Dr. D'Elia has long had an interest in aviation, and has served as consultant to several aircraft equipment manufactures regarding the examination of test pilots. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Dr. D'Elia participated in research that resulted in the modification of the Age-60 Rule allowing pilots to continue flying after age 60. He has published on issues related to the assessment of cognitive functioning in aging pilots and has consulted for the FAA.

Regarding Dr. D'Elia's connection to Edwards Air Force Base, he is the legal custodian of the Estate of Pancho Barnes, and through Pancho Barnes Enterprises, Inc., owns the copyrights and trademarks related to Pancho Barnes and her various businesses.

Pancho Barnes was one of the first licensed female pilots in the USA, was Hollywood's first woman stunt pilot, helped found one of the first unions in Hollywood, and was the first female test pilot in 1929 for Lockheed Corporation.

However, Pancho Barnes is perhaps best remembered as the proprietress of the famous 'Happy Bottom Riding Club' out where Edwards Air Force Base now exists. The Club was on the property of her Rancho Oro Verde, and was created so that her test pilot friends, who risked death every day, could have a place where they could relax, meet with all their friends in a fun atmosphere with good food and drinks, play horseshoes, go horse back riding, swimming and listen to great live performances of country swing music, and thereby escape the pressures of the day. She felt it was her patriotic duty to help her friends de-stress, and thereby help improve performance and morale back at the Base.

Pancho established her business as a Club because, during and shortly after the WWII, enlisted men and women had to stay in uniform at all times when they were off the Base so that they could be easily identified and ready for active duty on short notice. The only exception to this rule was if an enlisted man or woman was involved in sports activities or at a sporting Club. Pancho decided to name her place the Happy Bottom Riding Club after General Jimmy Doolittle told her that her horses had the best saddles in the Antelope Valley.

Pancho Barnes is considered the mother of Edwards Air Force Base. 

Pancho Barnes was immortalized in Tom Wolfe's book "The Right Stuff" and was the subject of a CBS movie of the week, starring Valerie Bertinelli, and a more recent PBS Emmy Award winning documentary titled "The Legend of Pancho Barnes and the Happy Bottom Riding Club" with the voice of Pancho Barnes played by Kathy Bates.