Delta ― The History of an Airline

Beginning in the 1920s as a lowly crop-dusting operation in Louisiana, Delta Air Lines had, by its fiftieth anniversary, down to become one of the largest companies in the industry and one of the most consistently profitable. First published in 1979, this is a comprehensive account of the growth and development of Delta’s strategy and style, the steady expansion of its routes, its relationship with federal regulatory agencies, and the everchanging composition of its fleet. Because the underlying spirit of the Delta enterprise owed so much to its founder, C.E. Woolman, this is also an engaging portrait of the man who came to be classed alongside Eastern’s Eddie Rickenbacker and Pan American’s Juan Trippe as a pioneer of commercial aviation.

W. David Lewis (1931-2007) was a Distinguished University Professor at Auburn University. His books include Eddie Rickenbacker: An American Hero in the Twentieth Century. Wesley Phillips Newton (1925-2012) was a professor emeritus of history at Auburn University. His books include To Command the Sky: The Battle for Air Superiority Over Germany, 1942-1944 (coauthored with Stephen L. McFarland).