The first Boeing 767 for Delta was a special aircraft for the airline. In fact, Delta's employees bought the aircraft for Delta as a gesture of appreciation. When its first Boeing 767 was delivered in 1982, Delta faced some tough times. However, their employees bound together and sought to keep Delta flying for years to come with a special gift.

"Project 767"

In 1982, Delta Air Lines posted its first net loss in 35 years to the tune of $17 million. At the time, the airline industry was struggling due to a weak economy and high fuel prices. Beyond that, airline deregulation created a competitive market. Delta's employees, however, were unwilling to let the airline fail.

Unlike other carriers in the US that were cutting their workforces, Delta had actually granted its workers an 8.5% pay rise during the testing times. Having benefited from such generosity, Delta employees wanted to help the airline out in any way they could.

Spearheaded by three Delta flight attendants - Diane Carvelli, Ginny Oxford, and Jean Owens - a fundraising effort was made to purchase a brand-new aircraft to help the airline return to profitability. At the end of it all, over 18,000 Delta employees agreed to contribute 2.5% of their annual salaries - aided by friends and retired Delta employees, the drive raised $30 million to finance the new aircraft.

As reported by Business Insider, Carvelli said in 2022,

"We were amazed at how many people volunteered. Delta people are special folks. Every department, every place — when they work together, they can do pretty wonderful things."

The chosen plane was the Boeing 767-200, which was set to make its debut in September 1982 with United Airlines. Delta's employee-funded 767 was delivered to the carrier later that year and would be formally welcomed at an event just before Christmas.

On December 15th, 1982, 7,000 employees gathered at a celebration to christen Ship 102. The Boeing 767-200 was fittingly named "The Spirit of Delta".

After this ceremony, the 767 flew its inaugural service flight from Delta's main hub in Atlanta to Tampa, Florida. This leisure route was a huge market for Delta and still is to this day. The aircraft was configured in a 204-seat layout, with a focus on leisure routes with its 18 first class seats and 186 main cabin seats.

Ready for retirement

At the end of Ship 102's life, the aircraft had seen many phases of Delta. The aircraft was painted in special liveries that included a celebration of the 1996 Olympics held in Atlanta. In addition, in 2004, the Spirit of Delta flew in a 75th Anniversary livery as the natural choice to receive the special livery.

spirit of delta graphic
Photo: Delta

At the end of its in-service life, the time came for retirement. In February 2006, the Spirit of Delta left service after 70,697 hours in the air. This comprised 34,389 trip cycles.

To give the plane a fitting send-off, Delta painted the plane in its original 1982 livery and embarked on a two-week farewell tour across the country from February 21st to March 6th, 2006, stopping in 12 destinations. The Spirit of Delta was ready to receive a new life as a showpiece at Delta's museum.

Transition to a museum

The aircraft now resides in Historic Hangar 2 at the Delta Flight Museum. On the inside, Delta rejigged the aircraft to serve as a museum exhibit. The first half of the aircraft is left intact so that visitors can revisit the old Delta experience and try out the seats in first and main cabin classes. In addition, there is a model galley with figures in Delta's uniforms.

However, the back half of the aircraft was gutted and revamped to serve as a museum highlighting the story of the Spirit of Delta. In the back half of the aircraft, the exhibit boasts artifacts including uniforms and toys from the flight experience.

In 2019, the museum itself received over 108,000 visitors. These visitors came both as tourists and to participate in various events held at the Delta Flight Museum.

The impact of the Boeing 767

The Boeing 767-200 was one of the most modern and advanced jets to enter Delta's fleet in the early 1980s. Improvements on traditional aircraft designs included an advanced wing design that allowed for efficient lift and a faster climb to cruising altitude.

The aircraft was 30% more efficient than the jets the 767 replaced. Furthermore, passengers could pass the ride in comfort as the 767 was quieter than older aircraft. In the cockpit, a digital glass cockpit composed of 40 computers provided the pilots with an advanced, modern flight experience - the cockpit was also very similar to Delta's Boeing 757s, allowing its pilots to seamlessly transition between types.

Delta Air Lines Boeing 767-400ER
Photo: Markus Mainka I Shutterstock

Delta seemed to love the Boeing 767-200 since they ordered the extended range 767-300ER and later Boeing 767-400ER. Currently, Delta operates a significant number of these aircraft - 45 767-300ERs and 21 767-400ERs - on key long-haul and premium domestic routes, while the Boeing 767-200 mainly flew on intermediate and transcontinental routes. Delta operated a total of 15 767-200s for over two decades, retiring its last of the type in April 2007.

The culture at Delta

For the airline, the Spirit of Delta is a major representation of the culture at Delta. Reflecting on Delta's history, CEO Ed Bastian had the following to say:

When I think of everything we’ve achieved to reach a position of leadership in this industry – when so many other airlines didn’t survive - I always come back to our people. They’re the best, and they’ve kept our culture alive and thriving through every challenge we’ve faced. With the Delta people behind us, I truly believe our best days as a company are still ahead.

Oftentimes, the culture at an airline can become distorted when there is distrust or disenchantment with the job. Many airlines have built a reputation based on the demeanor of their employees and Delta strives to do the same. Ship 102 is a testament to the resilience and support of Delta's employees.

Delta Air Lines flight attendants working in the main cabin.
Photo: Delta Air Lines

Simple Flying would like to acknowledge the support and efforts of Delta's media team to get us in contact with specialists at the Delta Flight Museum. A special thanks goes out to Tiffany Meng, Director – Delta Flight Museum Operations for providing us with further details on the nature of Ship 102, the "Spirit of Delta".

What are your thoughts on this story and what it represents? Have you ever heard of something similar occurring at other airlines? Let us know in the comments.

Source: Delta Flight Museum, Business Insider

  • Delta A350
    Delta Air Lines
    IATA/ICAO Code:
    DL/DAL
    Airline Type:
    Full Service Carrier
    Hub(s):
    Boston Logan International Airport, Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Los Angeles International Airport, Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, New York JFK Airport, LaGuardia Airport, Salt Lake City International Airport, Seattle-Tacoma International Airport
    Year Founded:
    1929
    Alliance:
    SkyTeam
    CEO:
    Ed Bastian
    Country:
    United States