Jim Hamilton–L.B. Owens Airport | |||||||||||
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 2006 USGS airphoto | |||||||||||
| Summary | |||||||||||
| Airport type | Public | ||||||||||
| Owner | County of Richland | ||||||||||
| Serves | Columbia, South Carolina | ||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 194 ft / 59 m | ||||||||||
| Coordinates | 33°58′14″N080°59′43″W / 33.97056°N 80.99528°W /33.97056; -80.99528 | ||||||||||
| Website | RichlandOnline.com/... | ||||||||||
| Map | |||||||||||
  KCUB Location of Jim Hamilton–L.B. Owens Airport | |||||||||||
| Runways | |||||||||||
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| Statistics (2021) | |||||||||||
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| Source:Federal Aviation Administration[1] | |||||||||||
Jim Hamilton–L.B. Owens Airport[2] (IATA:CUB,ICAO:KCUB,FAALID:CUB), known locally as Owens Field, is a county-owned public-useairport located two nautical miles (3.7 km) south of thecentral business district ofColumbia, inRichland County,South Carolina,United States.[1] In 2008, the airport was renamed in honor of former airport manager Jim Hamilton.[3] It was formerly known asColumbia Owens Downtown Airport.
The airport was the main municipal airport servingColumbia, South Carolina, prior toWorld War II. It was namedColumbia Municipal Airport, and on April 24, 1930, the new airport was dedicated.[4] In celebration, an airshow with more than 15,000 people attending saw notable aviators like the President of the Curtiss Flying Service, Casey Jones, Bill Winston (the flying instructor ofCharles Lindbergh), and Elliot White Springs.[5]
Eastern Air Transport began passenger and airmail service to Owens Field in 1932.Delta Air Lines began its first scheduled services out of Columbia's new airport in 1934.
Just prior toWorld War II, some Air Corps operations from the65th Observation Group flew observation flights from the airport, untilColumbia Army Air Base opened in 1941. During the war, it was used by theArmy Air ForcesThird Air Force as a training field for reconnaissance and observation pilots while remaining a commercial airport. It also served as a military airport, serving the needs ofFort Jackson. PresidentFranklin D. Roosevelt landed at Columbia Airport during a visit to Columbia. TheUnited States Navy also used Owens Field as a military airport. In addition, the military officials at the airport controlled aPrisoner of War Camp atWalterboro, where some 350 POWs were sent who worked on farms and other tasks. After the war, the airport returned to commercial use.[4]
After the war, the airport was renamedOwens Field for Columbia Mayor Lawrence B. Owens, who was one of the most ardent supporters of a municipal airport. Owens Field remained the commercial airport for Columbia until airline service was relocated to the largerColumbia Metropolitan Airport nearCayce in 1947 when the Air Force released its former World War II base to Lexington County. Owens Field's location near downtown made expansion all but impossible. Since then Owens Downtown Airport has served thegeneral aviation community of Columbia and the midlands.[5]
Jim Hamilton–L.B. Owens Airport covers an area of 182 acres (74 ha) at anelevation of 194 feet (59 m) abovemean sea level. It has onerunway designated 13/31 with anasphalt surface measuring 5,011 by 75 feet (1,527 x 23 m).[1]
For the 12-month period ending 30 March 2021, the airport had 25,000 aircraft operations, an average of 68 per day: 81%general aviation, 15%air taxi, and 4%military. At that time there were 105 aircraft based at this airport: 93 single-engine, 6 multi-engine, 2jet, 3helicopters, and 1gliders.[1]
This article incorporatespublic domain material from the Air Force Historical Research Agency
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