Delta's "Mother Malone"

[dispatchguy]

For those crews who may not have heard...

Pat Malone, who retired from Delta in 1994 after a 50-year career in the aviation industry, spent most of her long career training pilots. Saturday, many of her pilots came out in uniform to pay their last respects during her funeral. She died last Monday from complications following an automobile accident. Pat was 84 and had been nominated to the Georgia Aviation Hall of Fame. “The past few days have given me an opportunity to reflect on Pat's lifelong contributions to aviation and what she’s meant to Delta Air Lines, especially her everlasting impact on our pilot group’s proud legacy,” said Steve Dickson, s.v.p.-Flight Operations. “Perhaps their numerous heartfelt testimonials encapsulate it best, that as she so proudly boasted, they will always be ‘her pilots’ and ‘her captains.’ Unquestionably, she will be missed, but never forgotten. Our thoughts and prayers remain with her family.” Pat earned the nickname, Mother Malone, from the many Delta pilots she taught operations specifications, flight safety issues, and crew resource management for more than 20 years. After retirement, Pat continued to work with Delta, serving as president of the Delta Pioneers retiree organization, volunteering and helping to gain support for a variety of issues affecting Delta people. A large group of uniformed Delta pilots, other employees, retirees and other friends from the aviation industry attended her memorial service Saturday near Atlanta. An application to induct Pat Malone has been submitted to the Georgia Aviation Hall of Fame. It includes letters of support from 35 pilots.

http://www.ajc.com/metro/content/metro/obits/stories/2008/08/16/pat_malone_obituary.html