In Memoriam

August 20, 1938 - December 13, 2025

Captain Bill Mayfield, 87, embarked on his Final Flight West December 13th at 6PM.  He was hired as a pilot by Flying Tigers on March 1, 1966.  During his spotless career he served as Vice President for FTLPA from 2002 to 2011.  Most importantly, he was entrusted by his fellow pilots at FTL to serve as their Merger Committee Chairman for the 1989 acquisition of the airline by Federal Express Corporation.

Bill leaves behind his wife, Agnes, shown at left with Bill during the 2024 FTLPA Reunion in Fort Worth, TX.

Below is his obituary:

William Clyde Mayfield, at the age of 87, of North Las Vegas, Nevada passed away on December 13, 2025. He was born in Columbus, Ohio on August 20, 1938. Those who knew him will continue to remember and honor William Clyde Mayfield. His memory remains with everyone who shared time and experiences with him throughout his life. Funeral arrangements have been made by Palm Northwest Mortuary and Cemetery in Las Vegas, Nevada. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.palmnorthwest.com for the family of William Clyde Mayfield where family and friends may pay their respects.

Condolences can be sent to:

Agnes Mayfield
4017 Cackling Goose Dr.
North Las Vegas NV 89804-2648
(702) 325-9717 (Agnes)
(702) 326-2455 (Bill's Cell)
mayfieldwc@aol.com

Unfortunately Bill suffered from the effects of dementia late in his life.  On the long approach of his Final Flight West, Bill didn’t remember others, but we will all remember him.

A Celebration of Life, which included a full Military Honors Ceremony by U.S. Marines, was held for Bill on January 24, 2026 at the Las Vegas Paiute Golf Resort, where friends, family, and several fellow Tigers attended. 

Folding of the American Flag during Military Honors Ceremony, under the ever watchful eye of Captain Mayfield

(L to R) Fellow Tiger pilots Gordon Swanson, Scott Mergele, Ron Burson, Craig Bledsoe and Tandy Coggs. Not pictured flight attendant Michelle Rizzo who took the shot.

The following tribute to "The Chairman" was submitted by Captain Bob Tymczyszyn, who served under Bill on the FTL/FDX Merger Committee:

Although we'd flown together a few times and I knew him from union meetings and crew room socializing, it wasn't until early 1988 that I got to know Bill Mayfield.  Having never before volunteered for any union position or job, and knowing less about airline mergers, I "saw the writing on the wall" for Flying Tigers, and knew that some kind of merger or acquisition was in our future.  So I volunteered to help start a Flying Tiger Merger Committee in order to "get ready".

When I first met Bill to discuss what "first steps" should look like, I realized that he had been through this before, during the Tiger/Seaboard merger and that he knew the ropes.  I was very thankful for this as I didn't have a clue.  The first step was to establish a "certified" Tiger seniority list, detailing every Tiger pilot's date of hire and length of service, to include all furloughs and leaves of absence.  Every pilot had to personally sign that the information we had was correct, and putting it together was a logistical nightmare.  

After developing an ALPA-approved certified list, we started studying every merger that had taken place in the last 50 years.  One after another, ALPA airlines would share their stories with us, from beginning to end, be it successful or "less than".  We learned the history of different arbitrators' decisions and their reasoning.  We learned the tactics used for different integration methodologies, again, successful, and otherwise.  We learned the strategies deployed in negotiations, mediations and arbitrations.  We learned the rules that govern airline mergers and most importantly, their timing and deadlines.  We navigated resources from ALPA and found the computer-savvy talent we needed, and they soon became an integral part of the Merger Committee.

On December 16, 1988, when the FedEx/Tiger merger was announced, the Flying Tiger Merger Committee was ready.  And Yes, Bill - we were ready because of you and your leadership.  Because of "The Chairman".

The story of the process is history.  But here is what I'd like to add to the history books:  We had a blast!  Born of mutual challenge, we became family.  Bill earned the title "Chairman", which every one of the committee members used with great affection.  Under the leadership of The Chairman, we became "The Team".  Bill navigated nightmares like it was nothing.  The fiercer the storm, the calmer he got.  He even seemed to enjoy the challenge, like flying through thunderstorms and shooting approaches through snow and sleet to make a perfect landing on an icy runway, smiling the whole way.  The Chairman's countenance and gentle sense of humor taught us all to have fun.  I can genuinely say that after 16 months of so many 16-hour days, life on the road with countless cold, soggy pizza dinners dished up in various "war rooms", high-stress situations and seemingly unsurmountable problems, we all had an absolute blast.  

To this day, I am proud to have been a part of The Team, and so very proud to call Bill Mayfield my friend.  To me, he remains forever, "The Chairman".  

Bob Tymczyszyn

An extremely informative tribute to Mayfield was written by Captain Frank Maguire, who served as ALPA MEC Chairman during the merger between Flying Tigers and Federal Express.  Click on the link below to read.

A Tribute To Bill Mayfield,
by Capt. Frank Maguire, Jan 16, 2026

Former members of the Flying Tiger Merger Committee attending the 2018 FTLPA Reunion in Palm Springs, CA. (L to R) Mike Arcamuzi, Don Bachner, Bill Mayfield, Bob Tymczyszyn, Ted Loubris and Joe Crecca

Anyone else wishing to contribute to this page with archived pictures or testimonials is encouraged to contact us at email@flyingtigerline.org