First Flights: Stories to Inspire From Those Who Fly

In classic "There I was . . ." style, the pilot-penned tales in First Flights will take you along as the authors vividly describe their most thrilling aviation firsts. First Flights will transport you to space in the Shuttle for the first-ever docking with the Mir Space Station. You'll journey around the world in the milestone-setting Voyager aircraft and Breitling Orbiter 3 balloon. You'll jet to the edge of the atmosphere in the X-15 rocket plane. And you'll hang on the edge of your seat as you relive test flights of homebuilt airplanes. These true stories, written by the pilots themselves, will have you wondering how they found the courage to accomplish their "first flights," and are sure to inspire you to pursue your own.

Jill Rutan Hoffman is the perfect person to author First Flights. As the daughter of world famous pilot, Dick Rutan, and niece of revolutionary aeronautical designer, Burt Rutan, Jill has had the unique opportunity to witness many aviation firsts. From the milestone-setting Voyager flight of 1986 to the X-Prize winning spaceflights of SpaceShipOne, Jill has had a ringside seat to modern civilian aviation history. Jill has also lived at the leading edge of military aviation with her husband, Colonel Lars Hoffman, a United States Air Force Test Pilot. Jill and Lars along with their two daughters, Noelle and Haley, have traveled the world during their 20+ years in the Air Force. Through donations and mentorship, Jill actively supports organizations that offer opportunities for young adults to experience the world of aviation and space exploration.