Speed, safety, and comfort : the origins of Delta Air Lines / James John Hoogerwerf.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Hoogerwerf, James John, author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Delta Air Lines--History.

Delta Air Lines.

Airlines--United States--History.

Airlines.

Aerial spraying and dusting in agriculture--Southern States.

Aerial spraying and dusting in agriculture.

Southern States.

United States.

Genre:

History

Physical Description:

xi, 180 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

[S.l.] : LOUISIANA STATE UNIV PR, 2023.

Baton Rouge : Louisiana State University Press, [2023]

Summary:

"In Speed, Safety, and Comfort: The Origins of Delta Air Lines, former Delta Boeing 767 captain and aviation historian James John Hoogerwerf traces the evolution and growth of one of America's most successful airlines. Delta's story began during the early twentieth century with the fight against the cotton-devouring boll weevil, which devastated the southern economy and compelled scientists to formulate calcium arsenate powder to eradicate the invasive pest. To aid in the elimination effort, Huff Daland Dusters, a military aircraft manufacturer, constructed the first plane specifically designed to dispense the poison from the air. The crop duster proved so effective that the company rebranded as Delta Air Service in 1925, focusing more on providing commercial services, including the transport of government mail and a variety of goods. Four years later, Delta began flying its first passengers from its hub in Monroe, Louisiana, eventually establishing routes crisscrossing the southeastern United States. By the eve of World War II, the firm had assumed the familiar Delta Air Lines name and boasted forward-thinking management, a modern fleet of aircraft, and increased revenue from passenger ticket sales. Now headquartered in Atlanta, Delta counts itself among the oldest and largest airlines in the world, with nearly 90,000 employees and more than 5,400 flights per day. Delta's expansion and survival are anomalies in an industry historically dominated by government and special interests. Hoogerwerf's masterful history of Delta's beginnings underscores the company's contribution to agriculture, southern industrialization, and the development of commercial aviation in the United States"-- Provided by publisher.

Contents:

The South, Cotton, and the Boll Weevil

Dusting from the Air

A Corporate Pioneer in the Delta

The Eagle and the Condor

Harold Ross Harris's Insight

Airmail and the West Coast Project

Metamorphosis

Delta Air Service, Inc.

Branching Out.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Other Format:

Online version: Hoogerwerf, James John. Speed, safety, and comfort

ISBN:

9780807180075

0807180076

OCLC:

1389489213

Publisher Number:

99994815746