South Carolina’s Columbia Metropolitan Airport (KCAE) started out in 1940, just one year before the U.S. entry into World War II. During the war, it was requisitioned by the U.S. Army and was home to a B-25 medium bomber training base, where the famed Doolittle Raiders gathered ahead of their historic mission to bomb Tokyo in 1942.
For more than half of its existence, KCAE has been served by Eagle Aviation. One of two service providers on the field, the company started in 1967 and has grown into a full-service FBO with 100 employees, offering everything from maintenance and completions to flight training and aircraft sales.
The company occupies a 32-acre leasehold on the north side of the field, near the intersection of its two 8,000-plus foot runways. The two-story 12,000-sq-ft terminal was built in 1988, but Eagle has continually invested in its upkeep. “We take really good care of it, and I think it’s in very good shape,” said company owner Lee Thomas. He started with the FBO nearly 30 years ago in its aircraft sales division, eventually rising to president. In 2023, when the company’s founder decided to sell, Thomas bought it, becoming only the second owner in its history.
In addition to the passenger lobby, the terminal—which is open 24/7—offers a pilot lounge with an ensuite restroom and showers; snooze room, business center, 12-seat conference room, kitchen, refreshment bar, and four crew cars. A complete renovation of the building’s restrooms is on tap for later this year.
In addition to its business and general aviation traffic, the Titan Fuels-branded location handles the fueling for the airlines serving the state capital as well as military aviation. According to George Bacigalupo—an industry veteran and the location’s manager—that adds up to more than 1 million gallons pumped a year.
To handle that capacity, Eagle’s tank farm holds 275,000 gallons of jet fuel and 25,000 gallons of avgas. It is served by the company’s fleet of trucks including three 5,000-gallon and two 3,000-gallon Jet-A refuelers and one 1,100-gallon 100LL tanker. The FBO is also responsible for fueling all the ground service equipment on the field and has a special dual-compartment truck that carries both diesel and automotive gasoline. Eagle also handles the fueling and ground handling at Columbia's Jim Hamilton L.B. Owens Airport (KCUB). Its line service staff at both locations is trained under NATA’s Safety 1st program as well as what Thomas refers to as “the School of George,” referring to Bacigalupo’s vast experience.
Eagle sees approximately 20 operations a day at KCAE and claims the lion’s share of business aviation activity on the field, according to Thomas. It has 51,000 sq ft of hangar space which can accommodate aircraft up to a midsize business jet and is home to nine turbine-powered aircraft ranging from a Lear 60 to a Pilatus PC-12, along with several helicopters.
Of its 18.5 acres of ramp, half was resurfaced last year in a nearly $1 million project. The FBO can support anything with wings, with large aircraft such as C-17s and C-130s regular visitors. It has also handled Air Force One five times over the past few years. For catering, the company relies upon Iacofano’s Catering’s flagship kitchen in nearby Charleston. Bacigalupo noted that it recently was able to successfully provision a chartered Airbus 350 and Boeing 747 on the FBO’s ramp at the same time.
While KCAE is not an international airport, it does have U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP available 24/7 with advance notice. Eagle participates in CBP’s reimbursable services program, allowing it to request after-hours clearance for its customers.
The FBO’s Part 145 repair station is factory-authorized for Cessna Aircraft up to the Caravan and for the complete Cirrus Aircraft range, having received its certification for the Vision Jet earlier this year.
In terms of customer service, Lee’s vision is simple. “The way I see it, it’s kind of go with the flow,” he told AIN. “We’re dealing with high-net-worth individuals that are used to be treated well. “We just have to keep that in mind, treat them with respect, and try to look for their needs before they have to ask for it.” He also makes sure customers depart with a souvenir of their visit, in the form of Eagle-branded hot sauces or jellies.