🇺🇸 The Ohio State University Airport - Don Scott Field

The Ohio State University Airport - Don Scott Field (KOSU (OSU)), located in Columbus, Ohio, US, is a public general aviation facility owned and operated by the university's College of Engineering. It serves as a vital learning lab for students, supports instructional flying programs, and provides easy access for charter and business flights. The airport is a FAA Part 139-certified facility with FAA-contracted air traffic control services available daily.

Notable Features and History: Named after Donald E. Scott, an Ohio State alumnus who died during pilot training in World War II, the airport originated in 1943 as a flight training facility for military and civilian pilots. It became a public-use airport in 1959. KOSU is one of only three university-owned airports in the United States operated by a Tier One research institution. Historically, the airport has seen unusual events, such as a Boeing 707 mistakenly landing there in 1967 and the Columbus Zoo flying giant pandas to KOSU in 1992 to avoid protesters at a larger airport. The airport also notably contains a buried B-29 bomber. In 2018, a new $15 million Austin E. Knowlton Executive Terminal & Aviation Learning Center was unveiled. Since 2015, it has been the headquarters for the National Intercollegiate Flying Association (NIFA). In 2020, Don Scott Field recorded the most takeoffs and landings of all airports in Ohio and played a crucial role during the pandemic by facilitating essential travel and the transport of medical specimens.

Current Status: The Ohio State University Airport currently operates as a self-supporting entity under the university's Department of Aerospace Engineering & Aviation. It remains a bustling airport, accommodating over 150 aircraft, including those from various Fortune 500 companies, and handling approximately 75,000 annual operations, ranking it among the top 5% of airports nationwide and Ohio's fourth busiest. The airport offers a range of services, including de-icing, maintenance, catering, a crew lounge, snooze rooms, showers, and car rental.