Fort Worth Meacham International Airport
Encyclopedia
Fort Worth Meacham International Airport (commonly referred to as Meacham Field) is an airport
in Fort Worth, Texas
. The airport is located at the intersection of Interstate 820 and U.S. Business Highway 287 in northwest Fort Worth, near the downtown business district. Meacham International Airport has two parallel
runways and a crosswind runway.
. From 1953 to present, Meacham Field has primarily been used for corporate aircraft, commuter flights, and student pilot training. Meacham Field was renamed in 1985 to become Fort Worth Meacham Airport, and in 1995 the name changed again to Fort Worth Meacham International Airport.
Since the 1953 exodus of scheduled carriers to Carter Field, seven airlines have tried to operate scheduled commercial passenger flights from Meacham. None lasted more than a couple of years. In chronological order, these airlines were:
In 2001, Continental Airlines
announced plans for Continental Express
regional flights between Meacham and Houston Intercontinental Airport
but this project was abandoned in the wake of the downturn in the aviation industry following the September 11, 2001, attacks. In April 2006, low-cost carrier Skybus Airlines
expressed interest in operating out of the airfield as it started operations in 2007. Due to Skybus folding and the Wright Amendment
not fully repealing until 2014 this service will never happen.
(ATK) and Texas Aviation Services http://www.texasaviationservices.com/. An aviation museum (open weekends and by appointment during the week) is located in Hangar 33 on the airport's south side, at the end of Ellis Street. The terminal building houses several ATK employees, some Fort Worth city departments (mainly Aviation and Housing Development), a branch of Enterprise Rent-A-Car
, and several aviation related businesses. The Civil Air Patrol
operates two squadrons at Meacham, the Fort Worth Senior Squadron, and the Phoenix Composite Squadron.
had its headquarters on the property of the airport.
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
in Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth, Texas
Fort Worth is the 16th-largest city in the United States of America and the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas. Located in North Central Texas, just southeast of the Texas Panhandle, the city is a cultural gateway into the American West and covers nearly in Tarrant, Parker, Denton, and...
. The airport is located at the intersection of Interstate 820 and U.S. Business Highway 287 in northwest Fort Worth, near the downtown business district. Meacham International Airport has two parallel
Parallel (geometry)
Parallelism is a term in geometry and in everyday life that refers to a property in Euclidean space of two or more lines or planes, or a combination of these. The assumed existence and properties of parallel lines are the basis of Euclid's parallel postulate. Two lines in a plane that do not...
runways and a crosswind runway.
History
Meacham Field was purchased by the city of Fort Worth on July 3, 1925, named Fort Worth Municipal Airport. In 1927, the airport was renamed Meacham Field. American Airways moved its headquarters to Meacham Field in the early 1930s. The airport served the scheduled commercial airline service needs of the Fort Worth area until 1953, when Fort Worth transferred all commercial flights to Amon Carter Field, later known as the Greater Southwest International AirportGreater Southwest International Airport
Greater Southwest International Airport was the commercial airport serving Fort Worth, Texas from 1953 until 1972. Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport opened in 1974 on property adjacent to the north side of the airport.-Early history:...
. From 1953 to present, Meacham Field has primarily been used for corporate aircraft, commuter flights, and student pilot training. Meacham Field was renamed in 1985 to become Fort Worth Meacham Airport, and in 1995 the name changed again to Fort Worth Meacham International Airport.
Since the 1953 exodus of scheduled carriers to Carter Field, seven airlines have tried to operate scheduled commercial passenger flights from Meacham. None lasted more than a couple of years. In chronological order, these airlines were:
- Air Texas (1968–1970) flew Beechcraft Model 99Beechcraft Model 99|-See also:-External links:*...
and Beechcraft Queen Air turboprops from Meacham to Austin and Houston - Tejas Airlines (1979–80) flew Fairchild Swearingen MetrolinerFairchild Swearingen MetrolinerThe Fairchild Swearingen Metroliner or the Fairchild Aerospace Metro is a 19-seat, pressurised, twin turboprop airliner first produced by Swearingen Aircraft and later by Fairchild at a plant in San Antonio, Texas, United States....
turboprops to Austin, Houston, Corpus Christi, San Antonio, and Laredo - Metro AirlinesMetro AirlinesMetro Airlines, originally Houston Metro Airlines, was a commuter airline that was originally headquartered in Houston, Texas, United States, while at a later time it was headquartered on the grounds of Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and in Grapevine, Texas...
(1979–81) flew DHC-6 Twin OttersDe Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin OtterThe DHC-6 Twin Otter is a Canadian 19-passenger STOL utility aircraft developed by de Havilland Canada and currently produced by Viking Air. The aircraft's fixed tricycle undercarriage, STOL abilities and high rate of climb have made it a successful cargo, regional passenger airliner and MEDEVAC... - Texas Star Airlines (1981–83) connected Meacham to both Austin and Wichita Falls
- Fort Worth AirlinesFort Worth AirlinesFort Worth Airlines was an airline headquartered at Meacham Field in Fort Worth, Texas, United States. In 1985 the airline had been newly established. It flew to Hobby Airport in Houston from Fort Worth and from Austin to San Antonio. Fort Worth Airlines leased four NAMC YS-11s from Mid Pacific...
(1984–85) flew NAMC YS-11NAMC YS-11The NAMC YS-11 is a turboprop airliner built by a Japanese consortium, the Nihon Aircraft Manufacturing Corporation. The program was initiated by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry in 1954, the aircraft was rolled out in 1962, and production ceased in 1974.-Development and design:In...
turboprops - Exec Express Airlines (1987–88), later known as Lone Star AirlinesLone Star AirlinesLone Star Airlines was an American regional airline that operated both domestic and international flights. For much of the airline's life its headquarters were located in the Fort Worth Stockyards in Fort Worth, Texas. The airline's largest hub was located at Dallas-Fort Worth International...
, flew Dornier Do 228Dornier Do 228The Dornier 228 is a twin-turboprop STOL utility aircraft, manufactured by Dornier GmbH from 1981 until 1998. In 1983, Hindustan Aeronautics bought a production licence and manufactures the 228 for the Asian market sphere. Approximately 270 Do 228 were built at Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany and...
turboprops - Mesa AirlinesMesa AirlinesMesa Airlines, Inc. is an American regional airline based in Phoenix, Arizona. It is a FAA Part 121 certificated air carrier operating under air carrier certificate number MASA036A issued on June 29, 1979. It is a subsidiary of Mesa Air Group. It was known briefly as Mountain West Airlines from...
(1997–98) flew Bombardier CRJ jets
In 2001, Continental Airlines
Continental Airlines
Continental Airlines was a major American airline now merged with United Airlines. On May 3, 2010, Continental Airlines, Inc. and UAL, Inc. announced a merger via a stock swap, and on October 1, 2010, the merger closed and UAL changed its name to United Continental Holdings, Inc...
announced plans for Continental Express
Continental Express
Continental Express is the operating brand name used by a number of independently owned regional airlines providing regional jet feeder service under agreement with Continental Airlines...
regional flights between Meacham and Houston Intercontinental Airport
George Bush Intercontinental Airport
George Bush Intercontinental Airport, is a Class B international airport in Houston, Texas, serving the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area, the sixth-largest metropolitan area in the United States. Located north of Downtown Houston between Interstate 45 and U.S. Highway 59...
but this project was abandoned in the wake of the downturn in the aviation industry following the September 11, 2001, attacks. In April 2006, low-cost carrier Skybus Airlines
Skybus Airlines
Skybus Airlines Inc. was a privately held airline based in Columbus, Ohio, United States. It operated as an ultra-low-cost carrier modeled after the European airline Ryanair, and aimed to be the least expensive airline in the United States...
expressed interest in operating out of the airfield as it started operations in 2007. Due to Skybus folding and the Wright Amendment
Wright Amendment
The Wright Amendment of 1979 is a federal law governing traffic at Dallas Love Field, an airport in Dallas, Texas. It originally limited most nonstop flights to destinations within Texas and neighboring states. The limits began phasing out in 1997 and 2005...
not fully repealing until 2014 this service will never happen.
Current operations
Meacham is currently used for general aviation purposes. Several companies operate aircraft services on the airport property, including a division of the U.S. defense contractor Alliant TechsystemsAlliant Techsystems
Alliant Techsystems Inc., most commonly known by its ticker symbol, ', is one of the largest aerospace and defense companies in the United States with more than 18,000 employees in 22 states, Puerto Rico and internationally, and 2010 revenues in excess of an estimated...
(ATK) and Texas Aviation Services http://www.texasaviationservices.com/. An aviation museum (open weekends and by appointment during the week) is located in Hangar 33 on the airport's south side, at the end of Ellis Street. The terminal building houses several ATK employees, some Fort Worth city departments (mainly Aviation and Housing Development), a branch of Enterprise Rent-A-Car
Enterprise Rent-A-Car
Enterprise Holdings, Inc. is a privately held company formed in 2009 to operate rental car subsidiaries: Enterprise Rent-A-Car, National Car Rental, Alamo Rent A Car, WeCar and its commercial fleet management, used car sales, and commercial truck rental operations.Enterprise Holdings was formed as...
, and several aviation related businesses. The Civil Air Patrol
Civil Air Patrol
Civil Air Patrol is a Congressionally chartered, federally supported, non-profit corporation that serves as the official civilian auxiliary of the United States Air Force . CAP is a volunteer organization with an aviation-minded membership that includes people from all backgrounds, lifestyles, and...
operates two squadrons at Meacham, the Fort Worth Senior Squadron, and the Phoenix Composite Squadron.
Destinations and Airlines
Other facilities
At one time Fort Worth AirlinesFort Worth Airlines
Fort Worth Airlines was an airline headquartered at Meacham Field in Fort Worth, Texas, United States. In 1985 the airline had been newly established. It flew to Hobby Airport in Houston from Fort Worth and from Austin to San Antonio. Fort Worth Airlines leased four NAMC YS-11s from Mid Pacific...
had its headquarters on the property of the airport.
External links
- http://www.skymavs.com/
- http://www.skymavs.com/pilot-training
- Fort Worth Meacham International Airport
- Epic Helicopters LLC
- Civil Air Patrol, Phoenix Composite Squadron