Columbia Air Traffic Control
Tower
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Airport History
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Welcome Letter
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Columbia Air Traffic Control Tower Organization Chart
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Columbia Air Traffic Control Tower Leadership Team
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Frontline Managers at Columbia Air Traffic Control Tower
10
Our Expectations of All Employees
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Policies
12
Local Area Information
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Online Resources
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Aerial View and Diagram of Columbia Metropolitan Airport
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Columbia Air Traffic Control Tower Directory
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AIRPORT 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 twentyfive 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.
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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.
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Welcome Letter
Dear New Employee,
Welcome to Columbia Air Traffic Control Tower! Here you will have an opportunity
to work with an outstanding team of professionals that help make us a great place to
work and develop your skills. Your knowledge, abilities and positive attitude made
you a highly regarded addition to our team, and I am certain that you will make a
positive impact on our future.
All of us want to make your tenure at this facility as enjoyable and rewarding as
possible. Please feel free to ask any questions and express your thoughts and ideas to
the staff and senior leadership. Our aim is to create an informal atmosphere and
involve everyone in the process of making our facility an exceptional place to work.
I look forward to working with you, and would like to welcome you again to our
team!
Philip L. Fuller
Columbia Air Traffic Control Manager
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Columbia Air Traffic Control Tower Organization Chart
The following organizational chart depicts the structure of the Columbia ATCT
Management Team.
ATO Columbia ATCT
PHILIP L. FULLER
AIR TRAFFIC MANAGER
CYNTHIA S. DAMOUR
SECRETARY
COR
TOR
RAYTHEON
GARY HANKS
SITE SUPERVISOR
VERO TECH
AVIATION WEATHER
LIBBY LANGFORD
SUPERVISOR
WILLIAM CURNIAS
TRAVIS CROCKER
GLORIA FORTHUN
KENNETH LUND
MICHAEL J. PEAY
(DETAILED)
FRONT LINE MANAGER
WILLIAM G. COBB
SCOTT M. DIPIAZZA
JILLIAN A. DOAN
THOMAS S. EGGAR
WILLIAM HINSON
ROBERT M. KEENE
GAIL LUCERO
MICHAEL L. MOORE
KATIE M. O'CONNELL
STEPHEN M. TILL
Blue Team
MICHAEL J. PEAY
SUPPORT SPECIALIST
PHYLLIS CONRAD CAE
KRIES LEWIS CHS
VAN NEAL CHS
JOHN MILLER MYR
MICHAEL PEDRO
BILL LINDSAY
BYRON FURNESS
MICHAEL R. EDWARDS
FRONT LINE MANAGER
CHARLES F. FRICK
FRONT LINE MANAGER
THOMAS R. BEATTIE
JAMES O. DRIGGERS
NELSON S. GAFFNEY
MICHAEL A. KEESE
JAMES T. PEPPER
EDUARDO RODRIGUEZ
CHRISTOPHER B. ROPPOLO
ERIC SLATER
TIFFANY L. WILLIAMS
MAKIDA J. BRIDGES
CHRISTIAN BRYANT
JEROME DEAS
JEFFREY M. LAMBERT
MICHAEL PEREZ
WILLIAM W. POPPLETON
TIMOTHY P. TATE
Red Team
Green Team
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Columbia Air Traffic Control Tower Leadership Team
Phil Fuller, Manager of CAE ATCT, began his
career in aviation in 1962 as a student pilot. In June
1965, he began serving our country in the U.S. Air
Force as an Air Traffic Controller. Phil issued his
first ATC clearance in October 1965. Assignments
to Seymour Johnson AFB, RAPCON and Tower in
Goldsboro, NC, and Pleiku AFB (South) Vietnam,
CENTER, RAPCON and Tower gave him his initial
training and experience as a controller. In September
1969, Phil was hired by the FAA as an Air Traffic
Controller.
Phil’s 40-year career with the FAA spans a huge variety of management and
leadership positions. From ATCS Washington ARTCC, Leesburg, Va.; QATS
Huntington ATCT in Huntington, W. VA. to Area Supervisor/Acting ATM in
Huntington to Terminal Instructor; then promoted to RTF Terminal Course Manager
Instructional System Design Unit at the Academy in Oklahoma City, OKC, to
Supervisor RTF (Enroute and Terminal) Automation unit, to Manager, Program and
Contract Section, to Manager of the Quality Assurance for the Air Traffic Division at
the Academy. Phil then took a difficult assignment as Air Traffic Representative
(ATREP) at the Naval Air Station in Key West, FL, and Manager of Key West
ATCT. His next assignment was Assistant Air Traffic Hub Manager Columbia
ATCT/HUB, then HUB Manager at Columbia, SC (including Florence, Myrtle
Beach, Charleston, SC and Augusta, Ga.) and from 1998 to the present Phil has been
Manager of CAE ATCT here in Columbia, SC.
Phil is not only the Manager of CAE ATCT but also has many other duties spanning
from 1987 to the present. He has Chaired the Technical Advisory Team and served
on the Source Evaluation Board for the RFP Instructional Services Contract. Phil was
selected and served as an EEO counselor for the Aeronautical Center and Southern
California. He is currently a member of the local Federal Executive Council; he is the
COTR for the Contract Weather Observers (VERO TECH). He was the Facility
Technical Liasion Officer for WCG and is now the Training Officer Representative
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(TOR) for Raytheon. He also serves as a liaison, at the direction of the Southern
Regional Administrator, as the FAA Local Coordinator for Columbia, SC.
Phil has a BS degree from Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia, and a
Juris Doctor from Oklahoma City University where he is a member of the Oklahoma
Bar and is also an associate member of the South Carolina Bar. He is a member of
Phi Alpha Delta. He is a South Carolina certified Circuit Court Mediator, Family
Court Mediator and Arbitrator.
Phil loves all aspects of Aviation as witnessed by his longevity in his career. He
holds a Pilot’s license, Commercial, Instrument, 2,000 plus hours as Pilot in
Command. He has owned several airplanes and hopes to build an experimental after
retirement.
In addition to all Phil’s Air Traffic activities, he is married to Kathy Fuller, a retired
award winning public school teacher. They have 2 beautiful daughters and a grandson
and granddaughter that keep them “in-the-loop”.
In his “spare” time, Phil plays trumpet in seven musically diverse groups in the
Columbia area. He publishes books, is a handyman finishing an upstairs room at his
new home, and is an avid Harley-Davidson motorcyclist. He and wife made a most
memorable trip touring Alaska via motorcycle in 2005.
The FAA is lucky to have so many talented and multi-faceted men and women part of
the Air Traffic family.
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Columbia Air Traffic Control Tower Leadership Team
Mr. Michael J. Peay, Support Specialist
Michael joined the FAA in 1982 as an Air Traffic
Controller at the Savannah ATCT. Prior to joining
the FAA, Michael served as an Air Traffic Controller
in the USAF for nine years
Mr. Peay’s career includes the following positions:
controller at Savannah and Miami Tower, Quality
Assurance and Training Specialist and Supervisor at
Pensacola Tower, Area Manager and Assistant
Manager for Training at Raleigh Tower. In 1992,
Mr.Peay joined the Air Traffic Regional Office in
Atlanta. He served initially in the Procedures Branch,
followed by stints in the Resource Management Branch and the Operations Branch.
In 1996, Mr. Peay was selected as the Manager of the Charleston Tower and served
there until 1999. Responding to a personal call to ministry, Mr. Peay relocated to
Columbia Tower and attended seminary at Columbia International University. He
worked as a controller in Columbia until 2004 when he was selected as the Support
Specialist.
Mr. Peay has over 35 years of government service and also serves as a bi-vocational
Pastor of Faith Chapel in Northeast Columbia. He and his wife, Camille, have three
children.
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Frontline Managers at Columbia Air Traffic Control Tower
Mr. Michael R. Edwards, Frontline Manager
Mike joined the FAA in October 1981 at Memphis Tower
as an Air Traffic Controller. He left there in April 1985 to
take the position of Automation Specialist at the Knoxville
Tower. In March 1990, he came to Columbia Tower as a
Frontline Manager. Prior to his FAA service, Mike served
4 years in the United States Air Force as an Air Traffic
Controller. Mike and his wife Teresa have two children
and two grandchildren.
Mr. Charles Frick, Frontline Manager
Charles started with the FAA in June 1987. After the
FAA Academy, he was assigned to the Augusta ATCT.
While in Augusta, Charles was an On-the- Job
Evaluator and a member of the Augusta Facility
Advisory Board. In January 1994, Charles transferred
to CAE ATCT. He was an instructor and was a
member of the Technical Advisory Committee.
Charles now serves as a Front Line Manager here at
CAE ATCT. He is married to his wife Donna and they
have two daughters. He has 22 years of Federal
Service.
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Our Expectations of All Employees
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Columbia Air Traffic Control Tower leadership team expects all employees to:
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Come to work, be on time
Be prepared – mentally and physically
Understand leave policy and manage your leave appropriately
Be cooperative and professional
Treat people with respect and dignity
Take initiative
Be accountable
Lead by example – be a good role model
Do not tolerate or engage in any form of harassment or discrimination
Actively participate in training
Know your airspace and systems, know your equipment
Use prescribed phraseology/correct facility and equipment names
Follow rules and procedures
Be open to feedback – provide honest information
Be an effective team member
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Policies
Reporting for Duty
Your initial shift will be Monday through Friday from 0700-1530. Employees are to
report for their assigned shift on time. Please be sure that you allow enough time to
report to work on time.
Hours of Duty
Columbia Air Traffic Control Tower is a 24 hour facility.
Parking
Secured parking is provided onsite. FAA decals are issued when employee checks in
and gives car information to Administrative Office. Cars are only to be in the parking
lot when employees are on duty. You will need your vehicle registration (a copy is
acceptable) and your driver’s license, tag number, make, model and color of the
vehicle in order to obtain a decal.
Security
Employees will be briefed after arrival at Facility about security policies and
procedures.
Building Access
Facility is gated and requires a Proximity card to enter the gate and buildings.
FAA ID Cards
Policies and Procedures for FAA ID cards will be taken care of on arrival to Facility.
FAA photo ID cards must be worn and visible at all times when on Facility Property.
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Guests and Visitors
Any visitors to the Facility must be approved by the Manager or a Front Line
Manager. The current SECON level (security condition) will determine if
visitors are being permitted entrance to the facility.
Cell Phones
Mobile phones, pagers, IPODS, and any electronic devices must be off
anytime you are in the control room to preclude interference with
communications equipment.
Training
Initial classroom training lasts from three to six weeks. Training materials will be
distributed to you when classroom begins. If you would like to familiarize yourself
with the Local Orders and Letters of Agreement prior to arrival, they may be accessed
via the FAA intranet at: https://loa.faa.gov and enter CAE for Facility ID.
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Local Area Information
Columbia Profile
As George Washington viewed the beginnings of Columbia, which sits on a bluff
above the Congaree River below the confluence of the Broad and Saluda Rivers from
the north, he remarked that the city site was well-chosen. Columbia was established
in 1786 and was a planned city, built to be the seat of state government. Today the
city continues to plan and evolve, ever mindful of its history, keeping its past
remembered and its future bright and forward thinking.
Columbia is enjoying one of the most exciting urban revitalizations in the country.
At the heart of this revitalization is an area known as The Vista, a 1200-acre tract in
the heart of the city. There are a lot of historic buildings that have been rehabilitated
with a contemporary flair.
The Colonial Center is the largest arena in the state and is home to the University of
South Carolina’s men’s and women’s basketball teams. It seats 18,000 and hosts
exciting entertainment from A-list stars like Bruce Springsteen, Kenny Chesney,
Jimmy Buffet, Billy Joel and others. Family shows like Sesame Street and the
Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus are presented throughout the year.
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Another asset located in the Vista is the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center,
which opened in 2004. This 150,000 square foot facility contains exhibits, classroom
and ballroom space and will bring various business meetings and conventions to the
state.
A block by block beautification project is ongoing on Main Street concentrating on
sidewalks, angled parking, new street lights and natural beauty. Columbia has a long
growing season in a semi-tropical climate. Spring comes to life in Columbia in
February. Summertime brings warm days and sunshine. Our summers are long and
the color changes of autumn take place in late October and early November. It rarely
snows and if it does, it melts the next day.
Lake Murray, a 50,000 acre paradise just northwest of Columbia provides all types of
recreational activities from boating, fishing, camping, hiking, and biking.
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Spectator sports in Columbia include the University of South Carolina Gamecock
football, basketball and baseball. The City of Columbia manages parks and
playgrounds in Richland and Lexington Counties. We have 2 area state parks as well
as the Congaree Swamp National Park. Columbia has an accredited zoo, Riverbanks
Zoo and Botanical Gardens with wonderful animal exhibits and incredible gardens.
Three Rivers Music Festival, the Okra Strut, the State Fair, the Peach Festival, the
Catfish Stomp, the Greek Festival, Lexington Fun Fest are some of the annual events
that are offered in Columbia throughout the year.
An enormous range of housing is available and the cost of housing in Greater
Columbia is 82.8% of the national average, with the median home selling for
$170,300. The average rent for a 2 bedroom is $700 per month.
Columbia has an outstanding educational system. From our elementary education to
the University level, Columbia is on the cutting edge.
The Greater Columbia area has 10 major hospitals that offer diverse medical care and
wellness services. The University School of Medicine is affiliated with seven area
hospitals.
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Most citizens when asked what the cities greatest asset is the location. All of South
Carolina is within a 3 hour drive of Columbia. You can take day trips to the
mountains of the Upstate and to the beaches of the Grand Strand.
People move for various reasons, whatever your reason, welcome to Columbia.
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Online Resources
Local Area Resources
Welcome to The City of Columbia SC
Columbia Guide
Columbia City Guide
The Columbia Vista
Columbia Metropolitan Airport
Columbia Metropolitan Airport Info
Chamber of Commerce
Columbia City Area Chamber of Commerce
Housing and Relocating Assistance
Columbia South Carolina : Relocation Information
Moving Companies in Columbia South Carolina
Local News
WIS-TV (NBC)
WLTX TV (CBS)
WACH TV (FOX)
WOLO-TV (ABC)
WRLK-TV (SCETV)
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Richland County Schools
Richland School District One
Richland School District Two
District 5 of Lexington and Richland Counties
Local Sports Teams
Baseball: Columbia Blowfish
Basketball: University of South Carolina Official Athletic Site
Football: University of South Carolina Official Athletic Site - Football
Hockey: Columbia Infernos
Newspapers
The State Newspaper
Columbia Free Times
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This page has been redacted for posting on the web.
It will be available in the guide you receive from your facility.
This page has been redacted for posting on the web.
It will be available in the guide you receive from your facility.
Aerial View of Columbia Air Traffic Control Facility
Aerial view of Columbia Air Traffic Control Facility at 2821 Aviation
Way, West Columbia, South Carolina 29170.
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Columbia Air Traffic Control Tower Directory
The following list provides the most commonly used phone numbers within the
Columbia Air Traffic Control Tower facility:
>> Manager’s Office
(803) 822-4501
>> Facility Main Number
(803) 822-4500
>> Administrative Assistant
(803) 822-4508
>> Support Specialist
(803) 822-4505
>> Raytheon
(803) 822-4507
(803) 822-4503
>> VeroTech CWO
(803) 822-4506
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