Collett Everman Woolman credited as founder of Delta Air Lines

Collett Everman Woolman, a Louisiana‑based agricultural extension agent, is widely recognized for turning the crop‑dusting firm Huff Daland Dusters into the airline that became Delta Air Lines. In 1924 Woolman helped move Huff Daland Dusters to Monroe, Louisiana, and later became its vice president and general manager.

In 1928 Woolman and a group of investors purchased Huff Daland Dusters, renamed it Delta Air Corporation, and shifted its focus from aerial dusting to passenger service. The airline launched its first passenger flight on December 3, 1928, carrying five passengers between Dallas and Jackson, Mississippi, marking the beginning of Delta Air Lines as a commercial carrier.