March 3, 2006 The Spirit of Delta makes final trip to Atlanta After an airport flyby with Delta's World Headquarters clearly in view, Ship 102 rounded the corner at B36 at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on March 3 under a water cannon salute and greeted by Delta employees cheering on the ramp and inside the gatehouse. The Spirit of Delta was making its way home. After an 11-city trip to round out its Farewell Tour, the Boeing 767 purchased by employees, retirees and friends of Delta, pulled up to the gate where a couple of hundred employees, retirees and supporters gathered for the send-off and then some enjoyed one of few remaining circle flights around the airport. "While our 767-200 fleet is gone, we decided no matter how much our creditors' wanted it, we were going to keep [Ship 102]," said Jerry Grinstein, CEO during the event. "We felt that it could not go away." Several special guests joined the celebration including former Atlanta Mayor Andrew Young — who said his first formal act with Delta was pleading with Congress to let Delta give its employees more money. Thrilled that the company gave employees raises then, three flight attendants spearheaded Project 767 and Delta employees raised $30 million to pay for the aircraft. Two of the three flight attendants, Diane Carvelli and Ginny Whitfield-Oxford were present. So was Adam Peppers, who as a 6-year-old offered former CEO Dave Garrett the quarter in his pocket to help pay for the aircraft instead of buying a pack of gum. Tears were shed during that celebration in 1982 by his generosity as they were Friday when Grinstein repeated that story and introduced Adam Peppers — who offered Grinstein another shiny quarter. The Spirit of Delta has been repainted to its original livery and will be reconfigured to feature a video viewing area, an exhibit area, and a presentation room for employees to enjoy. The retirement will culminate with a ceremony in April when the aircraft is carefully towed from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport along public roadways to Historic Hangar II at the Delta Heritage Museum at World Headquarters. The aircraft will retire adjacent to Ship 41, the first Douglas DC-3 to carry Delta passengers in 1940, and a 1931 Travel Air, symbolizing Delta's first passenger aircraft. Grinstein said. "Welcome home 102. We're delighted to have you here. It's a lasting tribute to what everyone is doing."
March 6, 2006 The Spirit of Delta on its final flights For The Spirit of Delta's very last day of flight, an all-TOC flight took off at 9am with many of the original contributors to Project 767 and Delta TOC employees who have kept Ship 102 flying for the last twenty-three years. Later that day at 11:00 am, Museum donors, Delta employees, retirees, friends and family all came out for two more memorable flights with Captain Joe Kolshak at the helm. Due to some windy weather, there were a few passengers who wound up slightly green, but the amazing low flying views of Stone Mountain made it all worth while. On the 1:00 pm flight the flyby was amazingly close to the runway and then turned to head over the GO at an incredible 180 feet above the heads of our coworkers! With a quick pull up and a 20 degree bank (which felt like a 45 degree bank) we launched high above the Renaissance Hotel and headed back in for the final landing of Ship 102.
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