopter) and Airline Transport Ratings. At just 21, he was rated as a Flight Engineer in the Air National Guard, flying the massive C-124 aircraft on missions to Europe, Central America, and across the Pacific, including two flights to Vietnam. After leaving the Air Guard, Del joined the Army as a pilot, flying Otters and Bird Dogs over the hostile territories of Cambodia and recovering the body of a downed F-4 pilot near the Cambodian border.During his time in Berlin, Del undertook clandestine missions behind the Iron Curtain, navigating Soviet airspace with little regard for the official rules. His memoir recounts these daring exploits, along with the unbelievable stories of air shows and fatal accidents he witnessed as a kid working at his hometown airport. Read More Read Less