Columbia Metropolitan Airport
Encyclopedia
Columbia Metropolitan Airport is the main airport for Columbia
, South Carolina
. The airport lies five miles (8 km) southwest of Columbia's central business district
, in Lexington County.
#127. Columbia Metropolitan Airport recently completed a $45 million terminal expansion and renovation. Annually, the airport serves about 1 million passengers and processes more than 168,000 tons of air cargo.
opened an $80 million Southeastern Regional Hub at the airport. The hub offers next day, second day and third day air service. The buildings encompass 352000 square feet (32,701.9 m²) and the 44 acres (178,061.8 m²) ramp is large enough to hold 22 DC-8 aircraft. The hub can process 42,000 packages an hour. Other major air cargo companies serving the airport include ABX Air
and FedEx Express.
s: 11/29 measuring 8,601 x 150 ft (2,622 x 46 m) and 5/23 measuring 8,001 x 150 ft (2,439 x 46 m). It also has a 50 x 50 ft (15 x 15 m) helipad
.
For the 12-month period ending December 31, 2006, the airport had 98,239 aircraft operations, an average of 269 per day: 47% air taxi
, 38% general aviation
, 11% scheduled commercial
and 4% military
. At that time there were 100 aircraft based at this airport: 60% single-engine
, 25% multi-engine, 14% jet
and 1% military
.
Police/Fire Rescue Services are provided by the Columbia Metro Airport Department of Public Safety. Public Safety Officers are South Carolina Police Academy Class 1 officers, and South Carolina Fire Academy IFSAC Firefighter II, and Airport Firefighter. Some have Basic EMT Certifications. The Department has Three ARFF units, One RIV unit, One Fire Pumper, and a Service Truck. Law Enforcement is covered by Four Patrol Vehicles. The Department provides fire services at the FAR 139 level only. Structural Firefighting is handled by Lexington County Fire Service.
indicated a need for the airfield as part of the buildup of its forces after World War II began in Europe. The earliest recorded Air Corps use of the airport was when the 105th Observation Squadron
began flying Douglas O-38
and North American O-47
light observation aircraft beginning on 24 September.
In 1941, the airport came under formal military control and an immediate construction program began to turn the civil airport into a military airfield. Construction involved runways and airplane hangars, with three concrete runways, several taxiways and a large parking apron and a control tower. Several large hangars were also constructed. Buildings were ultimately utilitarian and quickly assembled. Most base buildings, not meant for long-term use, were constructed of temporary or semi-permanent materials. Although some hangars had steel frames and the occasional brick or tile brick building could be seen, most support buildings sat on concrete foundations but were of frame construction clad in little more than plywood and tar paper.
While under construction, the 65th Observation Group
used the unfinished facilities at the airfield between 1 September and 1 December 1941, flying a mixture O-47s, O-49 Vigilant
and O-52 Owl light observation planes as part of the "Carolina Maneuvers" in the Fall of 1941 performing reconnaissance and aerial photo duties.
On 8 December 1941, the Columbia Army Airbase was activated with Lt. Colonel Dashe W. Reeves as commander. It was assigned to Third Air Force
, III Air Support Command
. The 121st Observation Squadron
was moved to the new air base from nearby Owens Field
, replacing the 105th OS which was sent to Langley Field, Virginia
and the Marine Corps airfield at Cherry Point
North Carolina
to fly antisubmarine patrols. The 121st OS, which had also been flying observation flights as part of the "Carolina Maneuvers", began antisubmarine patrols over the Atlantic coast using O-47s and L-4 Grasshoppers.
The 96th Air Base Squadron was initially assigned as the base host unit for ground support squadrons, being replaced by the 19th Air Base Group in February 1942. The antisubmarine patrol mission was reassigned to Charleston AAF which was much better suited for it, as Charleston was located right on the Atlantic coast. Columbia Army Airfield's mission was changed become a training base for B-25 Mitchell
medium bomber aircrews.
In addition to the main facility, Columbia AAB had jurisdiction over several satellite and auxiliary airfields in support of the bomber training mission:
One of the earliest units to train at Columbia AAB was the 17th Bombardment Group
, which arrived on 9 February 1942. The squadrons of the 17th Bomb group came to Columbia AAB from Pendleton Field, Oregon
to fly antisubmarine patrols off the east coast of the United States. When the group arrived in Columbia its combat crews were offered the opportunity to volunteer for an "extremely hazardous" but unspecified mission which ultimately turned out to be the famous Doolittle Raid
on Japan
. On 17 February, 24 full combat crews from amongst the group were detached from Eighth Air Force
and transferred to Eglin Field, Florida
where they received intensive training for three weeks in simulated carrier deck takeoffs, low-level and night flying, low altitude bombing, and over water navigation. Contrary to popular belief, the volunteers who made up the crews of the Doolittle Raid did not train for the Raid itself at Columbia.
The 21st Bombardment Group became the B-25 Operational training unit at Columbia on 21 April 1942, until the unit was reassigned organizationally to Key Field
, Mississippi
on 22 May. The 21st was replaced by the 309th Bombardment Group
, which exchanged designations with the 21st, being reassigned from Key Field.
The 329th Bomb Group (and its successor designations) was the major operational training unit (OTU) at Columbia AAB during World War II, providing crew and replacement training in B-25s until 1 May 1944 when the 309th was re-designated as the 329th Bombardment Group. It was subsequently re-designated as the 329th Army Air Force Base Replacement Unit on 1 August 1944.
Known B-25 Groups that trained at Columbia AAB were:
Beginning in 1943, the 309th performed replacement training, rather than group training. On 1 October 1944, Columbia AAB was reassigned to III Bomber Command
, and the training units were again re-designated as the Columbia Combat Crew Training Depot (Medium Bombardment). All sub-bases and satellite airfields were either reassigned or inactivated. On 1 February 1945, Columbia was relieved from assignment to Third Air Force, and was transferred to First Air Force
. The base unit was re-designated as the 129th Army Air Force Base Unit (Combat Crew Training Station) (Light), and the mission was changed from training B-25 crews to A-26 Invader
Light bombardment crews.
The 319th Bombardment Group (light) arrived at Columbia on 28 February 1945 from Twelfth Air Force in Italy
for conversion training from B-25s to A-26s. The group left for Okinawa on 27 April 1945.
Training at Columbia Army Air Base was phased down during the summer of 1945. Several units arrived at the base from overseas to inactivate during September and October. It was inactivated on 30 November and returned to civil authorities, which converted it back to an airport, however, the 350th Bombardment Squadron was assigned to Columbia Metropolitan Airport on 16 July 1947 as part of the Air Force Reserve, but it was never equipped or manned. It was inactivated on 27 June 1949
The current terminal was opened on May 30, 1965 and renovated in 1997. It replaces a terminal built in the early 1950s which, itself, is a replacement of a terminal built several years earlier in the early 1950s.
It has also served as the hub for the abortive low-cost carrier Air South
and is currently a hub for United Parcel Service
. Since the late 1980s, capital improvements have been undertaken, including a renovated and expanded terminal, a new parking garage (completed in 2003), the lengthening of the runways, and better interstate
access.
Delta Air Lines started service to Columbia on its first route after it re-entered passenger service in August 1934. Delta would operate nonstop service from Columbia to Charleston, Asheville, Jacksonville, Augusta, Savannah and New York LaGuardia. Delta introduced DC-9 Jet service to Columbia on March 7, 1966 with Flight 521 from Charleston continuing on to Atlanta. Eastern Airlines provided service to Charlotte, Washington and New York.Piedmont Airlines started service to Columbia from Augusta, Florence, Charlotte in 1962. Southern Airways provided service to Charleston and Greenville/Spartanburg. In January 1978 Eastern started Atlanta-Columbia Nonstop service as a result of a route swap with Piedmont Airlines. Piedmont got Eastern's Chicago-Louisville route. Southern Airways terminated service in December 1978, six months before their merger with North Central Airlines to form Republic Airlines. Atlantis Airlines started service in 1979 for a brief time using Twin Otter aircraft. Piedmont Airlines introduced Columbia-Miami Nonstop service in January 1980 but all service was discontinued June 1980 leaving only Eastern and Delta. In November 1982 Piedmont Airlines returned to Columbia with flights to Charlotte and later Newark. American Airlines would start service in 1985 to Raleigh/Durham and United Airlines would enter the market with service to Charlotte and Chicago O'Hare. People's Express and Continental came to Columbia in the Mid 80's. Freedom Airlines operated Convair Aircraft to Columbia in 1983. United Express entered the market May 24, 1999 with service to Washington Dulles and later added Chicago O'Hare on July 1, 2000. Northwest Airlines came to Columbia on October 6, 2003, offering service to Detroit. On October 30, 2005, American Eagle returned to the Columbia market after a 9-year absence, this time to have service to Dallas/Ft. Worth. Spirit Airlines tried flying Columbia to Ft. Lauderdale but the route started May 22, 2008 and ended the following March. In 2009 Allegiant Airlines offered low cost service to Orlando-Sanford International Airport and Ft. Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport, yet the service did not last. They also flew a Columbia-St. Petersburg/Clearwater Fla. route starting in December 2006, but discontinued it early the following February. On October 31, 2010 US Airways Express operated by Air Wisconsin began non-stop service to New York-LaGuardia International Airport.
while performing a missed approach
killing the pilot and 7 passengers.
A Beech C90 (N711FC) crashed December 20, 1973 while attempting to land at Columbia Metro. The aircraft collided with trees after descending below minimum descent altitude during poor visibility. The pilot and a passenger were killed and another passenger was seriously injured.
A Learjet 60
attempted to take off from runway 11 of Columbia Metro on September 19, 2008, but crashed into the hillside across a road beyond the end of the runway. Four people died in the crash, the two survivors were musicians Travis Barker
and Adam Goldstein
. Both suffered major burns, but survived due to the care they received at the Joseph M. Still Burn Center in Augusta, Georgia
. However, Goldstein
died less than a year later from an accidental overdose of prescription drugs and cocaine.
Columbia, South Carolina
Columbia is the state capital and largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population was 129,272 according to the 2010 census. Columbia is the county seat of Richland County, but a portion of the city extends into neighboring Lexington County. The city is the center of a metropolitan...
, South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
. The airport lies five miles (8 km) southwest of Columbia's 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"...
, in Lexington County.
Airlines and destinations
Passenger service is provided by five scheduled airlines, with commercial cargo service being handled by three scheduled airlines and numerous air freight operators. Two fixed-base operators also serve the Metro facility with various charter flights. The airport maintains a newly dedicated air cargo terminal, the Columbia Airport Enterprise Park (CAE Park) and Foreign Trade ZoneForeign trade zone
A foreign-trade zone in the United States is a geographical area, in United States Ports of Entry Ports of Entry, where commercial merchandise, both domestic and foreign receives the same Customs treatment it would if it were outside the commerce of the United States...
#127. Columbia Metropolitan Airport recently completed a $45 million terminal expansion and renovation. Annually, the airport serves about 1 million passengers and processes more than 168,000 tons of air cargo.
Scheduled passenger service
UPS Southeastern Regional Hub
In August 1996, United Parcel ServiceUnited Parcel Service
United Parcel Service, Inc. , typically referred to by the acronym UPS, is a package delivery company. Headquartered in Sandy Springs, Georgia, United States, UPS delivers more than 15 million packages a day to 6.1 million customers in more than 220 countries and territories around the...
opened an $80 million Southeastern Regional Hub at the airport. The hub offers next day, second day and third day air service. The buildings encompass 352000 square feet (32,701.9 m²) and the 44 acres (178,061.8 m²) ramp is large enough to hold 22 DC-8 aircraft. The hub can process 42,000 packages an hour. Other major air cargo companies serving the airport include ABX Air
ABX Air
ABX Air, Inc., formerly Airborne Express, is a cargo airline headquartered at Wilmington Air Park in unincorporated Clinton County, Ohio, United States, near the City of Wilmington. ABX Air operates scheduled, ad hoc charter and ACMI freight services. It also provides flight support services and...
and FedEx Express.
Facilities and aircraft
Columbia Metropolitan Airport covers an area of 2600 acres (1,052.2 ha) which contains two runwayRunway
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: 11/29 measuring 8,601 x 150 ft (2,622 x 46 m) and 5/23 measuring 8,001 x 150 ft (2,439 x 46 m). It also has a 50 x 50 ft (15 x 15 m) helipad
Helipad
Helipad is a common abbreviation for helicopter landing pad, a landing area for helicopters. While helicopters are able to operate on a variety of relatively flat surfaces, a fabricated helipad provides a clearly marked hard surface away from obstacles where a helicopter can safely...
.
For the 12-month period ending December 31, 2006, the airport had 98,239 aircraft operations, an average of 269 per day: 47% 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...
, 38% 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...
, 11% 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...
and 4% 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...
. At that time there were 100 aircraft based at this airport: 60% 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...
, 25% multi-engine, 14% 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...
and 1% military
Military aircraft
A military aircraft is any fixed-wing or rotary-wing aircraft that is operated by a legal or insurrectionary armed service of any type. Military aircraft can be either combat or non-combat:...
.
Services
The Airport hosts several services, including a gift shop, the Everett Adams Memorial chapel,restaurants and bars inside the terminal, and an eatery. Free wireless Internet service is provided throughout the airport as well as small number of recharge stations with access to outlets.Police/Fire Rescue Services are provided by the Columbia Metro Airport Department of Public Safety. Public Safety Officers are South Carolina Police Academy Class 1 officers, and South Carolina Fire Academy IFSAC Firefighter II, and Airport Firefighter. Some have Basic EMT Certifications. The Department has Three ARFF units, One RIV unit, One Fire Pumper, and a Service Truck. Law Enforcement is covered by Four Patrol Vehicles. The Department provides fire services at the FAR 139 level only. Structural Firefighting is handled by Lexington County Fire Service.
History
The airport was constructed in the 1940 as Lexington County Airport. In 1940 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...
indicated a need for the airfield as part of the buildup of its forces after World War II began in Europe. The earliest recorded Air Corps use of the airport was when the 105th Observation Squadron
105th Airlift Squadron
The 105th Airlift Squadron flies the C-130H Hercules. It is a unit of the Tennessee Air National Guard. Its parent unit is the 118th Airlift Wing.-History:...
began flying Douglas O-38
Douglas O-38
-References:*The complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft Editors: Paul Eden & Soph Moeng, , 1152 pp.-External links:...
and North American O-47
North American O-47
|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Eden, Paul and Soph Moeng. The Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. London: Amber Books Ltd., 2002. ISBN 0-7607-3432-1.* Fahey, James C. U.S. Army Aircraft 1908-1946. New York: Ships and Aircraft, 1946....
light observation aircraft beginning on 24 September.
In 1941, the airport came under formal military control and an immediate construction program began to turn the civil airport into a military airfield. Construction involved runways and airplane hangars, with three concrete runways, several taxiways and a large parking apron and a control tower. Several large hangars were also constructed. Buildings were ultimately utilitarian and quickly assembled. Most base buildings, not meant for long-term use, were constructed of temporary or semi-permanent materials. Although some hangars had steel frames and the occasional brick or tile brick building could be seen, most support buildings sat on concrete foundations but were of frame construction clad in little more than plywood and tar paper.
While under construction, the 65th Observation Group
65th Air Base Wing
The 65th Air Base Wing is a wing of the United States Air Force based out of Lajes Air Base, Azores, Portugal.-Mission:The wing provides base and en route support for Department of Defense, allied nations and other authorized aircraft in transit, including those from the Netherlands, Belgium,...
used the unfinished facilities at the airfield between 1 September and 1 December 1941, flying a mixture O-47s, O-49 Vigilant
Stinson Vigilant
|-See also:-Bibliography:* Donald, David . American Warplanes of World War II. London: Aerospace Publishing, 1995. ISBN 1-874023-72-7.* Eden, Paul and Soph Moeng . The Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft. Amber Books Ltd., 2002. ISBN 0-7607-3432-1* Merriam, Ray . World War II Journal #15: U.S....
and O-52 Owl light observation planes as part of the "Carolina Maneuvers" in the Fall of 1941 performing reconnaissance and aerial photo duties.
On 8 December 1941, the Columbia Army Airbase was activated with Lt. Colonel Dashe W. Reeves as commander. It was assigned to Third Air Force
Third Air Force
The Third Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Forces in Europe . It is headquartered at Ramstein Air Base, Germany....
, III Air Support Command
III Air Support Command
The III Air Support Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Third Air Force stationed at Drew Field, Florida. It was inactivated on 16 March 1942.-Lineage:...
. The 121st Observation Squadron
121st Fighter Squadron
The 121st Fighter Squadron flies the F-16C/D Fighting Falcon. It is a unit of the District of Columbia Air National Guard. Its parent unit is the 113th Wing.-Mission:...
was moved to the new air base from nearby Owens Field
Columbia Owens Downtown Airport
Jim Hamilton - L.B. Owens Airport is a county-owned public-use airport located two nautical miles south of the central business district of Columbia, in Richland County, South Carolina, United States. In 2008, the airport was renamed in honor of former airport manager Jim Hamilton...
, replacing the 105th OS which was sent to Langley Field, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
and the Marine Corps airfield at Cherry Point
Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point
Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point or MCAS Cherry Point is a United States Marine Corps airfield located in Havelock, North Carolina, USA, in the eastern part of the state...
North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
to fly antisubmarine patrols. The 121st OS, which had also been flying observation flights as part of the "Carolina Maneuvers", began antisubmarine patrols over the Atlantic coast using O-47s and L-4 Grasshoppers.
The 96th Air Base Squadron was initially assigned as the base host unit for ground support squadrons, being replaced by the 19th Air Base Group in February 1942. The antisubmarine patrol mission was reassigned to Charleston AAF which was much better suited for it, as Charleston was located right on the Atlantic coast. Columbia Army Airfield's mission was changed become a training base for B-25 Mitchell
B-25 Mitchell
The North American B-25 Mitchell was an American twin-engined medium bomber manufactured by North American Aviation. It was used by many Allied air forces, in every theater of World War II, as well as many other air forces after the war ended, and saw service across four decades.The B-25 was named...
medium bomber aircrews.
In addition to the main facility, Columbia AAB had jurisdiction over several satellite and auxiliary airfields in support of the bomber training mission:
- Barnwell Army AirfieldBarnwell Regional AirportBarnwell Regional Airport is a public airport located 1 mile northwest of Barnwell, South Carolina. The airport serves the general aviation community, with no scheduled commercial airline service.-History:...
, Barnwell, South CarolinaBarnwell, South CarolinaBarnwell is a city in Barnwell County, South Carolina, United States, located along U.S. Route 278. The population was 5,035 at the 2000 census... - Congaree Army Airfield, EastoverEastover, South CarolinaEastover is a town in Richland County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 830 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Columbia, South Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Eastover is located at ....
- North Army Airfield, North, South CarolinaNorth, South CarolinaNorth is a town in Orangeburg County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 813 at the 2000 census.-Geography:North is located at ....
- Walterboro Army AirfieldLowcountry Regional AirportLowcountry Regional Airport is a public airport located 2 miles northeast of Walterboro, South Carolina. The airport serves the general aviation community, with no scheduled commercial airline service.-History:The airport was opened in October 1937...
, Walterboro, South CarolinaWalterboro, South CarolinaWalterboro is a city in Colleton County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 5,153 at the 2000 census . It is the county seat of Colleton County.-History:... - Johns Island Army AirfieldCharleston Executive AirportCharleston Executive Airport is a public use airport located in Charleston in Charleston County, South Carolina, United States. It is approximately six nautical miles southwest of the central business district of the city. It is owned by the Charleston County Aviation Authority...
, Johns Island, South CarolinaJohns Island, South CarolinaJohns Island, also spelled John's Island, is the largest island in the U.S. State of South Carolina. It is one of the many Sea Islands along the coast of South Carolina.-Background:...
17th Training Wing
The 17th Training Wing is a United States Air Force unit assigned to the Air Education and Training Command Second Air Force. It is stationed at Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas...
, which arrived on 9 February 1942. The squadrons of the 17th Bomb group came to Columbia AAB from Pendleton Field, Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
to fly antisubmarine patrols off the east coast of the United States. When the group arrived in Columbia its combat crews were offered the opportunity to volunteer for an "extremely hazardous" but unspecified mission which ultimately turned out to be the famous Doolittle Raid
Doolittle Raid
The Doolittle Raid, on 18 April 1942, was the first air raid by the United States to strike the Japanese Home Islands during World War II. By demonstrating that Japan itself was vulnerable to American air attack, it provided a vital morale boost and opportunity for U.S. retaliation after the...
on Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. On 17 February, 24 full combat crews from amongst the group were detached from Eighth Air Force
Eighth Air Force
The Eighth Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Global Strike Command . It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana....
and transferred to Eglin Field, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
where they received intensive training for three weeks in simulated carrier deck takeoffs, low-level and night flying, low altitude bombing, and over water navigation. Contrary to popular belief, the volunteers who made up the crews of the Doolittle Raid did not train for the Raid itself at Columbia.
The 21st Bombardment Group became the B-25 Operational training unit at Columbia on 21 April 1942, until the unit was reassigned organizationally to Key Field
Key field
A key field is a field or set of fields of a database table which together form a unique identifier for a database record . The aggregate of these fields is usually referred to simply as "the key". Key fields also define searches...
, Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
on 22 May. The 21st was replaced by the 309th Bombardment Group
309th Troop Carrier Group
The 309th Troop Carrier Group is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with 60th Troop Carrier Wing stationed at Dreux-Louvilliers Air Base, France...
, which exchanged designations with the 21st, being reassigned from Key Field.
The 329th Bomb Group (and its successor designations) was the major operational training unit (OTU) at Columbia AAB during World War II, providing crew and replacement training in B-25s until 1 May 1944 when the 309th was re-designated as the 329th Bombardment Group. It was subsequently re-designated as the 329th Army Air Force Base Replacement Unit on 1 August 1944.
Known B-25 Groups that trained at Columbia AAB were:
- 310th Bombardment Group, 16 May-14 August 1942
- 321st Bombardment Group, 1 August–September 1942
- 340th Bombardment Group, 20 August-20 November 1942
Beginning in 1943, the 309th performed replacement training, rather than group training. On 1 October 1944, Columbia AAB was reassigned to III Bomber Command
III Bomber Command
The III Bomber Command is an inactive United States Air Force unit. Its last assignment was with Third Air Force stationed at MacDill Field, Florida. It was inactivated on 8 April 1946.-Lineage:...
, and the training units were again re-designated as the Columbia Combat Crew Training Depot (Medium Bombardment). All sub-bases and satellite airfields were either reassigned or inactivated. On 1 February 1945, Columbia was relieved from assignment to Third Air Force, and was transferred to First Air Force
First Air Force
The First Air Force is a numbered air force of the United States Air Force Air Combat Command . It is headquartered at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida....
. The base unit was re-designated as the 129th Army Air Force Base Unit (Combat Crew Training Station) (Light), and the mission was changed from training B-25 crews to A-26 Invader
A-26 Invader
The Douglas A-26 Invader was a United States twin-engined light attack bomber built by the Douglas Aircraft Co. during World War II that also saw service during several of the Cold War's major conflicts...
Light bombardment crews.
The 319th Bombardment Group (light) arrived at Columbia on 28 February 1945 from Twelfth Air Force in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
for conversion training from B-25s to A-26s. The group left for Okinawa on 27 April 1945.
Training at Columbia Army Air Base was phased down during the summer of 1945. Several units arrived at the base from overseas to inactivate during September and October. It was inactivated on 30 November and returned to civil authorities, which converted it back to an airport, however, the 350th Bombardment Squadron was assigned to Columbia Metropolitan Airport on 16 July 1947 as part of the Air Force Reserve, but it was never equipped or manned. It was inactivated on 27 June 1949
The current terminal was opened on May 30, 1965 and renovated in 1997. It replaces a terminal built in the early 1950s which, itself, is a replacement of a terminal built several years earlier in the early 1950s.
It has also served as the hub for the abortive low-cost carrier Air South
Air South
There were several airlines in the United States known as Air South.-1968-1975:Air South was a regional airline operating out of Atlanta Municipal Airport. Founded as Nationwide Airlines Southeast in 1968, it served a variety of destinations in Georgia, Florida, and South Carolina...
and is currently a hub for United Parcel Service
United Parcel Service
United Parcel Service, Inc. , typically referred to by the acronym UPS, is a package delivery company. Headquartered in Sandy Springs, Georgia, United States, UPS delivers more than 15 million packages a day to 6.1 million customers in more than 220 countries and territories around the...
. Since the late 1980s, capital improvements have been undertaken, including a renovated and expanded terminal, a new parking garage (completed in 2003), the lengthening of the runways, and better interstate
Interstate Highway System
The Dwight D. Eisenhower National System of Interstate and Defense Highways, , is a network of limited-access roads including freeways, highways, and expressways forming part of the National Highway System of the United States of America...
access.
Delta Air Lines started service to Columbia on its first route after it re-entered passenger service in August 1934. Delta would operate nonstop service from Columbia to Charleston, Asheville, Jacksonville, Augusta, Savannah and New York LaGuardia. Delta introduced DC-9 Jet service to Columbia on March 7, 1966 with Flight 521 from Charleston continuing on to Atlanta. Eastern Airlines provided service to Charlotte, Washington and New York.Piedmont Airlines started service to Columbia from Augusta, Florence, Charlotte in 1962. Southern Airways provided service to Charleston and Greenville/Spartanburg. In January 1978 Eastern started Atlanta-Columbia Nonstop service as a result of a route swap with Piedmont Airlines. Piedmont got Eastern's Chicago-Louisville route. Southern Airways terminated service in December 1978, six months before their merger with North Central Airlines to form Republic Airlines. Atlantis Airlines started service in 1979 for a brief time using Twin Otter aircraft. Piedmont Airlines introduced Columbia-Miami Nonstop service in January 1980 but all service was discontinued June 1980 leaving only Eastern and Delta. In November 1982 Piedmont Airlines returned to Columbia with flights to Charlotte and later Newark. American Airlines would start service in 1985 to Raleigh/Durham and United Airlines would enter the market with service to Charlotte and Chicago O'Hare. People's Express and Continental came to Columbia in the Mid 80's. Freedom Airlines operated Convair Aircraft to Columbia in 1983. United Express entered the market May 24, 1999 with service to Washington Dulles and later added Chicago O'Hare on July 1, 2000. Northwest Airlines came to Columbia on October 6, 2003, offering service to Detroit. On October 30, 2005, American Eagle returned to the Columbia market after a 9-year absence, this time to have service to Dallas/Ft. Worth. Spirit Airlines tried flying Columbia to Ft. Lauderdale but the route started May 22, 2008 and ended the following March. In 2009 Allegiant Airlines offered low cost service to Orlando-Sanford International Airport and Ft. Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport, yet the service did not last. They also flew a Columbia-St. Petersburg/Clearwater Fla. route starting in December 2006, but discontinued it early the following February. On October 31, 2010 US Airways Express operated by Air Wisconsin began non-stop service to New York-LaGuardia International Airport.
Incidents
A Volpar E18S (N47A) crashed February 26, 1971 while attempting to land at Columbia Metro. The aircraft crashed during poor visibility and fogFog
Fog is a collection of water droplets or ice crystals suspended in the air at or near the Earth's surface. While fog is a type of stratus cloud, the term "fog" is typically distinguished from the more generic term "cloud" in that fog is low-lying, and the moisture in the fog is often generated...
while performing a missed approach
Missed approach
Missed approach is an instrument flight rules procedure which is a standard component segment of an instrument approach. Generally, if the pilot flying or the pilot in command determines by the time the aircraft is at the decision height or missed approach point , that the runway or its...
killing the pilot and 7 passengers.
A Beech C90 (N711FC) crashed December 20, 1973 while attempting to land at Columbia Metro. The aircraft collided with trees after descending below minimum descent altitude during poor visibility. The pilot and a passenger were killed and another passenger was seriously injured.
A Learjet 60
Learjet 60
The Learjet 60 is a mid-size cabin, medium range business jet aircraft manufactured by Bombardier Aerospace in Wichita, Kansas, USA. The Learjet 60 is powered by two Pratt & Whitney Canada model 305A turbo fan engines producing 4,600 total pounds of thrust. The manufacturer notes the range of the...
attempted to take off from runway 11 of Columbia Metro on September 19, 2008, but crashed into the hillside across a road beyond the end of the runway. Four people died in the crash, the two survivors were musicians Travis Barker
Travis Barker
Travis Landon Barker is an American musician, producer and entrepreneur, most noted as the drummer for the American pop punk band Blink-182, as well as the alternative rock band +44, the rap rock band The Transplants, and the alternative rock band Box Car Racer. He was a frequent collaborator with...
and Adam Goldstein
Adam Goldstein
Adam Michael Goldstein was an American DJ, remixer, record producer and musician better known as DJ AM. Goldstein was a member of the rock band Crazy Town, co-owner of a management company called Deckstar and worked on albums for Papa Roach, Madonna and Will Smith, among others...
. Both suffered major burns, but survived due to the care they received at the Joseph M. Still Burn Center in Augusta, Georgia
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...
. However, Goldstein
Adam Goldstein
Adam Michael Goldstein was an American DJ, remixer, record producer and musician better known as DJ AM. Goldstein was a member of the rock band Crazy Town, co-owner of a management company called Deckstar and worked on albums for Papa Roach, Madonna and Will Smith, among others...
died less than a year later from an accidental overdose of prescription drugs and cocaine.
Features
- The airport's two airplane runways measure 8000 feet (2,438.4 m) and 8600 feet (2,621.3 m) in length, respectively.
- The airport runways can accommodate an airplane of any size, including the Boeing 747 and the military C-5A.
- The airport contains its own police department, fire station, and post office (Air Mail Facility.)
- Decorative and semi-natural ponds bordering the sides of the airport terminal can be used by the airport fire department to put out fires.
- The Columbia Metropolitan Airport's two moving sidewalks are each 200 feet (61 m) long, the first in South Carolina.
- The air traffic control tower is 105 feet (32 m) tall.
- More than 1.1 million passengers travel through Columbia Metropolitan Airport each year.
- More than 1,400 people work at the airport.
In popular culture
- An opening scene in the 2006 film Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of KazakhstanBorat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of KazakhstanBorat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan, often referred to simply as Borat, is a 2006 mockumentary comedy film directed by Larry Charles and distributed by 20th Century Fox...
was shot in the Columbia Metropolitan Airport terminal although it is labeled as "New York Airport."
See also
- South Carolina World War II Army AirfieldsSouth Carolina World War II Army AirfieldsDuring World War II, the United States Army Air Force established numerous airfields in South Carolina for antisubmarine defense in the Gulf of Mexico and for training pilots and aircrews of USAAF fighters and bombers....
Other sources
- Maurer, Maurer (1983). Air Force Combat Units Of World War II. Maxwell AFB, Alabama: Office of Air Force History. ISBN 0-89201-092-4.
External links
- North American B-25C Mitchell (41-12634 (c/n 82-5269)) crashed into Lake Murray on 4 April 1943 due to engine failure. All crew survived. Wreckage found at bottom of lake. Recovered from depth of 150 feet 19 September 2005. The plane was transported to the Southern Museum of FlightSouthern Museum of FlightThe Southern Museum of Flight is an aviation museum located three blocks east of the Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport in Birmingham, Alabama. It features a valuable collection of aviation artifacts spanning the 20th century in the various areas of aviation. It explores eight decades...
, Birmingham, AlabamaBirmingham, AlabamaBirmingham is the largest city in Alabama. The city is the county seat of Jefferson County. According to the 2010 United States Census, Birmingham had a population of 212,237. The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Area, in estimate by the U.S...
to undergo preservation (not restoration). Forward fuselage is on public display.