Latest news with #GreatTennesseeAirShow
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Blue Angels answer questions at MTSU
RUTHERFORD COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN) — It was a packed house at Middle Tennessee State University Friday morning as two members of the U.S. Navy Blue Angels Flight Demonstration Squadron answered questions from the public. Oliver Moreira — age 9 — spent roughly two months preparing for the event and made a jet suit with his mom. He said the Blue Angels are one of the reasons he hopes to have a career in the skies one day. 📧 Have breaking news come to you: → 'I like them because they do a lot of tricks and tricks that make me encouraged,' Moreira said, explaining his suit. 'I can transform with it and it's really awesome and I get to impress a lot of people, and I hope one day I become a commercial pilot.' Middle Tennessee native Mychael Kisling returned to his alma mater for the event, which was just down the road from where he attended high school. 'It's great. I love being here — coming back to Murfreesboro brings back a lot of memories, especially running track in high school and then coming here to college as well,' Kisling said, who added that he now serves as an aviation electronics technician. 'It was fun here at MTSU.' Kisling, along with U.S. Marine Corps Major and C-130J Demonstration Pilot Josh Horman, answered dozens of questions from the audience. 'We're normally flying 250 knots, which is about 300-320 miles per hour when we're doing the break passes,' Horman said when asked how fast a 'Fat Albert' plane could fly. 📧 Have breaking news come to you: → 'Because it's very difficult and we want to showcase the precision of the pilots,' Horman said when another audience member asked about the Blue Angels' flight formations. As the Blue Angels are expected to continue wowing people at the Great Tennessee Air Show this weekend, Moreira said that he did not want to wrap up Friday's event without sharing his advice to others. 'I have some advice for everybody that's watching,' Moreira said. 'Never give up and you can do it if you have it in your mind.' Perhaps that's a sentiment the Blue Angels would also agree with. The Blue Angels will perform at the Tennessee Air Show on Saturday and Sunday at 3 p.m. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Which roads will be closed for this year's Great Tennessee Air Show?
SMYRNA, Tenn. (WKRN) — This weekend, the Great Tennessee Air show will grace the skies over the Smyrna Airport. Residents in the area can expect some associated road closures starting Thursday. RELATED: 2025 Great Tennessee Air Show lineup announced. Here's who performing According to the Town of Smyrna, residents can expect road closures from 11:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. Thursday and from 2:30 p.m. until 5 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The following roads will be closed: Sam Ridley Parkway will be closed from Lowry Street to G Street. Threet Industrial Road will be closed from Sam Ridley Parkway to Aviation Parkway. Fitzhugh Drive will be closed from Sam Ridley Parkway to 9th Avenue. Swan Drive will be closed from Fitzhugh Drive to D Street. Noah Drive will be closed from Sam Ridley Parkway to the roundabout. Thunderbird Drive Doug Warpoole Road All eastbound traffic along Sam Ridley Parkway will be directed to Lowry Street and all westbound traffic will be directed to Nissan Drive back to Lowry Street. Drivers along Jefferson Pike have been asked to use Interstate 840 to Interstate 24 or Lowry Street as an option. ⏩ In addition to road closures, several trails and parks will also be closed during this time due to the Federal Aviation Administration's required 'safety box', including: The Lee Victory Park, which will be closed from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. or until the show ends Thursday and from 1 p.m. until 5 p.m. or until the show ends Friday. On Saturday and Sunday, the park will be closed all day until 5 p.m. or until the show ends. Smyrna Golf Course Stewart Airbase Trailhead Tennessee Rehab Center Trailhead Town Center Trailhead Old Jefferson Pike Trailhead Additionally, all connecting trails will be closed one hour before the scheduled road closures. You can still visit the Smyrna Outdoor Adventure Center and the pool throughout the weekend and people can use the parking lot to access those and those facilities only. No air show parking will be allowed in the event center or pool parking lots, per the town. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Smyrna Airport could be new home for TN Air National Guard's 118th Wing
SMYRNA, Tenn. (WKRN) — The town of Smyrna is in the running to become the new home of the Tennessee National Guard's 118th Wing Unit. Currently, the unit is located at Joint Base Berry Field at Nashville International Airport. Initial discussion to move the unit was spurred by their lease ending with BNA in 2045. According to Senior Master Sgt. Jeremy Cornelius, who also serves as the public affairs superintendent for the 118th Wing, there is talk about moving the unit to Smyrna. However, no decisions have been made and discussions are 'very preliminary.' Behind the scenes of blimp storage at Smyrna Airport Dr. Murat Arik, director of the Business and Economic Research Center at Middle Tennessee State University, spoke to News 2 about how the move would bring significant economic impact to Smyrna. 'You have the operation side, significant number of people of more than a thousand coming, who will live, eat and spend their time there,' Arik said. 'It doesn't matter if it's a business, military unit or any other institution, this will generate a significant amount of economic impact.' Arik will reportedly work with the Tennessee National Guard for an in-depth economic study later this year. He believes there are only positives when it comes to this move. ⏩ The 118th Wing serves a variety of missions. In particular, they focus on intelligence, cyber, combat support, and domestic emergency response. Smyrna Town Manager David Santucci provided the following facts and figures of the 118th Wing's potential move to Smyrna: 8 to 10 years to complete Estimated $1.93 billion in economic impact and investment to the local area Total projected impact of $5.9 billion through 2050 National Guard presence would also enhance local events, such as the Great Tennessee Air Show, and strengthen the region's emergency response capabilities To learn more about the 118th Wing, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
09-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
2025 Great Tennessee Air Show lineup announced. Here's who performing
SMYRNA, Tenn. (WKRN) — An exhilarating crowd favorite is returning to Smyrna Airport this summer. The Great Tennessee Air Show has released its lineup of talented aviators that are expected to grace the skies on June 7-8. According to event organizers, the U.S. Navy Blue Angels will headline the show, showcasing their stunning aerial maneuvers and high-speed formations. WATCH: Counting down to the Great Tennessee Air Show 'Of course the Blues highlight the show,' Salil Rai, Smyrna Airport's deputy director, told News 2. 'The things they do is mesmerizing, you know, they're flying eighteen inches apart at speeds almost as close as the speed of sound.' In addition to the Blue Angels, the 2025 show will also feature performances by the U.S. Air Force Heritage Flight and U.S. Navy Legacy Flight. Attendees can also expect aerobatic demos from Jack Aces' three ship P-51, Ace Maker's T-33 Shooting Star, and U.S. Navy's EA-18G Growler. Rai added the show is a family-friendly event that's enjoyed by folks of all ages. 'It's absolutely for kids, and it's also for elderly people and even the adults and anybody that wants to come out. We carter to everybody,' said Rai. 'The big reason for having air shows is to inspire the next generation and also recruiting. Recruitment is very big for these military folks so they try to do that as well at the show.' ⏩ The aerial acts will reportedly begin at 11 a.m. and end at 3 p.m., but event organizers said the times are subject to change. If you'd like to purchase tickets or learn more about the upcoming air show in June, click on this link. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
