Augusta Regional Airport
Encyclopedia
Augusta Regional Airport , also known as Augusta Regional Airport at Bush Field, is a city-owned, public-use airport
located six nautical miles (11 km) south of the central business district
of Augusta
, a city in Richmond County
, Georgia
, United States
.
In 2000, Bush Field airport changed its name to Augusta Regional Airport. The airport recently opened a brand new passenger terminal, and renovated the entire property for ease of use and convenience. Augusta Regional Airport, served by Delta Air Lines, Delta Connection, American Eagle and US Airways Express, utilizes the phrase "Fly There, Fly Home" as part of their marketing. Lower fares at Augusta Regional Airport have increased passenger usage significantly during the past two years.
of 144 feet (44 m) above mean sea level. It has two asphalt
paved runway
s: 17/35 measuring 8,000 x 150 feet (2,438 x 46 m) and 8/26 measuring 6,001 x 75 feet (1,829 x 23 m).
For the 12-month period ending December 31, 2006, the airport had 31,647 aircraft operations, an average of 86 per day: 52% general aviation
, 25% air taxi
, 13% military
and 10% scheduled commercial
. At that time there were 18 aircraft based at this airport: 56% single-engine
, 28% multi-engine and 17% jet
.
Delta Air Lines is operating mainline flights to Augusta Regional Airport currently after May 2011 after an 11-year hiatus. Delta serves Augusta with one daily flight utilizing the Airbus A319, and also with DC-9-50 aircraft starting in June.
During the Masters golf tournament, traffic demand through Augusta soars. Airlines have typically responded with more frequent flights with larger equipment, including Delta Air Lines Boeing 737 and 757 aircraft to accommodate this demand. During the 2009 Masters week, Embraer E-170s and CRJ-900s could be seen more commonly, but larger aircraft were also sent to Augusta.
The presence of Fort Gordon
in Augusta results in periodic military charter flights using widebody aircraft such as McDonnell Douglas DC-10
and McDonnell Douglas MD-11
trijet
aircraft operated by World Airways.
was looking for a site to locate a basic Contract Pilot School. In March 1941 the president of the Chamber of Commerce
contacted Harold S. Darr, who operated a primary flight school for the Air Corps in Albany, Georgia
(Albany Army Airfield) to promote the idea to locate the new school in the Augusta area. With the Army's approval, Darr chose a 900 acres (3.6 km²) tract 7.5 miles (12.1 km) southeast of the City adjacent to the Savannah River
. On 22 March 1941, Darr entered into an agreement with local officials to invest $500,000 in buying the acreage and building a school. Darr estimated that the school would employ 300 civilians with an annual payroll of $1.5 million, In turn, the City and Richmond County
agreed to move a City-owned hangar from nearby Daniel Field
, pave the aircraft parking ramp, pave a road in the area to create a runway, and provide convict labor with guards. The Air Corps set a very ambitious timetable by requiring that flight training begin no Later than 7 June 1941. Construction started on 1 April. The Air Corps and Darr did not go public with the project until 5 April, when an announcement appeared in the local newspaper.
, Camden, South Carolina
, and Arcadia
and Lakeland, Florida
. The initial aircraft complement numbered 24 Vultee BT-13 Valiant
and BT-15 aircraft. The ten-week course consisted of 70 hours of flight training and 150 hours of ground training. Harold Darr named the school Georgia Aero Tech; however, the Army designated it the 72nd Army Air Force Flight Training Detachment. The school was one of only three contract pilot schools conducting basic training. Shortly after flight training commenced in June 1941, Don C. Bush, a civilian flight instructor lost his life in an aircraft crash. The airfield was named Bush Field in his memory.
In January 1942, the Defense Plant Corporation, a corporation entity of the Federal government, bought the school from Harold Darr. With the United States now in the war, the size of the classes increased, requiring an expansion of the school's facilities. Construction began on a ground training building in May and an additional barracks in June. The number of aircraft assigned to the school grew from 24 to around 100 BT-13s and BT-15s. Additional paved runways were eventually added.
During all 1943, the school operated at its maximum capacity with classes averaging around 160 students. By early 1944, training requirements began to decrease, and with the possibility at that time of closing nearby Camp Gordon, the Army suddenly had no use for the field. In September 1944, the Air Force closed the facility after training over 5,000 students.
Following the war, the Reconstruction Finance Corporation
used Bush Field until 1948 for the disposal and sale of surplus military aircraft. The surplus aircraft at Bush ran the gauntlet of practically every model operated by the Army and the Navy, from primary trainers and drones to B-24s and large transports. Several of these were purchased by the upstart Flying Tiger Airline
.
Throughout the 1950s and 1960s passenger traffic grew. The old flight school barracks were renovated and leased to Continental Hotels. In 1961, an 8000 ft (2,438.4 m). runway was completed. By 1964, Bush Field was one of the country's relatively busy airports, ranking 135th in the nation. Daily jet service at the airport began in 1965 and passenger traffic began to skyrocket.
By the close of the 1960s the airport had doubled its baggage claim area and added a terminal, a tower, a lobby, a hotel, parking meters, and a second runway.
Just as the 1960s proved to be Bush Field's commercial growth era, the 1970s were the airport’s industrial growth period. During the 1970s Capitol Aviation of Georgia established itself at the airport with a million-dollar-plus airplane service facility. The company, now known as Landmark Aviation, developed a jet engine repair facility, an avionics-navigation shop and a structural and aircraft systems repair shop. Today, Landmark Aviation employs roughly 220 people at the Augusta facility.
By the 1990s Bush Field tenants and visitors were contributing approximately $290 million in annual economic activity with nearly 2,200 jobs attributed to the airport. In 2000, Bush Field was renamed Augusta Regional Airport at Bush Field.
The self-sufficient airport, which has never used tax dollars to offset any of its projects or programs, completed the first-ever "Master Plan" in 2002. The Master Plan serves as a road map for future economic growth and development at and around the airport.
Several former World War II buildings of Georgia Aero Tech remain at Bush Field. The former mess hall, administration building, and ground school buildings formed part of the airport's terminal building. The original swimming pool remained until 2008, but with a hotel built around it rather than cadet barracks. The hotel, pool and terminal buildings were demolished in conjunction with the building of an entirely new terminal building. The FAA currently occupies the former link trainer building. All the hangars are still in use — including the one moved from Daniel Field in 1941.
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...
located six nautical miles (11 km) south of the central business district
Central business district
A central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
of Augusta
Augusta, Georgia
Augusta is a consolidated city in the U.S. state of Georgia, located along the Savannah River. As of the 2010 census, the Augusta–Richmond County population was 195,844 not counting the unconsolidated cities of Hephzibah and Blythe.Augusta is the principal city of the Augusta-Richmond County...
, a city in Richmond County
Richmond County, Georgia
Richmond County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It is one of the original counties of Georgia, created February 5, 1777. As of 2010, the population was 200,549. The 2007 Census Estimate showed a population of 199,486....
, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
In 2000, Bush Field airport changed its name to Augusta Regional Airport. The airport recently opened a brand new passenger terminal, and renovated the entire property for ease of use and convenience. Augusta Regional Airport, served by Delta Air Lines, Delta Connection, American Eagle and US Airways Express, utilizes the phrase "Fly There, Fly Home" as part of their marketing. Lower fares at Augusta Regional Airport have increased passenger usage significantly during the past two years.
Facilities and aircraft
Augusta Regional Airport covers an area of 1411 acres (571 ha) at an elevationElevation
The elevation of a geographic location is its height above a fixed reference point, most commonly a reference geoid, a mathematical model of the Earth's sea level as an equipotential gravitational surface ....
of 144 feet (44 m) above mean sea level. It has two asphalt
Asphalt
Asphalt or , also known as bitumen, is a sticky, black and highly viscous liquid or semi-solid that is present in most crude petroleums and in some natural deposits, it is a substance classed as a pitch...
paved runway
Runway
According to ICAO a runway is a "defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and take-off of aircraft." Runways may be a man-made surface or a natural surface .- Orientation and dimensions :Runways are named by a number between 01 and 36, which is generally one tenth...
s: 17/35 measuring 8,000 x 150 feet (2,438 x 46 m) and 8/26 measuring 6,001 x 75 feet (1,829 x 23 m).
For the 12-month period ending December 31, 2006, the airport had 31,647 aircraft operations, an average of 86 per day: 52% general aviation
General aviation
General aviation is one of the two categories of civil aviation. It refers to all flights other than military and scheduled airline and regular cargo flights, both private and commercial. General aviation flights range from gliders and powered parachutes to large, non-scheduled cargo jet flights...
, 25% air taxi
Air taxi
An air taxi is an air charter passenger or cargo aircraft which operates on an on-demand basis.-Regulation:In the United States, air taxi and air charter operations are governed by Part 135 of the Federal Aviation Regulations , unlike the larger scheduled air carriers which are governed by more...
, 13% military
Military aviation
Military aviation is the use of aircraft and other flying machines for the purposes of conducting or enabling warfare, including national airlift capacity to provide logistical supply to forces stationed in a theater or along a front. Air power includes the national means of conducting such...
and 10% scheduled commercial
Airline
An airline provides air transport services for traveling passengers and freight. Airlines lease or own their aircraft with which to supply these services and may form partnerships or alliances with other airlines for mutual benefit...
. At that time there were 18 aircraft based at this airport: 56% single-engine
Aircraft engine
An aircraft engine is the component of the propulsion system for an aircraft that generates mechanical power. Aircraft engines are almost always either lightweight piston engines or gas turbines...
, 28% multi-engine and 17% jet
Jet aircraft
A jet aircraft is an aircraft propelled by jet engines. Jet aircraft generally fly much faster than propeller-powered aircraft and at higher altitudes – as high as . At these altitudes, jet engines achieve maximum efficiency over long distances. The engines in propeller-powered aircraft...
.
Commercial aircraft
In early 2008, a typical day found seven daily departures to Atlanta, GA using Bombardier CRJ-200 regional jets and ATR 72 turboprop aircraft by Delta Connection carriers, US Airways Express offered seven daily departures to Charlotte, NC with turboprop Bombardier Dash 8-300 aircraft and Bombardier CRJ-200's. As of mid-2009, Delta Air Lines regional carrier Atlantic Southeast Airlines (ASA) no longer operates the ATR-72 turboprop aircraft, and all ASA flights into and out of Augusta are operated with 50-seat CRJ-200 regional jets. US Airways Express continues to serve the airport with Dash 8-300 turboprops, in addition to CRJ-200s. American Eagle serves Augusta with its Embraer regional jets.Delta Air Lines is operating mainline flights to Augusta Regional Airport currently after May 2011 after an 11-year hiatus. Delta serves Augusta with one daily flight utilizing the Airbus A319, and also with DC-9-50 aircraft starting in June.
During the Masters golf tournament, traffic demand through Augusta soars. Airlines have typically responded with more frequent flights with larger equipment, including Delta Air Lines Boeing 737 and 757 aircraft to accommodate this demand. During the 2009 Masters week, Embraer E-170s and CRJ-900s could be seen more commonly, but larger aircraft were also sent to Augusta.
The presence of Fort Gordon
Fort Gordon
Fort Gordon, formerly known as Camp Gordon, is a United States Army installation established in 1917. It is the current home of the United States Army Signal Corps and Signal Center and was once the home of "The Provost Marshal General School" . The fort is located in Richmond, Jefferson, McDuffie,...
in Augusta results in periodic military charter flights using widebody aircraft such as McDonnell Douglas DC-10
McDonnell Douglas DC-10
The McDonnell Douglas DC-10 is a three-engine widebody jet airliner manufactured by McDonnell Douglas. The DC-10 has range for medium- to long-haul flights, capable of carrying a maximum 380 passengers. Its most distinguishing feature is the two turbofan engines mounted on underwing pylons and a...
and McDonnell Douglas MD-11
McDonnell Douglas MD-11
The McDonnell Douglas MD-11 is a three-engine medium- to long-range widebody jet airliner, manufactured by McDonnell Douglas and, later, by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Based on the DC-10, it features a stretched fuselage, increased wingspan with winglets, refined airfoils on the wing and smaller...
trijet
Trijet
A Trijet is an aircraft powered by three jet engines. Early twin-jet designs were limited by the FAA's "60-minute rule", whereby the flight path of twin-engined jetliners was restricted to within 60 minutes' flying time from a suitable airport, in case of engine failure. In 1964 this rule was...
aircraft operated by World Airways.
Airlines and destinations
History
Origins
In 1941 the City of Augusta learned that the United States Army Air CorpsUnited States Army Air Corps
The United States Army Air Corps was a forerunner of the United States Air Force. Renamed from the Air Service on 2 July 1926, it was part of the United States Army and the predecessor of the United States Army Air Forces , established in 1941...
was looking for a site to locate a basic Contract Pilot School. In March 1941 the president of the Chamber of Commerce
Chamber of commerce
A chamber of commerce is a form of business network, e.g., a local organization of businesses whose goal is to further the interests of businesses. Business owners in towns and cities form these local societies to advocate on behalf of the business community...
contacted Harold S. Darr, who operated a primary flight school for the Air Corps in Albany, Georgia
Albany, Georgia
Albany is a city in and the county seat of Dougherty County, Georgia, United States, in the southwestern part of the state. It is the principal city of the Albany, Georgia metropolitan area and the southwest part of the state. The population was 77,434 at the 2010 U.S. Census, making it the...
(Albany Army Airfield) to promote the idea to locate the new school in the Augusta area. With the Army's approval, Darr chose a 900 acres (3.6 km²) tract 7.5 miles (12.1 km) southeast of the City adjacent to the Savannah River
Savannah River
The Savannah River is a major river in the southeastern United States, forming most of the border between the states of South Carolina and Georgia. Two tributaries of the Savannah, the Tugaloo River and the Chattooga River, form the northernmost part of the border...
. On 22 March 1941, Darr entered into an agreement with local officials to invest $500,000 in buying the acreage and building a school. Darr estimated that the school would employ 300 civilians with an annual payroll of $1.5 million, In turn, the City and Richmond County
Richmond County, Georgia
Richmond County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. It is one of the original counties of Georgia, created February 5, 1777. As of 2010, the population was 200,549. The 2007 Census Estimate showed a population of 199,486....
agreed to move a City-owned hangar from nearby Daniel Field
Daniel Field Airport
Daniel Field is a public-use airport located one nautical mile west of the central business district of Augusta, a city in Richmond County, Georgia, United States. It is owned and operated by the City of Augusta.-Facilities and aircraft:...
, pave the aircraft parking ramp, pave a road in the area to create a runway, and provide convict labor with guards. The Air Corps set a very ambitious timetable by requiring that flight training begin no Later than 7 June 1941. Construction started on 1 April. The Air Corps and Darr did not go public with the project until 5 April, when an announcement appeared in the local newspaper.
World War II
Training began on 10 June, with flying cadets arriving from the Air Corps primary schools at Albany and Americus, Georgia, Tuscaloosa, AlabamaTuscaloosa, Alabama
Tuscaloosa is a city in and the seat of Tuscaloosa County in west central Alabama . Located on the Black Warrior River, it is the fifth-largest city in Alabama, with a population of 90,468 in 2010...
, Camden, South Carolina
Camden, South Carolina
Camden is the fourth oldest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina and is also the county seat of Kershaw County, South Carolina, United States. The population was an estimated 7,103 in 2009...
, and Arcadia
Arcadia, Florida
Arcadia is a city in DeSoto County, Florida, United States. The population was 6,604 as of the 2000 census. According to the U.S Census estimates of 2005, the city grew to 7,151. It is the county seat of DeSoto County; it is also DeSoto County's only incorporated community. On October 27, 2009,...
and Lakeland, Florida
Lakeland, Florida
Lakeland is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States, located approximately midway between Tampa and Orlando along Interstate 4. According to the 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimate, the city had a population of 94,406...
. The initial aircraft complement numbered 24 Vultee BT-13 Valiant
BT-13 Valiant
The Vultee BT-13 Valiant was an American World War II-era basic trainer aircraft built by Vultee Aircraft for the United States Army Air Corps, and later US Army Air Forces...
and BT-15 aircraft. The ten-week course consisted of 70 hours of flight training and 150 hours of ground training. Harold Darr named the school Georgia Aero Tech; however, the Army designated it the 72nd Army Air Force Flight Training Detachment. The school was one of only three contract pilot schools conducting basic training. Shortly after flight training commenced in June 1941, Don C. Bush, a civilian flight instructor lost his life in an aircraft crash. The airfield was named Bush Field in his memory.
In January 1942, the Defense Plant Corporation, a corporation entity of the Federal government, bought the school from Harold Darr. With the United States now in the war, the size of the classes increased, requiring an expansion of the school's facilities. Construction began on a ground training building in May and an additional barracks in June. The number of aircraft assigned to the school grew from 24 to around 100 BT-13s and BT-15s. Additional paved runways were eventually added.
During all 1943, the school operated at its maximum capacity with classes averaging around 160 students. By early 1944, training requirements began to decrease, and with the possibility at that time of closing nearby Camp Gordon, the Army suddenly had no use for the field. In September 1944, the Air Force closed the facility after training over 5,000 students.
Following the war, the Reconstruction Finance Corporation
Reconstruction Finance Corporation
The Reconstruction Finance Corporation was an independent agency of the United States government, established and chartered by the US Congress in 1932, Act of January 22, 1932, c. 8, 47 Stat. 5, during the administration of President Herbert Hoover. It was modeled after the War Finance Corporation...
used Bush Field until 1948 for the disposal and sale of surplus military aircraft. The surplus aircraft at Bush ran the gauntlet of practically every model operated by the Army and the Navy, from primary trainers and drones to B-24s and large transports. Several of these were purchased by the upstart Flying Tiger Airline
Flying Tiger Line
Flying Tiger Line, also known as Flying Tigers, was the first scheduled cargo airline in the United States and a major military charter operator during the Cold War era for both cargo and personnel .- History :...
.
Commercial use
Bush Field became Augusta’s commercial airport on 1 July 1950 when the Federal Government transferred Bush Field to the City of Augusta. The same day, the airlines moved their operations from Daniel Field to Bush Field. One of the airport’s most profitable initiatives occurred in 1955 when a transient terminal was opened to sell fuel and to provide service to visiting aircraft. To this day, the fueling operation continues as a major source of revenue for the airport, keeping it self-sufficient and profitable. This is one of the reasons why no tax dollars or City funding has ever been needed to support the airport.Throughout the 1950s and 1960s passenger traffic grew. The old flight school barracks were renovated and leased to Continental Hotels. In 1961, an 8000 ft (2,438.4 m). runway was completed. By 1964, Bush Field was one of the country's relatively busy airports, ranking 135th in the nation. Daily jet service at the airport began in 1965 and passenger traffic began to skyrocket.
By the close of the 1960s the airport had doubled its baggage claim area and added a terminal, a tower, a lobby, a hotel, parking meters, and a second runway.
Just as the 1960s proved to be Bush Field's commercial growth era, the 1970s were the airport’s industrial growth period. During the 1970s Capitol Aviation of Georgia established itself at the airport with a million-dollar-plus airplane service facility. The company, now known as Landmark Aviation, developed a jet engine repair facility, an avionics-navigation shop and a structural and aircraft systems repair shop. Today, Landmark Aviation employs roughly 220 people at the Augusta facility.
By the 1990s Bush Field tenants and visitors were contributing approximately $290 million in annual economic activity with nearly 2,200 jobs attributed to the airport. In 2000, Bush Field was renamed Augusta Regional Airport at Bush Field.
The self-sufficient airport, which has never used tax dollars to offset any of its projects or programs, completed the first-ever "Master Plan" in 2002. The Master Plan serves as a road map for future economic growth and development at and around the airport.
Several former World War II buildings of Georgia Aero Tech remain at Bush Field. The former mess hall, administration building, and ground school buildings formed part of the airport's terminal building. The original swimming pool remained until 2008, but with a hotel built around it rather than cadet barracks. The hotel, pool and terminal buildings were demolished in conjunction with the building of an entirely new terminal building. The FAA currently occupies the former link trainer building. All the hangars are still in use — including the one moved from Daniel Field in 1941.
See also
- Georgia World War II Army AirfieldsGeorgia World War II Army AirfieldsDuring World War II, the United States Army Air Force established numerous airfields in Georgia for antisubmarine defense in the Gulf of Mexico and for training pilots and aircrews of USAAF fighters and bombers....