Origins

In 1941, the City of Augusta learned that the United States Army Air Corps was looking for a site to locate a basic Contract Pilot School. In March 1941, the president of the Chamber of commerce contacted Harold S. Darr, who operated a primary flight school for the Air Corps in Albany (Albany Army Airfield) to promote the idea to locate the new school in the Augusta area. With the Army's approval, Darr chose a 900-acre (3.6 km2) tract 7.5 miles (12.1 km) southeast of the City adjacent to the Savannah River. On March 22, 1941, Darr entered into an agreement with local officials to invest $500,000 in buying the acreage and building a school. Darr estimated that the school would employ 300 civilians with an annual payroll of $1.5 million, In turn, the City and Richmond County agreed to move a City-owned hangar from nearby Daniel Field, pave the aircraft parking ramp, pave a road in the area to create a runway, and provide convict labor with guards. The Air Corps set a very ambitious timetable by requiring that flight training begin no later than June 7, 1941. Construction started on April 1. The Air Corps and Darr did not go public with the project until April 5, when an announcement appeared in the local newspaper.

World War II

Training began on June 10, with flying cadets arriving from the Air Corps primary schools at Albany and Americus, Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Camden, South Carolina, Arcadia and Lakeland, Florida. The initial aircraft complement numbered 24 Vultee BT-13 Valiant and BT-15 aircraft. The ten-week course consisted of 70 hours of flight training and 150 hours of ground training. Harold Darr named the school Georgia Aero Tech; however, the Army designated it the 72nd Army Air Force Flight Training Detachment. The school was one of only three contract pilot schools conducting basic training. In addition to the main school at Augusta, the following auxiliary airfields were utilized:

Dionne Auxiliary Field 33°05′50″N 81°57′59″W

Yawn Auxiliary Field 33°11′58″N 82°03′46″W

Shortly after flight training commenced in June 1941, Don C. Bush, a civilian flight instructor, lost his life in an aircraft crash. The airfield was named Bush Field in his memory.

In January 1942, the Defense Plant Corporation, a corporation entity of the Federal government, bought the school from Harold Darr. With the United States now in the war, the size of the classes increased, requiring an expansion of the school's facilities. Construction began on a ground training building in May and an additional barracks in June. The number of aircraft assigned to the school grew from 24 to around 100 BT-13s and BT-15s. Additional paved runways were eventually added.

During all 1943, the school operated at capacity with classes averaging around 160 students. By early 1944, training requirements began to decrease, and with the possibility at that time of closing nearby Camp Gordon, the Army suddenly had no use for the field. In September 1944, the Air Force closed the facility after training over 5,000 students.

The Reconstruction Finance Corporation used Bush Field until 1948 for the disposal and sale of surplus military aircraft. The surplus aircraft at Bush included almost every Army and Navy model, from primary trainers and drones to B-24s and large transports. Several were purchased by the upstart Flying Tiger Airline.

Commercial use

Bush Field became Augusta's commercial airport on July 1, 1950, when the Federal Government transferred Bush Field to the City of Augusta and the airlines moved from Daniel Field to Bush Field. One of the airport's most profitable initiatives occurred in 1955 when a transient terminal was opened to sell fuel and to provide service to visiting aircraft. To this day, the fueling operation continues as a major source of revenue for the airport, keeping it self-sufficient and profitable. No tax dollars or City funding has ever been needed to support the airport.

During the 1950s and 1960s passenger traffic grew. The old flight school barracks were renovated and leased to Continental Hotels. In 1961, an 8,000 ft (2,400 m) runway was completed. In 1964, Bush Field was the 135th-busiest airport in the nation. Jet service at the airport began in 1965. By the close of the 1960s, the airport had doubled its baggage claim area and added a terminal, a tower, a lobby, a hotel, parking meters, and a second runway.

The 1970s saw the airport's industrial growth period. During the 1970s, Capitol Aviation of Georgia (not to be confused with Capitol Air) established itself at the airport with a million-dollar-plus airplane service facility. The company, now known as Landmark Aviation, developed a jet engine repair facility, an avionics-navigation shop, and a structural and aircraft systems repair shop. Landmark Aviation now employs roughly 220 people at the Augusta facility.

By the 1990s, Bush Field tenants and visitors were contributing about $290 million in annual economic activity with nearly 2,200 jobs attributed to the airport.