Meacham International Airport, originally called Fort Worth Airport, was established in 1914 to serve the United States Army Airways. The site was leased to the Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, which subleased it to the federal government.

When World War II started, Meacham Field became part of the U.S. Navy’s network to move fighter planes and torpedo bombers built in New England across the country to the Pacific fleet.

The airport handled 80,576 military aircraft in 1944 and another 63,540 in 1945.

Ferris Ormand “F.O.” Heffley (Zach’s Grandfather) enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Corps in December 1941, alongside his brother. During his service, F.O. completed 24 combat missions. On his 25th mission, his aircraft was shot down, and he was captured, becoming a prisoner of war (POW).

F. O. Heffley was employed at Meacham in October of 1946, working on avionics in DC-3s. In 1948 he started his pilot career for Delta where he met is wife (a Delta stewardess) at Meacham.

Great grandfather, Floyd Heffley, worked at Meacham building hangars for Heffley Avioincs.

In 1978, Lynn Heffley, son of F.O. Heffley, began his career as a pilot, flying for a life insurance company and other corporate employers. He eventually retired from corporate aviation as a pilot for XTO Energy. Although officially retired from the corporate world, Lynn remains an active and dedicated aviator. He continues to fly regularly in private aviation, based out of Meacham International Airport.

Zachery Heffley began his aviation career in 2004 with Flight Services, proudly following in the footsteps of his father, Lynn Heffley. Over the next two decades, Zach held multiple roles in aviation, including pilot and chief pilot, building a respected reputation in the industry.

Alongside his professional work, Zach also made a name for himself in competitive aerobatics. He was a member of the U.S. Aerobatic Team in 2005 – 2007, placed three times in the U.S. National Aerobatic Championships, and won the 4-minute Freestyle event multiple times.

Zach is named the World Freestyle Aerobatic Champion in Granada, Spain.

Heffley Aviation opened offices at Meacham, focusing on aircraft management and brokerage.

In 2021, William (Liam) Heffley, son of Zach Heffley, completed his first solo flight on February 8. Liam gained valuable FBO experience working with American Aero and has continued to advance his career in private aviation, flying for various entities across the industry.

In 2025, Heffley Aviation expanded operations to Hangar 17N at Meacham International Airport, strengthening our focus on delivering trusted partnerships in aircraft management. Our commitment remains rooted in integrity, transparency, and reliability – ensuring every client receives service they can depend on.