Black Hawk military helicopters are becoming a more common sight flying around Nashville International Airport. That’s a result of a recent cost-cutting move by the Tennessee National Guard.
Commander Max Haston said the World War II-era hangars in Smyrna needed to be replaced, and Berry Field by the Nashville airport had new facilities but nothing to put in them. The Tennessee Air Guard lost its C130 cargo planes as part of a base realignment in 2012.
“Here’s a building here in Nashville that’s not being used 11 nautical miles away. Why don’t we just move that unit up here?” Haston recalls thinking.
Haston says moving the squadron saved the Guard from spending $75 million to rehab the Smyrna airfield. He says the base in Rutherford County will remain fully operational for training purposes and permanently house other ground units.
Black Hawks began flying out of Berry Field last week. Pilots are spending more time than usual in the air, tracing their approach routes that avoid commercial airline traffic.
The 1-230th Air Cavalry Squadron is losing 30 Kiowa Warrior helicopters, but Haston anticipates Tennessee will receive an unknown number of Black Hawks in exchange.
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