Flight to Heaven: A Plane Crash...A Lone Survivor...A Journey to Heaven--and Back

By Capt. Dale Black and Ken Gire

Imagine getting a glimpse of heaven, a preview of life in God's presence.

Could life here ever be the same?

Capt. Dale Black has flown as a commercial pilot all over the world, but one flight changed his life forever--an amazing journey to heaven and back.

The only survivor of a horrific plane crash, Dale was hovering between life and death when he had a wondrous experience of heaven. What he saw, what he heard, and what he learned there continues to ripple through his life and touch others.

Against all odds, Dale miraculously recovered from his injuries and learned to fly again. Now, with his life as a testament, he shares his inspiring story--offering hope and encouragement for those dealing with serious injuries or the loss of a loved one, and those looking for assurance about this life and the next.

Experience a Life-Changing Vision of Heaven

• Language: English
• Publisher: Baker Publishing Group
• Release date: May 1, 2010
• ISBN: 9781441211767

Capt. Dale Black

Capt. Dale Black is a retired airline pilot who dedicated his career to improving aviation safety. He has flown for over 40 years with more than 17,000 hours in a variety of commercial jets. Dale is still an active aviator and is co-owner of a real estate company. He has also been a Bible teacher, a television and radio show host, evangelist, and volunteer missionary pilot in over 50 countries. Dale and his wife, Paula, are parents of two grown children and live in Southern California.

Book preview

book.

PROLOGUE

My life was forever changed after a plane crash.

I was the only survivor.

For days I remained in an intensive care unit, but not before taking an uncharted trip . . . to heaven. What I experienced there, words cannot do justice. Even the best words pale before the indescribable. For many months following the crash, due to serious amnesia, I remembered nothing. Nothing of the crash, the first three days in the hospital, or my visit to heaven. At least, my mind did not remember. My heart? Well, that’s a different story.

I was assigned to Dr. Homer Graham, best known as Evel Knievel’s surgeon. My injuries were massive, but when I awoke in the ICU, I was a changed man. Yet I had no memory as to why. It seemed as if I had been given new eyes. I felt as though I were looking into another dimension. That was forty years ago.

What you’re about to read is how my life was turned upside down by an airplane crash and why every major decision I’ve made since then has been a direct result of my journey to heaven. Those who know me may now understand why I’ve seemed like a bit of a misfit and why my life has often followed an offbeat path.

You’ll learn why I’ve been emboldened and compelled to share the love of God with others. Why I volunteered on almost a thousand flights to more than fifty countries, building churches, orphanages, and medical clinics. And why I’ve trained lay ministers and medical personnel to help the needy worldwide, usually at my own expense.

Since that fateful day, I have shared my story about the crash and the amazing recovery many times. But I have never shared publicly about my journey to heaven, until now.

How could I keep this life-changing event a secret? There are several reasons.

Right after the crash my memory was like a jigsaw puzzle with only a few recognizable pieces. It would take eight months to start getting my memory back. And even longer for my injured mind and my transformed heart to get in sync.

As soon as my memory returned, I told my grandfather everything that had happened, but he cautioned me about telling others. Dale, he said, you can speak about your experience, or you can treat it as sacred and let your life be a reflection of your experience. By that I mean, if you really did see the other side, then live out whatever you believe you saw. Live what you believe you heard. Just live what you learned. Your life’s actions will speak louder than your voice.

So I made a solemn promise to myself and to God not to share my experience with anyone until He made it clear to do so. At the time I figured God might want me to keep the secret for only a year or two.

Soon after the crash I attended a church service where a man claimed to have died, visited heaven, and come back to life. To me, the service was more self-serving than sacred. The very essence of heaven is God, yet the people were more interested in the sensation rather than the One who created it all and Whom heaven is all about. I was grieved by the event and my decision not to discuss my journey with anyone was further solidified.

It also wasn’t hard to keep my secret because at times in my life, I have been truly disappointed in myself. Why couldn’t I have lived an even better life? Since I had clearly seen heaven and was so changed by the experience, why did I fail again and again to be the man I truly wanted to be? Why did I fail often to be a reflection of what I had seen and heard and learned? I guess seeing heaven didn’t change the fact that I’m human. Not only human—but also very flawed.

So why share my experience now? Personally, I was perfectly content to keep my silence longer still. But the Lord orchestrated a series of events that convinced me it is now His time to share about my journey to heaven and back. For four decades I did live my experience. Now I am compelled to tell how.

In some ways this story is about me. But it is not about me ultimately, nor should it be. It is about God. And it is about you. The two of you together, entwined in a story that, to me, is still breathtakingly sacred. My hope is that you will read not just with your mind but with an open heart. If you do, you may receive more than you bargained for.

My story begins as I pilot a jet on a volunteer missionary flight in the dark of night over Zambia, Africa . . . at 41,000 feet. So please, fasten your seat belt, put your tray table in its upright and locked position, and hold on. It’s quite a ride.

For the first time in forty years, here is my story.

– Capt. Dale Black

1

FLIGHT INTO ETERNITY

TUESDAY, MAY 22—01:16—41,000 FEET

SOMEWHERE OVER ZAMBIA, AFRICA

All passengers and crew will be dead in twenty-seven minutes if something drastic doesn’t change.

And I will be responsible.

With very little fuel remaining in our tanks, I’m out of options and out of time. And a lot of things just don’t make sense.

The copilot’s hand trembles as he brings the microphone close to his ashen face. Lusaka Approach, Lusaka Tower, Zambia Center. Anyone? Learjet Four-Alpha-Echo. Mayday, Mayday, Mayday.

Still no response.

Thirty-eight-year-old veteran copilot Steve Holmes peers through the jet’s windshield from the right seat and demands an answer.

Where is the city? What is going on here? He shakes his head slowly in stunned disbelief, for he too has weighed our options, and they are dwindling fast.

Our gleaming luxury jet is equipped with the latest modern avionics package, including dual global navigation systems, but both became INOP (inoperative) over an hour ago. We have no idea why. No one is responding to our radio transmissions either, and in my sixteen years of professional flying, nothing has prepared me for what is happening now. Nothing could have. I feel my chest constricting as I reach behind me and lock the cockpit door.

Transmitting on one-two-one-point-five, the emergency frequency that all controllers monitor, we try again.

Mayday, Mayday, Mayday. Learjet November-Four-Two-Four-Alpha-Echo. Can anyone read? Over.

Again nothing. Only the hiss of static.

Trying to slow my breathing and focus my thoughts, I lean forward, looking out the jet’s multi-layered Plexiglas windshield.

I’ve seen campfires from forty thousand feet before, Steve. I don’t want to start our descent until we can see the lights of the city. Something should be visible. Keep looking.

Guilt gnaws at my stomach. My heart pounds wildly.

How could I have allowed this to happen? How can so many things go wrong—all at the same time?

As an airline pilot on temporary furlough from Trans World Airlines (TWA), I started a jet pilot training and jet sales corporation in Southern California. I donated airplanes, pilots, and maintenance services to help train and transport individuals to supply Bibles, gospel tracts, medical personnel, and supplies to those in need.

This two-week-long volunteer flight is one of hundreds I’ve conducted over the last several years, feeling compelled to share God’s overwhelming love with others in a hurting world.

This month takes us throughout Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.

So far God has provided the means and the protection to accomplish our mission, but on this flight everything is starting to fall apart. Events are beginning to spiral out of control.

Along with a professional flight planning service, both Steve and I have prepared meticulously for this flight. Three full-time professionals, for three full days, conducted intense flight planning. We accessed the latest international flight data resources and arranged for every foreseeable contingency. We dotted every i and crossed every t—or so we thought.

The latest weather forecast indicated visibility would be unlimited for hundreds of miles around the capital of Zambia, our planned fuel stop. This flight should have been routine even with the extended holding delay required earlier by Sudanese Air Traffic Control.

I pray silently.

Steve rips off his headset and flings it across the cockpit pedestal.

Trying to breathe, trying to steel myself, I speak slowly but firmly. Steve, we need to work together. Let’s believe that God will help us get this aircraft on the ground safely, during our first and only approach. Can you do that?

Steve shoots me a hard look. Sure. Then he slams the thick checklist into the Learjet’s side pocket. "Approach Descent Checklist complete." As a self-proclaimed agnostic, Steve doesn’t appreciate my reliance on God. At least not yet.

I’ll land on any runway I can see, Steve. We may be in thin clouds or above a layer of low stratus. The lights of the entire city, the whole country for that matter, may be out for some reason. Now, I’ve never seen this before, and I’ve got to admit I’ve never heard of it either. I know that doesn’t explain why we can’t see lights from a car, a truck, a campfire, or something. But, Steve, we’ll get this aircraft on the ground in just a few minutes, I assure you.

Flaps 10 degrees, I command.

I hear the familiar whine of flap actuators responding.

Both NAV needles move steadily toward the center of my HSI (horizontal situation indicator), verifying that we are on course. But to where? Lusaka, right?

Yes, Lusaka, our planned destination. It must be Lusaka, I tell myself.

"Glide slope alive, I continue. Give me gear down, flaps 20, and the Before Landing Checklist."

Roger, gear coming down, flaps 20, and the Before Landing Checklist.

Seconds later.

Flaps 40, please.

I hear the tremor in Steve’s voice. Flaps 40 selected, 40 indicated, the Before Landing Checklist is complete.

The sleek jet is all set for landing. No switches need to be moved again until safely on the ground—if we can find a runway. Making minor adjustments on the power levers and flight controls, I keep the speed at precisely 127 knots while adjusting heading and pitch to stay on course and on glide slope. I fly using reference to the instruments only, while Steve peers into the blackness, straining for any sign of an airport and cross-checking my every move.

The muscles in Steve’s face visibly tighten as he speaks.

"One thousand feet above minimums." Minimums means two hundred feet above the runway and the lowest altitude we can safely fly on instruments. Unless we can see a visible runway, we cannot descend below minimums . . . period.

With a feather-like touch on the power levers, I reduce speed a tad while turning right just one degree to stay on course, on speed, and on glide slope.

We will find this runway, on our first approach, I assure myself.

Five hundred feet above minimums.

Do you have visual? I feel my stomach tighten.

Negative. No visual. No ground contact. One hundred feet above minimums.

Steve shakes his head slowly.

Keep looking outside, Steve, but call minimums.

A few seconds pass, then Steve winces and barks, Minimums, minimums. No contact.

For a split second I tear my eyes away from the cockpit instruments to look outside just above the aircraft’s long slender nose. Directly ahead there should be a visible runway—only utter blackness stares back. That’s when my heart stops.

On the outside I appear calm and cool, but it’s only an act.

Forcing my mind to stay in control, I advance the throttles to go around thrust for the missed approach and pitch the aircraft up to a 15-degree nose-high attitude. My stomach cringes, knowing that the jet’s two engines are now guzzling our limited fuel reserves with the force of two fire hoses. At this altitude and with the high drag, we’re burning fuel four times faster than at cruise speed. Fuel, our aircraft’s life blood, is being sucked dry.

Fighting to keep my thoughts from running wild, Steve and I review our in-flight scenario. There are no clouds, no fog or weather of any kind, verified by the crescent-moon light reflecting off our jet’s shiny wings—all the way down to two hundred feet. With a population of over a million people, the city of Lusaka seems to have disappeared. Not a car or truck light is seen. There are no street lights or campfires. We are about down to fumes remaining in the fuel tanks, and at two hundred feet we see no runway—no airport—not even any trace of the ground.

It’s not just fear that silently strangles me. It’s total disbelief. And I can barely breathe.

The radios continue their silence.

In my sixteen years of flying jets and training pilots, I have never heard of this before. Are we way off course? If so, how far? Are we flying over water? Are we above some invisible layer of fog? Are the altimeters grossly in error? Nothing makes sense. My once-starched white-collared shirt is now damp and wilted, and my heart is racing.

In a voice just above a whisper I pray out loud, Lord, what should I do? You always answer prayer; so God, what should I do now?

While flying a worthless holding pattern twelve-thousand feet somewhere over Zambia, trying to sort out our in-flight midnight emergency, with only minutes of fuel remaining in the Learjet’s tanks, my mind flashes back to another flight . . . the life-changing airplane crash in which I was just a passenger—yet the only survivor.

The flight that changed how I see things.

The flight that changed me forever.

The single flight that has defined my very existence.

FRIDAY, JULY 18, 1969

I was nineteen.

It was before daybreak in my hometown of Los Alamitos, about half past four, and the sky was a dove gray with only a light feathering of low clouds. The morning paper had yet to arrive, but the day before, the LA Times announced: Astronauts Prepare Landing Craft as Apollo Nears Moon. The Apollo 11 flight had dominated the news that week. All eyes and ears were on the heavens, tracking the spacecraft’s every move, listening to its every transmission. The world was mesmerized. At the moment, though, most of my part of the world, Southern California, was asleep—oblivious to Apollo 11 speeding through space and oblivious to my MGB speeding through its streets on the way to Burbank Airport.[1]A lightweight dark green roadster, it could do 0 to 60 in just over eleven seconds.

What can I say? I was nineteen, with testosterone racing through my veins.

I was an athlete, playing shortstop for Pasadena College, and an aviator on my way to flying jets. I was a driven person, particularly at that time in my life. I went to school full time, played baseball, and worked at my family’s business, which manufactured redwood shavings, hauling truckloads off to various places in California for use in landscaping everything from freeways to golf courses. Since childhood I worked in the trucking division, loading and unloading trucks, and performing routine maintenance on the big rigs. Several times a week I came to the plant after hours, looking for some additional work. I often spent my evenings catching up on truck maintenance. Sometimes I would run the packaging machine or baler all night to fill an order for the next day. But most of the time I would drive an 18-wheeler all night long, filled with bulk redwood shavings, and usually returned just in time to make my morning classes. After paying my way through college, any time and money I had left I spent taking flying lessons at Brackett Air Service in La Verne.

Looking back, I don’t know how I did it. The why was easy. I wanted everything life had to offer. That meant logging a lot of hours in the classroom, on the playing field, and in the air. All of which took money. I wasn’t a trust-fund kid. I didn’t get an allowance. I didn’t get any help with school, let alone my extracurricular activities. Flying was expensive. Cars were expensive. School was expensive. And though my parents didn’t help financially, they did give me the opportunity to work as many hours as I wanted so I could earn the money to pay for

Reviews for Flight to Heaven

[mtnsk8tr · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

FLIGHT TO HEAVEN is an engrossing, well-written autobiographical account of Dale Black’s near-fatal place crash and subsequent recovery – both physical and spiritual. While Capt. Black goes into some detail about his near-death experience (NDE), what he actually *saw* in heaven (while fascinating) is secondary to what he *learned*. This is what I found most compelling about Dale Black’s story, and his life: how his NDE re-ordered his priorities and granted him God’s serenity. This small book, although unavoidably simplistic about the Christian walk because of its brevity, exudes love and compassion. I found it a comfort, and a refreshing change from the self-righteous judgmentalism that seems to be rampant in our society today. Kudos to co-author Ken Gire for helping Capt. Black weave together the threads into an engrossing, coherent narrative that is an eloquent witness to love.

[madcow299 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

I had a love hate relationship with Dale Black autobiography. On the one hand it is a story of one man’s powerful spiritual experience that changed his life and led him to dedicate himself to helping folks around the world with his gifts of piloting. He is a person who loves people and cares for others and tells a good story of growth and spiritual development after suffering a great personal tragedy.However, it is again one of those books that makes the most important experience the one that the individual has with God apart from others. It’s “you and me, Baby (God)” Christianity and faithfulness is measured by how much you love Jesus and feel all warm and fuzzy about your Christianity. I do not believe that reflects a true Christian experience, does not speak to a realistic faith experience and is not an experience that is even biblical. So in that respect, the story endlessly annoyed me. However, that said, it is an uplifting story, and for someone who wants an example of a fine personal relationship with God, and need a story to inspire them, it works great.

[pastorbob_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I wasn't sure where a book like this might go. I've read a few personal accounts of people's spiritual experiences, and at times been concerned that the person had allowed their personal experience to redefine their theology - and their suggestions for other people's theology. Subjective experiences are limited in what they can mean for everyone or anyone else. Dale Black is aware of this risk. His first words express his long term concerns that he not misappropriate his experience as have some others who've used their experiences or stories as a means to attention or an attempt at fame. Black's decision, instead, to try and live out his experience privately for forty years means that this book is interested more in the question of what to do now. While the book does describe his experience, it does so in the context of what was happening in his life and recovery outside of the spiritual experience itself. I think the book perhaps plays down Black's long term commitment to missions and Christian service - though I would have liked to hear more about where God has taken him. The story which frames the book is wonderful, but I do wish there was a bit more depth of reflection around the questions of God's sovereign hand.Saying that, I mean to suggest that the book is simply written, and so has the flavour of many of the simple Christian biographies and autobiographies that I've read. This book does not really contain the reflections of a theologian or philosopher; rather this is a factual account of a person's experiences and thoughts. The Christian thinking in the book is direct that way, and often the accounts of Black's interactions about Jesus and the Christian faith have that air of radical simplicity about them. This is the kind of book that a skeptical non-Christian may find a bit frustrating should they try to engage with it. You can hear them demanding: "All this wonderful spiritual experience and transformation and it turns into asking people if they know Jesus?!! That's it?!!" In response some conservative Christians might just reiterate the evangelistic question, some reflective Christians may engage in conversations of depth from that point, and some mature Christians will just nod with a slight smile. I would have liked a little more in terms of depth and reflectiveness, but knowing myself the experience of God's hand day to day, I could feel the way that Black has experienced God's hand guiding and providing as matter of practical daily reality. Sometimes I'm not sure I could actually say much more about it myself. I know what was, and what now is . . . and really that's all we can say. Dale Black says it faithfully. His vision was not about a bunch of secret spiritual insights, but was instead a powerful redirection to the God who gives insight. Dale is clearly a man more interested in walking with God than talking aimlessly about him, and that keeps this kind of account from wandering into the sort of speculations that can lead people astray, chasing experiences instead of the one who gives them.I do think something that would have made the work significantly more compelling would have been numerous photos from over the years. Pictures of his physical state after the crash and through recovery, of newspaper headlines or articles from the time, or even of the monument or aircraft would nail down any questions of credibility and for the skeptic who does engage . . . perhaps that would be good?Thanks Dale, for hearing God, for seeking his kingdom work first, and for being open to sharing your story. I was through it in two eager sittings, and was touched by it's sincerity and simplicity. May you fly for him again and again.

[breeks_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Interesting and provocative. A topic that often provokes much scepticism. However, a lot of what Dale had to deal with following his accident and the long recovery period especially I can relate with. Determination and the will to live with the the underpinning of faith in God can go a long way to producing positive results in a person's life. Dale has proved this in this account and I would acknowledge that fact.I enjoyed reading this book and the certain emotional level which it engendered in me. It is to be hoped that it would offer encouragement to some who seriously wonder about the circumstantial effects of life.

[lee8p · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I was given an advance copy of Flight to Heaven by a friend, having read no less than fifty books about life after death, heaven and NDE (near death experiences). Without doubt Flight to Heaven by Capt. Dale Black is the most comprehensive description of heaven I’ve ever read. The book kept me on the edge of my seat from cover to cover but the concepts regarding heaven were a little deep for me at first. The story was very credible, even to my critical mind, but as such, I was not able to fully comprehend the magnitude of the heavenly experience without reading those chapters twice. I strongly encourage anyone searching to understand more about the God and life hereafter to read this book. In fact, you should read it twice.

[kaykwilts · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

When I picked up this book I could not put it down until I had finished it all. At age 19 he was in a plane flight in which he survived only by the grace of God. Others in the same plane did not survive. It was indeed a miracle that he survived. For days after the wreck it did not look like he would pull through. For days he hovered between life and death. He experienced an after death experience but did not tell his story for some 40 years after the incident. He wanted his story to be focused on God and not him. He managed to focus on God entirely in the telling of his story. I highly recommend this book.

[pastorken-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

“Flight to Heaven” is a page-turner.This true story is both a page-turner and a faith-learner. The author tells how after being involved in a deadly plane crash in 1969, his life was irrevocably altered. The dramatic event took him on a journey that most of us have likely not yet taken—to heaven and back again. Cautioned by his grandfather not to commercialize his sacred experience, the author told no one else for almost 40 years. His subsequent physical struggles and growth in faith through having been given a glimpse of heaven are deeply inspiring. I highly recommend this true life account to everyone who desires to have their faith lifted just as it did mine.”Pastor K. CettonPark Terrace Baptist Church, Binghamton, NY

[ojchase · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I came to this book deeply skeptical. All too many people and books these days claim to have visited Heaven and yet their experiences do not match up to the revealed Word of God (e.g. entirely too many near-death-experiences taking place in Heaven instead of Hell).This book, however, I felt was different. Although it too could potentially be a hoax, it was written very differently. Heaven actually was only described for a couple chapters and was not a key plot point. (This could be because for a good chunk of the time, amnesia was preventing him from remembering what had happened.) The real book was about Captain Black's accident, recovery, and the ramifications in his life. And there did seem to be effects, a closer relationship to God, much more concern about others and their salvation, etc. I found myself thinking multiple times that if he were really to have gone to Heaven, these are exactly the types of responses you would expect. I'll give him the benefit of a doubt and allow God to work outside the box occasionally.(On the bad side, the book needs some editing work before general release, hence the 4.5 rating.)

[sparkle64 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

At age 19 Capt. Dale Black miraculously survived a horrific plane crash with extensive injuries. During his hospital recovery he experienced a visit to heaven. I was very excited to read this books as I am fascinated with peoples' accounts of their near death experiences. I find that there is a reoccurring similarity between accounts which I find reassuring. That is not the case in this book. The story reads pretty well at the beginning and the end of the book but I had trouble with his trip to heaven. It didn't flow like the rest of this book.If I was editing this book I would shorten the forward written by Paula Black as I feel it gives away to much of the story itself. It also sounds like opening remarks a lawyer would make at a court hearing in some places. Although I believe that his experiences are authentic as he remembers it, I felt disappointed in the actual book itself.

[making1949 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

"Flight to Heaven" will inevitably be compared to "90 Minutes in Heaven." I found "Flight to Heaven" more to my liking than "90 Minutes." While the description of heaven is not especially vivid, it evokes a feeling and impression in the reader. I preferred the emphasis on the change that a glimpse of heaven made on the author's life to the endless details of physical suffering that made up much of "90 Minutes." Having recently lost a loved one, I find myself searching for information about heaven. "Flight to Heaven" was a satisfying read.

[lcc_5 · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Flight to Heaven by Captain Dale BlackFlight to Heaven seriously needs a copyreader and editor--maybe a professional ghost writer could have saved this book, but I doubt it. Many typographical errors as well as syntax errors jar the reader’s sensibilities and create an unpleasant experience. The dialog does not help the plot as both are trite and silly. Black skips around chronologically with no apparent plan or reason and to ill effect as the time traveling is confusing rather than enlightening or interesting. Some events such as Black passing the physical for solo piloting when he was obviously not adequately healed must be true but lack credibility nevertheless. Black’s motivation for writing this book is to describe his after-death experience including a trip to heaven. Black’s description of heaven lacks imagination as it is the typical golden city with angels singing and great joy emanating from everywhere. I would never have continued reading had I not felt a commitment to Librarything and the free book evaluation policy.

[homerphillips · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Flight to Heaven is inspiring, encouraging and a testimony of what God can do when He is allowed to work in the life of an individual. Brilliantly written with profound truths inside, the book challenged me to trust more in a personal God who cares for me and my family. Anyone who wants to know more about a real God should read Flight to Heaven.

[jdorman1978 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

In "Flight To Heaven", Captain Dale Black has put to paper one of the most incredile stories of survival, recovery and faith that you will ever read, and that's before he even tells you about heaven. As a young pilot in training, Dale was a passenger in a small jet with two other experienced pilots. Just after takeoff, the plane clipped a grove of trees which diverted its path and they slammed into a seven-story monument known as "The Portal of The Folded Wings," which ironically is a memorial to famous aviators who have passed away. The other two pilots died from the impact of the crash, but Dale somehow survived and was rescued and brought to the hospital. What follows in the book is a two-sided story: one of recovery from massive and brutal injuries, and one of a brief but mesmerizing view of Heaven. Being somewhat of a skeptical person, I have generally held a cynical view of claims people have made about going to heaven temporarily and returning back to earth. However, after having the pleasure of meeting Dale and then reading his book, I have no doubt that his story is true. The man is the definition of genuine, and to me the most striking part of his story is that he waited 40 years to tell anyone about it. While some people have attempted to cash in or commercialize their out-of-body experiences, Dale kept his a secret from everyone except his grandfather for four decades. Imagine having experienced Heaven and not telling anyone about it! But this particular aspect of the story made me truly believe. As far as Dale's descriptions of heaven, they are truly breathtaking. I won't try to do them justice here or recap them, but rest assured that you will be mesmerized and inspired by his experience with the afterlife. It's hard to know what to say after reading it; but you will come away with a sense of awe and wonder, and longing to hear more about it. The other half of Dale's incredible story has to do with his physical recovery after his Heavenly experience. His injuries were so severe that most would not have survived at all. Evel Knievel's doctor was called in due to the nature of the injuries, and he took on a challange that most would have given up on. The relationship that grows between Dale and the doctor is one of the most touching parts of the book, and the ending of that subhead is gratifying. What comes across very clearly in reading about the injuries and recovery process is the depth of Dale's faith, even as a young man. He refused to give up in the face of insurmountable odds; even with setback after setback. However, Dale's story is also one of human doubts, and his frustration with God and doubt through the recovery are there, and this makes him all the more real. Who wouldn't doubt God through such an arduous and painful process? But God continued to show his power and plan to Dale through his recovery; and this is extremely interestin to read about. The way this book is written is phenomenal considering the subject matter; and it is definitely very difficult to put down. The ending to the story is incredible, and I won't give it away here. But you will come away with amazement at Dale's life and story, and also at his faith and God's faithfulness to him. An incredible person and an incredible story. Mr. John Dorman, Sr. Business Banker

[stpetersucc · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Like other authors who recall their experience in heaven, Capt Black also qualified his attempt at putting it into words - very restrictive. Black's description of heaven in "Flight To Heaven" is glorious! I believe I will reread these chapters about heaven many more times, to feel its sense of peace! Yet don't misinterpret anything here, I feel you must read this book from cover to cover to understand Black's human side. He struggled so unbelievably as a result of the accident - physically, emotionally and spiritually.---Ann

[Daniel Khoo · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It’s a good book but writing skills can be polished as there were too much information that didn’t need to be there... I skipped some chapters to the part where he tells of his experience to heaven.

[todd pierson · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Excellent story about crushing defeats and rising above. His deep profound faith and his testimony of visiting heaven is something you should read about. It's pretty amazing.

[Dora Kemirimo · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I loved the simplicity and the unfettered description of his struggle with pain and faith. It is very encouraging that like Psalmist writes in Psalm 23, indeed in the valley of the shadow of death, the Good Shepherd is present.

[terrigalb · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I couldn’t put this book down. I was in tears (of joy) a lot of the time. Very moving. This book has helped my faith and focus on God.

[okwudilidaniel_53497 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Fantastic and facinating book to ready. Our almighty God is full of compassion and loving kindness. He alone is sovereign. Praise and honour to his name forever, in Jesus Name.

[Jsdrivingby · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I enjoyed reading this book and it was a very quick read! It will encourage you and show you how one man chose to live his life for Christ with an eternal perspective built on sound Biblical truths. His experience and life is an encouragement for all!