How do you use the Prince of Death for very early game expansion?

[tinkthank]

I have read many Posts singing the praises of a PoD as an SC and as an early-game expander. I would like to know how. Isn't he a little fragile to risk letting loose naked on Indy 6+? Even with backup?

Let's say you get two turns of research in and can have a level-1 path researched by turn 3, but not construction-2. So he gets trinkets. And the backing army of whatever nation. What do you do with him?

I am toying with the idea of a death4 air4 PoD, but only under the premise that he can dish out sufficient quantities of naughtiness very early game (