Columbia Metropolitan Airport (CAE)

Columbia Metropolitan Airport (CAE)
3000 Aviation Way
West Columbia, SC 29170

Introduction

The Columbia Metropolitan Airport (CAE) is much like a 2600-acre city with more than 50 agencies and businesses located on the airport property. Air passenger and cargo service is provided by scheduled airlines, jet freight carriers, two fixed base operators, and various charter flights. Air operations are conducted on an 8600' x 150' runway and an 8000' x 150' runway.

Annually, the airport serves more than 1.2 million passengers and processes more than 168,000 tons of air cargo.

History

Columbia Metropolitan Airport today is a far cry from the vision of the early aviation pioneers who established in the early 1940s a landing area in Lexington County known as the Lexington County Airport. Airline services developed in our community because Columbia had been identified in early postal airmail routes as a location for airlines then holding contracts with the Post Office Department and the Commerce Department.

The Airport lies on a small knoll between two drainage basins generally on a plateau at an elevation of approximately 235 feet. The site was selected because of elevation, the nature of the terrain, and the good soil in the area upon which to construct landing facilities such as taxiways, aprons, and runways.

World War II had a considerable impact upon aviation in the United States and the Columbia Metropolitan area. The Lexington County Airport was improved by the activity necessitated at this site by World War II military construction. About 1941, the United States War Department acquired the Airport from Lexington County and expanded it dramatically to serve the war effort. Runways, hangars, roads, buildings, and other facilities were added during the war to support the training activities of the B-25 flight and bombardment functions.

In February 1942, Jimmy Doolittle, a famous military aviator and legend, traveled to Columbia and called volunteers for a secret military mission. Approximately twenty-five B-25 flight crews were assembled for this secret military mission which was to become the famous Doolittle Raid over Tokyo, on April 18, 1942. The Doolittle Raid was the first good news which our country had heard from the Pacific theater of operations and today we are proud of the role which our Airport played in that historic action.

Following the war, the land which the government had acquired for the war effort reverted to Lexington County. At the time all airline operations were being accommodated at Owens Field in Columbia. Shortly thereafter, the city fathers of Columbia established a terminal at the Lexington County facility. The City of Columbia constructed a new terminal building at the Lexington County Airport in the early 1950s. This building burned and another one was quickly built. This terminal was used until the present terminal opened in 1965. A major terminal renovation was completed in 1997.

About 1958, the Mayor of Columbia, Mayor Lester Bates, and others realized that a comprehensive group was needed to oversee the Airport operations in the community. With the cooperation of Richland County and Lexington County officials, a study committee was established to review the proper means by which an Airport could be developed and administered to serve the two counties. From this study committee legislation was proposed which established the Richland-Lexington Airport District. Since 1962, the Airport District, acting as a political sub-division of the state of South Carolina, has operated the Columbia Metropolitan Airport. The governing body of the Airport District is the Richland-Lexington Airport Commission.

The Airport Commission consists of twelve members. Five members are representative of Richland County and are nominated by the Richland County Legislative Delegation. Five members are representative of Lexington County and are nominated by the Lexington County Legislative Delegation. Two members are representative of the City of Columbia and are nominated by the Columbia City Council. Membership on the Commission is for a term of four years.

The Airport Commission, which governs the affairs of the Airport District, is constantly seeking to improve the services and facilities available to those who use the Airport.

Recent developments

United Parcel Service Hub

In August 1996, United Parcel Service 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 352,000 square feet and the 44-acre 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 Airborne Express, Emery Worldwide and Federal Express.

Terminal Renovation

In 1997, the airport completed a $50 million terminal renovation program, which upgraded the facility's function, efficiency, and appearance. The new terminal features a two-level concourse for common-use gates; a central food court within easy view of all gates; a state-of-the-art, energy-efficient and cost-effective air conditioning system; expanded airline ticket counter, baggage claim and baggage make-up areas; and a covered walk-way for pedestrians between the terminal and parking lot. New interior and exterior architectural features and finishes combine the classic images of the antebellum South with modern developments such as tinted glass and pyramid skylights.

Parking Garage

Columbia Metropolitan Airport opened a multi-level parking structure on October 16th 2003. The project, which began in February 2001, now has 1,837 parking spaces in the parking garage with 40 handicap spaces and 1,668 spaces of uncovered parking available in the surface parking lot, which includes 15 handicap parking spaces. Both parking areas combined gives the traveling public 3,505 available parking spaces. The architecture of the facility reflects that of the terminal building with a central atrium featuring the Airport's signature blue pyramidal roof and courtyard full of trees. The atrium area also includes a glass walled elevator along with escalators to ease travelers' movements from one level to another. The new parking garage gives the Columbia area something more to be proud of when welcoming guests to our city. The Airport's Commission along with staff is truly striving to provide a beautiful front door to Columbia for everyone to enjoy. This proves that Columbia Metropolitan Airport is the only way to fly.

Foreign-Trade Zone

A 108-acre foreign-trade zone (FTZ 127) is also located at the airport. A foreign-trade zone is a duty-free, quota-free, secure area in a Customs Port of Entry considered to be outside the U.S. Customs territory. Both domestic and foreign goods can be brought to an FTZ for assembly, manufacture, display, storage or processing without formal Customs entry. Duty payments are not required until the merchandise leaves the zone for domestic consumption. If re-exported, no duty payments are made. For more information on FTZ 127 at the airport, click here.