Towered · Class C surface area
Nashville International (KBNA) radio calls
Nashville, TNICAO KBNA · FAA BNA
Nashville International is a towered airport in Nashville, TN. You will taxi with Ground on 121.9 and work Nashville Tower on 118.6. The tower operates 24 hours.
The airport has a Class C surface area: two-way radio communication with the approach control must be established before entering, and a transponder with altitude reporting is required.
Frequencies
| GroundNashville Ground | 121.9 |
|---|---|
| TowerNashville Tower | 118.6 |
| UNICOM | 122.95 |
Airport
- Runways
- 02C · 20C · 02L · 20R · 02R · 20L · 13 · 31
- Elevation
- 599 ft
- Tower hours
- 24 hours
- Position
- 36.124, -86.678
Towered airport with a Class C surface area
Sample calls at KBNA
Nashville International has a Class C surface area: establish two-way communication with the approach control before entering, and keep it (AIM 3-2-4 c 3). A reply with your call sign, even "standby", establishes it. The calls below use runway 02C; the tower assigns the runway in use on the day.
The aircraft is the AIM’s own example, Cessna Three One Six Zero Foxtrot; the squawk codes, altitudes and headings are illustrative. Frequencies, station names and runway numbers are this airport’s, from the FAA data.
- There is no ATIS frequency in the FAA data for this airport, so ask Ground for the numbers on your first call: they will give the runway, wind and altimeter.
- YouNashville Ground, Cessna Three One Six Zero Foxtrot, at the ramp with Information Alpha, request taxi, VFR departure to the north.
- ATCCessna Six Zero Foxtrot, Nashville Ground, runway zero two center, taxi via Alpha, hold short of runway zero two center.
- YouRunway zero two center, taxi via Alpha, hold short of runway zero two center, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot.
- The runway, any clearance onto a runway and every hold-short instruction are read back (AIM 4-3-18 a 9). Stay on Ground through the run-up and switch to Tower when ready (AIM 4-3-14 a).
- YouNashville Tower, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot, holding short runway zero two center, ready for departure, northbound.
- ATCCessna Six Zero Foxtrot, Nashville Tower, runway zero two center, cleared for takeoff.
- YouRunway zero two center, cleared for takeoff, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot.
- Inbound: call the tower about 15 miles out, before the Class D boundary (AIM 4-3-2 a).
- YouNashville Tower, Cessna Three One Six Zero Foxtrot, one five miles north, three thousand, with Information Bravo, landing Nashville.
- ATCCessna Six Zero Foxtrot, Nashville Tower, enter left downwind runway zero two center, report midfield downwind.
- YouEnter left downwind runway zero two center, report midfield, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot.
- YouNashville Tower, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot, midfield left downwind, runway zero two center.
- ATCCessna Six Zero Foxtrot, runway zero two center, cleared to land, wind two seven zero at eight.
- YouRunway zero two center, cleared to land, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot.
- The wind is information: acknowledged, not read back. Exit at the first available taxiway or as told, taxi clear of the hold-short markings, and change to Ground only when the tower says (AIM 4-3-21).
- ATCCessna Six Zero Foxtrot, exit at the next taxiway, contact Nashville Ground one two one point niner.
- YouExit next taxiway, one two one point niner, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot.
- YouNashville Ground, Cessna Six Zero Foxtrot, clear of runway zero two center, taxi to the ramp.
If things change. The tower operates 24 hours. If you cannot raise it, check the frequency and volume, then squawk 7600, remain outside the Class D until you have the traffic flow, and watch for light signals (AIM 4-2-13).
Phraseology from AIM 4-2-3; 4-3-18 a 9; 4-3-14; 4-3-21; 4-4-7 b; 4-1-18 a 3; 3-2-4 c 3. What TowerTalk grades against →
The calls you will make here
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Frequencies, runways and airspace from the FAA National Airspace System Resources (NASR) 28-day subscription, cycle effective Sep 3, 2026. Training use only. Always verify against a current Chart Supplement and sectional chart before flight; frequencies change. TowerTalk is not affiliated with the FAA. Report a discrepancy.
