CAE
Columbia Tower
FAA Control Tower and Approach Control West Columbia, South Carolina
Facility Information
| Facility Overview | |
|---|---|
| Identifier | CAE |
| Facility Name | Columbia Tower |
| Airport Name | Columbia Metro |
| Type | Tower and Approach Control |
| Leveli | Level 7 History |
| Core 30 Airporti | No |
| Airspace & Operations | |
|---|---|
| Hours of Operationi | 0000-2359 (always open) |
| Airspace Class | Class C |
| Overlying ARTCC | ZJX |
| Airport Diagram | View Airport Diagram (PDF) |
| Location & Contact | |
|---|---|
| Address | 2821 Aviation Way West Columbia, SC 29170 |
| Phone Number | 803-822-4500 |
Salary Information
2026 Pay for Columbia Tower
| Career Leveli | Hourly Min. | Hourly Max. | Salary Min. | Salary Max.i |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CPC | $47.54 | $64.17 | $99,209 | $133,931 |
| D3 | $42.25 | $47.54 | $88,171 | $99,209 |
| D2 | $36.96 | $42.25 | $77,131 | $88,171 |
| AG | $26.38 | $26.38 | $55,049 | $55,049 |
| Includes everything except premium pay. | ||||
ATC pay has stalled over the past decade. Marangos & Brown are on a mission to increase pay.
| Pay Factors | |
|---|---|
| Facility Leveli | Level 7 |
| Locality Area | Rest of U.S. |
| Locality Payi | 17.06% |
| Local Affordability | |
|---|---|
| Cost of Living Indexi | 93.7 (6.3% below avg) |
| Cost-Adjusted CPC Mini | $105,925 |
Staffing and Training
| Staffing Information, April 2026 | |
|---|---|
| CPCs on Boardi | 19 CPCs |
| 2026 TRB Targeti | 22 CPCs |
| 2026 TRB Staffingi | 82% |
| CRWG Targeti | 28 CPCs |
|
Number of Trainees
Click to view breakdown
|
4 trainees |
| ↳ Academy Graduates | 2 |
| ↳ Developmental 2 | 1 |
| ↳ Developmental 3 | 1 |
| Current CRWG Staffingi | 64% |
|
Projected CRWG Staffingi
Click to view components
|
67% |
| ↳ Est. Trainee Certifications | + 3.3 |
| ↳ Placement List Outbounds | - 1 |
| ↳ Projected Retirements/Losses | - 1.7 |
| Training Information, April 2026 | |
|---|---|
| Training Time (Avg)i | 1.70 years |
| ↳ New Hires | 1.68 years |
| ↳ Transfers (CPC-IT) | 1.02 years |
| Training Success Rate (Avg)i | 83% |
| ↳ New Hires | 87% |
| ↳ Transfers (CPC-IT) | 84% |
| Travel Days from Academyi | 3 days |
Historical Trends
CAE Staffing Percentages
CAE Personnel Counts
CAE Training Metrics
Traffic
| May 2025 - April 2026 (12 Months) | |
|---|---|
| Tower Operations | 79,555 operations/year |
| TRACON Operations | 113,010 operations/year |
| Total Operations | 192,565 operations/year |
| Average Daily Operations | 528 operations/day |
| Peer Group Median (Lvl 7 Up/Down) |
206,248 operations/year |
| Relative Workloadi | -6.6% vs peer median |
Traffic History
NCEPT
| Current NCEPT Metrics | |
|---|---|
| Possible Lossesi Apr 2026 |
0 |
| Expected Staffing (12-Month)i Apr 2026 |
69.6% |
| Possible Gains to National Avgi Apr 2026 |
6 |
| Priority / Draft Orderi Mar 2026 |
#86 |
| Inbound ERRs on Filei Feb 2026 |
1 |
| Employees with Outbound ERRsi Feb 2026 |
3 (15.8%) |
NCEPT is the centralized system for managing controller-requested transfers between facilities. Transfer requests are only approved based upon a set of complex metrics that attempt to balance the distribution of the workforce.
Demand Trends
NCEPT Priority
Administration
| Organizational Structure | |
|---|---|
| Service Area | Eastern |
| District | Jacksonville |
| HR Region | Southern |