Delta part of grant $6.2M to Auburn

Delta Air Lines, the Delta Air Lines Foundation and the Jacobson Family Foundation provided a $6.2-million grant to Auburn University (AU) in a partnership to develop the next generation of pilots. The grant will fund AU’s new Delta Air Lines Aviation Education Building that will open this fall, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) lab and create endowed faculty professorships for AU's Department of Aviation.

The investment in the RFID Lab will provide a dedicated Delta Air Lines Aviation Sensor ID Bay to facilitate research and create an experiential learning center that will include executive, student and industry teaching capabilities. Delta's support will grow the lab’s RFID applications and its contributions to sensor technology solutions across aviation.

"Delta is revolutionizing the way we teach aviation at Auburn," said Bill Hutto, interim chair of AU's Department of Aviation and director of the AU Regional Airport and AU Aviation Center.

Delta recently selected AU as one of eight colleges nationwide to launch the Delta Propel Pilot Career Path Program to help identify, select and develop the next generation of pilots. (Read more about the Delta Propel Pilot Career Path Program).