Cobb County International Airport

Cobb County International Airport is a public-use airport located in Cobb County, Georgia, near Kennesaw and Marietta in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The airport, also known as McCollum Field, serves general aviation, corporate, and air taxi operations and supports nearby Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport, and the regional Peachtree–DeKalb Airport. Its facilities and services cater to flight training, maintenance, and business aviation for entities across Georgia (U.S. state), including private firms and aeronautical groups.

History

Cobb County International Airport opened as McCollum Field following development initiatives by Cobb County, Georgia officials and local business leaders in the mid-20th century to relieve congestion at Candler Field and later Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport. During the Cold War era, the airport coordinated operations with nearby Dobbins Air Reserve Base and hosted civil aviation milestones tied to regional manufacturers such as Lockheed Martin and Bell Textron. In the 1970s and 1980s, expansion projects involved partnerships with the Federal Aviation Administration and the Georgia Department of Transportation aviation division to extend runways and upgrade instrument landing systems comparable to installations at Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport and Columbus Metropolitan Airport. More recent developments have included terminal improvements influenced by advisory input from the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association and collaborations with economic development agencies like the Atlanta Regional Commission.

Facilities and aircraft

The airport comprises two asphalt runways aligned as 5/23 and 11/29, an air traffic advisory/tower arrangement, hangars, fixed-base operators such as those run by private aviation companies, and corporate hangars used by entities with ties to Delta Air Lines, The Coca-Cola Company, and regional contractors. On-field services include fuel provided to piston and turbine aircraft, maintenance facilities compatible with airframes from manufacturers like Cessna, Gulfstream Aerospace, Beechcraft, and Embraer, and avionics shops supported by suppliers such as Garmin and Collins Aerospace. The airport hosts flight training organizations employing fleets of Piper PA-28 and Cessna 172 aircraft, and supports medevac services coordinated with hospital systems including Emory Healthcare and WellStar Health System. Aircraft operations mix includes general aviation, air taxi, and occasional military transient flights from units like the Georgia Air National Guard. The airport's proximity to transportation corridors such as Interstate 75, Interstate 285, and U.S. Route 41 facilitates ground access for corporate customers from Smyrna, Georgia, Kennesaw, Georgia, and Marietta, Georgia.

Airlines and destinations

Cobb County International Airport primarily serves general aviation and does not host scheduled commercial airlines typical of hubs like Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport or Charlotte Douglas International Airport. However, the field accommodates charter operators and air taxi services that connect to regional destinations and business centers including Savannah, Georgia, Charleston, South Carolina, Birmingham, Alabama, and Orlando International Airport. Corporate flight departments affiliated with corporations such as Home Depot, United Parcel Service, and regional manufacturing firms use the airport for direct point-to-point business travel rather than participating in the scheduled networks of carriers such as Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, or Southwest Airlines.

Ground transportation and access

Ground access to the airport links to regional highways including Interstate 75, Interstate 575, Interstate 285, and Georgia State Route 120, as well as arterial roads serving Marietta Square and the Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park. Rental car companies, local taxi services, and app-based ride providers operating under brands like Uber and Lyft serve passengers and pilots traveling to business districts including Sandy Springs, Buckhead, and the Atlanta central business district. The airport coordinates ground logistics with local transit authorities such as CobbLinc and the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority for special events and employee commutes, and is accessible to freight shippers operating in the Hartsfield–Jackson cargo system and regional logistics hubs like Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport cargo facilities.

Incidents and accidents

Over its operational history, the airport has experienced a small number of incidents typical of general aviation fields, including single-engine forced landings, training aircraft mishaps, and non-fatal runway excursions investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board and reported to the Federal Aviation Administration. Response and investigation efforts have involved local emergency services from Cobb County Fire and Emergency Services and coordination with medical centers such as WellStar Kennestone Hospital. Safety recommendations from investigations have led to runway maintenance, revised advisory procedures, and pilot outreach in cooperation with organizations like the Experimental Aircraft Association and the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association.

Category:Airports in Georgia (U.S. state) Category:Buildings and structures in Cobb County, Georgia