Former Employees, Sick Children Along For Ride Around New
York
It's official: a piece of aviation history will soon be put to
pasture... or, more accurately, in a museum. "The Spirit of Delta,"
the first 767-200 delivered to Delta Air Lines and still the only
airliner ever purchased for an airline by its employees, will soon
be heading to Atlanta as permanent fixture at the Delta Air
Transport Heritage Museum.
Before that happens, however, "The Spirit of Delta" has embarked
on a 10-city farewell tour. Last week, the airliner made a stop at
New York's Kennedy Airport for a heartfelt farewell, that also gave
a few passengers a much-needed lift in spirit.
"It really brought the morale up. It was actually pretty
wonderful," said flight attendant Cathy Sue Ellis, 51, about the
aircraft's original dedication in 1982. Ellis worked in the
aircraft's rear galley on last Thursday's one-hour flight around
New York.
"I was back there crying," she told the New York Daily News. "I
feel blessed and happy that I got here."
Also along for the ride were Delta executives and employees --
but the flight may not have been as important to any of them, than
it was to a number of children also onboard the plane. The young
guests of the airline are undergoing medical treatments at Beth
Israel Medical Center, or are staying at the Ronald McDonald House
while they fight cancer.
"Wow! That was
amazing," said 5-year-old asthma patient Mario David, after
checking out the pilots' cabin. "It was great."
"She was pretty excited," said Rosalyn Jiminez about her
daughter, Ashley Santiago. Both were along for the ride that gave
Ashley much-needed break from treatments for hydrocephalus and
spina bifida. "It's been stressful at times not having the comfort
of your home."
Several onlookers also gathered on the ground for a glimpse of
the 767 as it flew overhead... a feat made nearly impossible by
overcast skies and near-zero visibility. Those who may have
initially been disappointed, however, received a pleasant surprise
when the pilots were granted permission to make a low pass over the
runway.
After landing, the airplane received a water cannon salute from
two firetrucks -- an honorarium usually reserved for retiring
pilots.
As Aero-News reported last
October, "The Spirit Of Delta" was purchased by
employees who voluntarily donated to Project 767 in the spring of
1982. The project, dreamed up by two flight attendants, was to show
gratitude to airline management at the time who honored their
previous promise to give employees a raise -- even after the
airline posted its first quarterly loss.
Sadly, it wasn't the last... and with Delta now locked in bitter
negotiations with its workers for concessions to help the carrier
emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy, it's also unlikely we'll ever
see another employee-bought aircraft flying in Delta colors.
Still... last Thursday, Delta's current woes seemed the furthest
from anyone's mind.
"I got a model of this airplane [when] I was 15 years old,"
First Officer Benjamin Courtright said after landing. "So this is
one of the highlights of my whole career."