Texas Border Business
By Roberto Hugo González
In 1946, when the dust of World War II had just begun to settle, J.F. “Mac” McCreery stood at a crossroads many veterans faced: return to civilian life and find a new purpose or carve a path from the skills he mastered in wartime. Mac, a trained flight instructor turned gunnery instructor, had spent the war teaching airmen how to handle the powerful guns mounted on American bombers at the Harlingen Air Base. During his off-hours, he stayed in the sky, offering civilian flight lessons on weekends.
in 1946. Now in its second generation of leadership, the company remains a cornerstone of South Texas aviation,
with a third generation beginning to take part in the family business. Photo by Roberto Hugo González.
Background image for illustration purposes.
Originally from Iowa, Mac had only planned to spend one winter in the Rio Grande Valley. “But he always said, ‘I’m not going back up north again.’ It didn’t freeze here, there was no snow, and the weather was good for flying,” recalls his son, Bob McCreery.
With his decision made, Mac stayed. After the war, he bought a small aircraft and opened a modest flight school at Rebel Field in Mercedes, Texas—a site later known for housing the Commemorative Air Force. But Mercedes didn’t seem to offer the long-term opportunity he was looking for. A few dirt runways and a couple of crop dusters were all McAllen had in 1948, but Mac saw something else. He packed up his flight school and moved.
That move would mark the beginning of McCreery Aviation—a business that, 79 years later, remains a central hub for aviation in South Texas and beyond.
“We always say we were here before the airport was really even an airport,” Bob says with a smile.
At the time, McAllen’s runways were just grass, and aviation infrastructure was minimal. Mac started offering flight lessons, sold fuel to visiting planes, and partnered with Cessna to sell aircraft. With his wife, Ardath, originally from San Benito, handling the books and customer service, McCreery Aviation was truly a family operation.
There were only four or five employees back then. My mom worked in the little terminal. They’d help visitors with hotel reservations, rental cars—whatever they needed,” Bob says.
Bob McCreery was born in 1955 and, in many ways, raised on the tarmac. “I grew up playing around the landing paths,” he says. “I was out here all the time—gassing airplanes, working in the maintenance shop. That means filling the fuel tanks, wiping down windows, and checking the oil. I just grew up in it.”
After studying General Business at Sam Houston State University, Bob returned to McAllen in 1979. “My dad asked me what I wanted to do. He said, ‘You can do your own thing, or you can come help out here. It’s up to you.’” Newly married and familiar with the rhythms of the business, Bob accepted.
His role shifted from line service to leadership, and under his guidance, McCreery Aviation evolved from a strong regional presence into a nationally respected operation. Over the next four decades, he expanded services, modernized operations, and doubled down on safety.
Today, McCreery Aviation is a full-service fixed-base operator (FBO), offering aircraft maintenance, flight training, air charter, avionics, parts sales, and ground support. Their presence at McAllen International Airport (KMFE) is hard to miss—not only in infrastructure but in service.
“We like to think of ourselves as the front door to the City of McAllen,” Bob says. “When people fly in here, we’re the first impression they get. Our team knows how important that is.”
The company’s longevity speaks volumes, but so does its sophistication. McCreery Aviation holds Stage Three accreditation through the International Business Aviation Council (IBAC), under the IS-BAH (International Standard for Business Aircraft Handling) safety program. Fewer than 50 FBOs nationwide hold this distinction.
“It’s like academic accreditation,” Bob explains. “Stage One is like getting a college degree. Stage Two is a master. Stage Three is your Ph.D. It requires strict procedures, inspections, training, and full buy-in from the team.”
Achieving and maintaining that level of safety and professionalism is no small feat. “It’s an investment in time and money. But the payoff is in consistency and confidence,” Bob adds. “Our customers notice.”
The company serves a diverse clientele—from local aircraft owners to business jets and international travelers. Due to McAllen’s proximity to the Mexican border, McCreery Aviation regularly receives traffic from cities like Monterrey and Tampico. With on-site U.S. Customs available from 8 a.m. to midnight, international flights can arrive and clear quickly.
“Half of our business is from Mexico,” Bob says. “We’ve always worked on Mexican-registered aircraft, and we see a lot of recurring customers coming up for business, shopping, or medical care.”
In addition to hosting travelers, McCreery Aviation maintains an impressive flight school, a highly specialized maintenance division, and a full avionics team capable of modern upgrades like autopilots, GPS systems, and full instrument panel conversions. Their charter services also include air ambulance operations, working in collaboration with regional medical providers.
“Sometimes it’s a patient who needs to get to Houston or San Antonio for treatment they can’t get here,” Bob says. “We take out seats, install the stretcher—it’s all certified. It’s an important service that not many places can offer on short notice.”
Aircraft sales remain a major part of the business. McCreery Aviation specializes in piston single-engine planes, including Cessna 172s, Cirrus SR22s, and Aviat Huskies. Their parts department is one of the most comprehensive in the region, serving both walk-in customers and aviation partners around the country.
But what really stands out is the company’s culture.
“We’re a team,” Bob says simply. “Some of our crew have been with us for decades. We also have younger techs coming in, learning the trade. It’s about maintaining knowledge and passing it on.”
His daughter, who returned to McAllen after living in Austin, now works part-time in human resources at the company. “She wanted to get involved. The timing worked out—we had a need, and she’s been learning the business,” he says.
That continuity—spanning three generations now—is part of what makes McCreery Aviation unique. It’s not a faceless corporation or a short-term enterprise. It’s a family business built on decades of hard work, community roots, and a vision that hasn’t wavered since 1946.
“Not many companies can say they’ve been around for 80 years under the same ownership,” Bob says. “We’re proud of that. We’ve always tried to grow responsibly, keep our standards high, and serve the city that’s been good to us.”
As McCreery Aviation prepares to celebrate its 80th anniversary, the team is already planning a commemorative event. “We’ll do something special,” Bob promises. “Eighty years—yeah, we’ll definitely celebrate that.”
Written by Roberto Hugo González, the 2009 SBA Journalist of the Year Award Winner & the 2009 and 2012 Paul Harris Award recipient. Intellectual property of Texas Border Businesss.
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