Delta Flight Museum

Dusty decided to take a walk around Hangar One, lots of surprises and photos ops for his page (this is his page now) 🦁

Today, on August 26th, we’re celebrating Women’s Equality Day — not just in aviation, but in every day life across the globe 🌎✈️

We wanted to highlight some of the women of Delta’s history — from the 1920s through today.



1980s Customer Service at Delta Hub

1950s — helping a customer at the Information Center

In 1973, Joy Walker walked onto Delta’s flight deck and changed it forever, becoming Delta’s first female pilot — when there were only around 300 in the United States (mid 1970s).

Delta promoted Walker to captain on October 17, 1988, and she continued to fly for the airline until she retired in 2002.

Over a 29-year career, she pushed through a cockpit culture that had never made room for a woman before her, and made room for thousands who came after. Walker now stays committed to encouraging women to pursue careers in aviation through her participation in Women in Aviation International (WAI) programs.

Portrait of Joy Walker

Cathrine Fitzgerald, without her, we wouldn’t have our name. Fitzgerald was a trusted associate of Delta’s founder in the 1920s, and it was her idea to name the airline after the Mississippi Delta, home to Huff Daland Dusters, the crop-dusting operation that became Delta Air Lines.

She went on to serve on Delta’s Board of Directors from 1930 to 1934, a rare seat for a woman to hold at the time. 100 years later, her name is still written across the sky.

Portrait of Cathrine Fitzgerald (1955)

1980s — TechOps

In January 2001, Dana Nelson became the first African-American female pilot hired by Delta Air Lines.

A U.S. Air Force Academy graduate and Air Force Reserve veteran who flew tankers for over a decade before joining Delta, she started on the Boeing 737-200 out of Orlando and has since flown the 757/767 out of Atlanta and New York.

“There is always a spark in young girls’ eyes when they realize there is a woman flying the plane.”

Patricia “Mother” Malone. Born July 4, 1924, Malone trained Navy pilots as a Link Instrument Instructor during WWII before spending decades teaching commercial aviators — joining Delta in the 1972 Northeast Airlines merger.

She retired in 1994 after more tha

Make sure to check out our new merch releases in-person at the museum (and our online shop too) and be in a hehe mood 🛍️

Nothing a little Delta Flight Museum visit can’t fix 😉✈️