June 17th

”Jun 17, 1929: Delta Air Service made its first passenger flight, with a six-passenger Travel Air, from Dallas, Tex., to Monroe, La. As it broadened its passenger operations, the company (which originated as an aerial crop dusting operation, the Huff Daland Dusters) changed its name to Delta Air Corporation and then, in 1945, to Delta Air Lines. On May 1, 1953, Chicago and Southern Airlines merged into Delta.

That excerpt if from the FAA Historical Chronology, 1926-1996. Don’t worry, the link only takes you to the page from which you can download it. It’s an interesting book. I actually have a hard copy I wrangled out of the FAA many years ago. I think I’ll start sharing bits of it with you on a regular basis.

Oh, and congratulations Delta. Glad you’re still around.

Don Brown
June 17, 2007