Jim Hamilton L B Owens Airport (KCUB), South Carolina
Landing essentials
Whether you can land, whether you can refuel, and how customs works here.
Overview
Jim Hamilton L B Owens Airport, KCUB, is a public-use general aviation field in Columbia, South Carolina, serving as a business aviation reliever roughly 6.5 nautical miles from Columbia Metropolitan Airport. The field is untowered and handled 2,759 business aviation operations in 2025 according to FAA TFMSC data, supported by a single paved runway and fuel service during posted attendance hours.
Runways
Jim Hamilton L B Owens Airport has one paved runway, 13/31, 5,011 ft long and 75 ft wide, with an asphalt surface.
Runway geometry from published threshold coordinates. Not for navigation.
Source: FAA Form 5010.
Fuel and airfield services
Jim Hamilton L B Owens Airport has Jet A and 100LL available on the field. Fueling is available from 6am to 10pm, daily, and the airport has no control tower.
Source: FAA Form 5010 / NASR.
Customs
Jim Hamilton L B Owens Airport does not clear customs. The nearest port of entry is Columbia Metro (KCAE), 6 NM away.
Source: CBP list of ports of entry.
Business aviation traffic
Jim Hamilton L B Owens Airport recorded 2,759 business aviation movements in 2025. Traffic peaks in October. Business aviation traffic at KCUB peaks in October and May, with October operations running noticeably higher than the June low.
Business jet movements, FAA TFMSC count. Peak month October, 317 movements in 2025.
Source: FAA TFMSC, business jet movements, 2025.
Climate
Jim Hamilton L B Owens Airport averages 23.6 days above 90°F in July and 12.1 freeze days in January. July is the warmest month, with average highs of 93.2°F, and January the coldest, at 57.2°F.
Weather station is on the field. Some values are estimated by the agency. 1991–2020 climate normals.
Source: NOAA NCEI.
Operating constraints
Jim Hamilton L B Owens Airport has published operating constraints in five categories: access, weight restrictions, runway notes, noise procedures and other notes.
For clearance delivery, contact Columbia Approach.
Runway-to-taxiway separation is 206 feet. The separation design criterion is not fully met for aircraft weighing 12,500 pounds or more.
A railroad switching yard runs parallel to Runway 13/31.
The MIRL for Runway 13/31 and REILs for Runways 13 and 31 are pilot-activated on CTAF.
On Runway 31, trees 18 feet tall stand 160 feet from the threshold, 56 feet left of centerline.
The PAPI on Runway 13 is unusable beyond 8 degrees right of course.
On Runway 13, obstructions include a 71-foot tree 148 feet left of centerline and 1,096 feet from the threshold, 40-foot power lines 180 feet right of centerline and 958 feet from the threshold, a 30-foot building 140 feet right and 900 feet from the threshold, and a 27-foot building 653 feet from the threshold and 172 feet left.
No northbound departure turns are permitted on either runway below 1,500 feet.
Due to proximity and runway alignment, aircrews have mistaken Columbia Metropolitan Airport (Runway 11/29) for Jim Hamilton L B Owens Airport (Runway 13/31), which is 6 miles southwest.
Avoid the noise-sensitive area north of the airport below 1,500 feet.
Contract fuel is available for military aircraft.
Source: FAA Chart Supplement.
Nearby airfields
Jim Hamilton L B Owens Airport has five airfields within 23 NM. The closest is Columbia Metro (KCAE), 6.47 NM west.
Source: Skystar calculation from official coordinates.
Skystar at KCUB
We arrange catering, fuel and trip support here. Supplier prices reach you unchanged; our coordination fee sits on its own line.
The same order, priced two ways.
$2,400.00 catering order at KCUB.
Unchanged.
What the kitchen invoices us is what your quote reads.
One line, fixed.
It does not move with the size of the order.
At cost.
Passed on at the exact amount the processor took.
Market practice figures are industry averages, not a specific competitor.
Frequently asked questions
What runway does KCUB offer for business aviation traffic?
Jim Hamilton L B Owens Airport, KCUB, operates a single asphalt runway, 13/31, measuring 5,011 feet by 75 feet. This is the only paved surface at the field, so all fixed-wing traffic uses this runway regardless of wind. Both ends have obstructions to consider during approach and departure planning, including trees and buildings near the Runway 13 threshold. Pilots should also note that the PAPI on Runway 13 is unusable beyond 8 degrees right of course. Runway-to-taxiway separation is 206 feet, which does not fully meet design criteria for aircraft at or above 12,500 pounds.
Is jet fuel available at KCUB?
Jim Hamilton L B Owens Airport, KCUB, lists both 100LL and Jet A among its fuel types, with Jet A confirmed as available on the field. Attendance runs all days, all months, from 0600 to 2200 local. A separate remark notes contract fuel arrangements specifically for military aircraft, which is distinct from the general Jet A service. Dispatchers arranging fuel for civilian business aircraft should plan around the standard attendance hours rather than assume round-the-clock availability. No onsite customs service exists at this airport.
Does KCUB have onsite customs clearance?
Jim Hamilton L B Owens Airport, KCUB, does not have onsite customs service. The nearest customs facility is Columbia Metropolitan Airport, KCAE, located approximately 6.47 nautical miles away. Aircraft requiring a customs clearance after an international arrival need to route through KCAE or another designated port of entry rather than clearing directly at KCUB. This proximity makes KCAE a practical alternative for crews needing customs support close to the Columbia area. Flight planners should coordinate clearance arrangements at KCAE in advance of arrival.
What obstacles should pilots be aware of on approach to Runway 13 at KCUB?
Runway 13 at Jim Hamilton L B Owens Airport, KCUB, has several charted obstructions near the threshold that affect approach planning. These include a 71-foot tree 148 feet left of centerline and 1,096 feet from the threshold, 40-foot power lines 180 feet right of centerline and 958 feet from the threshold, a 30-foot building 140 feet right and 900 feet from the threshold, and a 27-foot building 172 feet left and 653 feet from the threshold. The Runway 13 PAPI is also unusable beyond 8 degrees right of course. Pilots should factor these obstructions into approach speed and descent planning, particularly at night or in low visibility.
Why do aircrews sometimes confuse KCUB with a nearby airport?
Jim Hamilton L B Owens Airport, KCUB, sits about 6 miles southwest of Columbia Metropolitan Airport, KCAE, and the two fields share a similar runway alignment. Aircrews have mistaken KCAE's runway 11/29 for KCUB's runway 13/31 because of this proximity and alignment similarity, according to the airport's own operational remarks. This has led to landing confusion between the two airports. Crews inbound to KCUB should verify field identification carefully during approach, particularly when relying on visual cues rather than instrument guidance. Confirming the correct airport identifier before the final approach segment helps avoid this known error.