The original Charleston Airport was located on a former phosphate
mine leased from South Carolina Mining and Manufacturing Company. In 1928, the Charleston
Airport Corporation was formed to lease approximately 700 acres which was cleared and
graded to provide landing strips for aircraft. The privately-owned airport officially
opened on August 10, 1929 (The Cooper River Bridge was dedicated during the same week).
In 1931, the city of Charleston floated a
$60,000 Bond Issue to obtain a portion of this property and commence further development
of the airfield. Mr. A. M. Luke established Hawthorne Flying Service at the airfield soon
thereafter, and Hawthorne facilities remained in continuous service until the 1990s.
Throughout the 1930s, facility development
continued with significant assistance from the Works Projects Administration (WPA). Runway
3/21 was paved to a distance of 3500’; Runway 15/33 was paved to a distance of
3000’; Runway 10/28 (now Taxiway 5) was paved to a distance of 4000’. All
runways were lighted with floodlights for night operations.
The City of Charleston levied a ½ mill tax on
its citizens to support the operation of the airport and continued to operate the field
until World War II.
WORLD WAR II
In 1942, Charleston Municipal Airport was
given to the United States Army as part of the eastern defense program. Full control of
the field was vested in the Army Air Corps; however, commercial flying was permitted to
continue. During the war, the Army purchased more land and drained and reclaimed other
portions of the real estate. Charleston Army Base was closed in 1946 as part of the
peacetime transition and released its 2,050 acres and $12 million in improvements to the
City.
During the late 1940s, the City of Charleston
commenced planning for a new passenger terminal building partially funded with a $240,000
grant from the Civil Aeronautics Administration. The new airport terminal opened in 1949,
the first post war airport modernization in the southeast.
JOINT USE OPERATIONS
The Korean War led to the reactivation of a
military air base at Charleston. In 1952, the City of Charleston and the United States Air
Force reached an agreement on control of the Base and joint use of the runways. The City
deeded 1605 acres to the U. S. Government for 25 years and executed a Joint Use Agreement
which contained a provision for the City to develop an adequate replacement airport for
civil aviation prior to 1958. Upon occupying this new airport site, the City would deed
its existing 42 acres (including the terminal building) to the U. S. Government which
would then assume exclusive use of the entire airfield.
U. S. Air Force later released the alternate
site requirement and over the next two decades several different joint use arrangements
were alternately proposed by both the City and the Air Force. In December, 1973, a new
Joint Use Agreement was signed with the City of Charleston which finally replaced the 1956
Agreement. One of its provisions included the ownership transfer of Charleston Municipal
airport to a newly formed Airport Authority.
CHARLESTON COUNTY AVIATION
AUTHORITY
On January 1, 1979, the Charleston County
Aviation Authority assumed control of Charleston Municipal Airport and immediately
commenced the expansion of the civil aviation facilities. A 1300 acre site adjoining the
southern portion of the airfield was purchased from Georgia-Pacific Company and the new
Terminal Complex opened there in April, 1985.
The new Terminal includes an International
Concourse to accommodate the operations of the Military Airlift Command’s
Southeastern Gateway. Adjoining property not necessary for aviation use is under
development as an Office/Industrial Park.
The Authority retains ownership of the
original civil airport property and will develop and upgrade general aviation and air
cargo facilities on this acreage.
CHARLESTON EXECUTIVE AIRPORT
PREVIOUS AIRPORTS IN WEST
ASHLEY AREA
Prior to the public opening of John’s
Island Airport, local aviators were served by several different public use fields.
From 1927 to 1936, the City of Charleston
was served by an airfield adjacent to the Stono River at the site of today’s
Charleston Municipal Golf Course.
From 1940 to 1946, Jensen Field was operated
on James Island (alternately known as Clark Field). Martin Jensen was an aviator of some
renown and was one of only two pilots to successfully complete the infamous Dole Race to
Hawaii in the late-20’s. He is reputed to have served as a navigator with Amelia
Earhart.
From 1945 to 1950, Mr. Milton Truluck
operated a field south of Highway 17 in an area now known as the Air Harbor residential
subdivision. Many of the street names in this neighborhood still bear witness to its early
history (Boeing Avenue, Swift Avenue, Curtis Avenue, Piper Drive, etc.).
Mr. William Scott operated Carolina Sky Ways
on a field located off of Folly Road on James Island (this location is across the Stono
River and directly east of the existing John’s Island Airport). During World War II,
the Civil Air Patrol operated submarine patrols out of this base. Located on land leased
from the Dill sisters, this airport operated from the early 1940s until 1967.
An airport named Clement Field was operated
on James Island. No other information is available to this writer.
All of the above airfields provided turf
landing strips; non provided paved runways and taxiways.
WORLD WAR II
In August 1943, the U. S. Government leased
approximately 900 acres of land from the County of Charleston and purchased almost 400
more acres from three adjacent property owners to complete the land acquisition for the
proposed John’s Island Airfield.
During 1944/45, the John’s Island
Airfield Military Reservation was constructed. The total construction time was only 95
days. The field served as an auxiliary training base (no permanent structures were
constructed); however, it was also used as a launching point for transatlantic flights.
In January 1948, the County of Charleston
obtained the transfer of the airport and continued to operate and maintain it until the
early 1970s.
CHARLESTON COUNTY AVIATION
AUTHORITY
In 1972, the newly formed Aviation Authority
leased the John’s Island Airport from the County of Charleston and began several
rehabilitation and improvement projects, including the complete relocation of the Fixed
Base Operation located at the airport.
In 1975, the John’s Island Airport was
granted in fee simple to the Aviation Authority. The Authority continues to operate the
airport as an officially designated reliever to Charleston International Airport.
EAST COOPER AIRPORT
PREVIOUS AIRPORTS IN THE
EAST COOPER AREA
Prior to the opening of the East Cooper
Airport, local aviators were served by these public use fields.
Remley’s Point
Major William North operated the Remley’s
Point Airport from about 1950 to 1973. This Airport was located near Charleston harbor,
roughly adjacent to the site of today’s Mt. Pleasant Holiday Inn.
Major North’s first wife is credited with
being the first licensed female pilot in South Carolina.
The Isle of Palms Airport
The Isle of Palms Airport was built in the
early-1950’s to provide a recreational airport adjacent to the
island’s beaches. It provided a 2900’ turf airstrip situated along the
Intracoastal Waterway.
Originally constructed and operated by the
South Carolina Aeronautics Commission, ownership was later transferred to the Charleston
County Aviation Authority; however, the airport was located on privately-owned leased land
which was recovered in 1983 by the owners for development of the Wild Dunes complex.
EARLY PLANNING FOR NEW
AIRPORT
In 1974, residents of the Mt. Pleasant area
strongly expressed the desire for a modern General Aviation airport to serve their
community – as a result, the Charleston County Aviation Authority authorized the
development of a Master Plan for this airport.
In 1976, the Authority selected a site for
development and purchased a 300 acre parcel from Georgia-Pacific approximately 10 miles
northeast of central Mt. Pleasant.
AIRPORT OPENED
By the summer of 1986, all airport paving was
complete, including a 3700’ runway, aircraft parking apron, and automobile parking
lot. Thereafter, the above ground structures, including a maintenance hangar, offices,
T-Hangar, and fuel farm were constructed and the airport officially opened for public use
in August, 1987.
CHARLESTON SEAPLANE
FACILITIES
There are currently no seaplane facilities in
the Charleston area; however, the following areas were active in previous years.
Located near the Wappoo cut, this facility
provided water landings in the Wappoo River. It was also possible to use the Ashley River.
During the World War II years, the United
States Navy operated military seaplanes in the Cooper River. The operation of PBM Mariners
was a common occurrence. It is believed Squadron VPB 18, 21, and 25 were based here at
various times.
Although no official seaplane facilities are
known to have been published for Charleston Harbor, it has been used by various aircraft
from time to time. In 1931, the German Dornier DOX used Charleston Harbor during an
international visit.
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