Lieutenant Colonel Helmut H. Reda, USAF (ret.), is a “Distinguished Graduate of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University with a bachelor of science degree in aeronautical engineering and a master's degree in business administration. He is also a graduate of the USAF Test Pilot School. He has flown in over 50 types of aircraft ranging from balloons and gliders to seaplanes, transports, and jet fighters. The author of articles on aerospace engineering, testing aircraft, the environment, advanced management techniques, and methods of combating bureaucracy, he also contributed to a book on military project management.”  Helmut H. Reda is the author of the anthology Because I Fly: A Collection of Aviation Poetry.

According to the book description, Because I Fly: A Collection of Aviation Poetry, “This book is the most complete, up-to-date collection of aviation poetry ever published. Its sole purpose is to consolidate all of the best in aviation poetry and inspirational verse. Helmut Reda examined over 115 books and magazines in the United States, England, Canada, France, and Australia. He also investigated over 42,500 hits on the Internet. From his exhaustive research, 170 poems were selected covering the period between 1869 and 2001.

This collection of poetry serves as an exciting introduction to the experience of flight. These poems will fascinate your family and expose them to an expanded world with new dimensions, freedoms, and even the beauty and dangers of flight. For the pilot, the poems will take your spirit aloft to rekindle your bond with other airmen. This collection will help others understand pilots and why they do things in a different way. If you are truly intrigued by flight, this book is for you!”