Flying in to Music City STOL.
Welcome. M54 stays open during the event, but the grass runway belongs to the STOL competition and an airboss will be issuing advisories on CTAF/UNICOM 122.725. Read this brief before you launch, and check it again the morning you fly.
Field map.
Before you fly.
- Check NOTAMs every day you fly. Pull a fresh briefing for M54 the morning of your flight, not the night before.
- Buy tickets for everyone on board. Arriving by airplane does not include admission. Every pilot and passenger needs an event ticket to enter: $20 covers both days, kids 12 and under free. Get tickets.
- Plan to arrive early. To park in the transient row, be on the ground at least 15 minutes before flying starts: by 10:45 AM Friday or 9:45 AM Saturday. Once the event is underway, arrivals will not be parked in the transient row.
- Have a working radio. NORDO aircraft are strongly discouraged from operating at M54 during the event.
- Check the weather. M54’s AWOS-3 is on 118.325 or by phone at 615-444-5778.
Flying hours: Friday 11:00 AM–3:00 PM (Practice Day) · Saturday 10:00 AM to about 3:30 PM (Competition Day), Central time.
Field: elevation 588 ft · Runway 1/19 asphalt, 5,000 × 100 ft, left traffic · Runway 4/22 turf, 1,801 × 150 ft (STOL competition) · Nashville Approach 118.4.
Inbound.
Monitor CTAF/UNICOM 122.725 early
Tune it well before you reach the area (we suggest 20 NM out) and listen before you talk. The airboss issues advisories to pilots on this frequency, and listening first gives you the picture of what is happening on the field.
Make an early call — tell us you’re coming for STOL
Give your aircraft type, position and intentions, and say you are arriving for Music City STOL:
Be prepared to follow airboss advisories
Expect advisories to hold, extend, or sequence behind competition and event traffic. If you cannot comply, say so right away and state what you can do. You remain pilot in command and responsible for your own separation.
You can call the airboss, too
Need an advisory? Call “Airboss” on UNICOM 122.725 with your own callsign and ask:
Know when the airboss is on
The airboss gives advisories only from shortly before flying starts until the competition ends each day. Outside those hours, Direct Flight Solutions (DFS) provides advisories and assistance on UNICOM 122.725.
Expect busy and unusual traffic
- STOL competitors working the grass runway at very low speed and very short distances
- Commemorative Air Force warbird ride flights (P-51D Mustang, SBD-5 Dauntless, SNJ and PT-19), from noon Friday and all day Saturday
- Gyroplanes flying in the exhibition Gyro Class
- A medical helicopter that may launch at any time
Landing and runway use.
Land on the paved runway, 1/19
It is the priority runway for all transient arrivals: asphalt, 5,000 × 100 ft, left traffic. Note the displaced thresholds on both ends (400 ft on Runway 1, 500 ft on Runway 19).
After landing
Clear the runway and taxi to Taxiway A. The airboss (or DFS on UNICOM, if the airboss is not yet on frequency) will advise when you can taxi onto Runway 4 and follow it to your spot in the transient row. If you arrive after the event has started, the transient row is closed; follow the linemen’s parking directions on UNICOM.
The grass runway, 4/22, is NOT available for transient arrivals
It is the STOL competition runway. The only exception is aircraft on bush tires that are poorly suited to asphalt. If that is you, request the grass on UNICOM and coordinate with the airboss before landing.
Parking.
Arrive early and stay the day, and we will park you in the transient row if space allows. The row is on the grass along the east side of Runway 4/22, near Taxiway A, with room for about 20 aircraft. It puts you right at the event. Spots go first come, first served; once the row is full, arrivals will be directed to other parking.
- The row is for pilots who arrive at least 15 minutes before flying starts (10:45 AM Friday, 9:45 AM Saturday) and stay until flying ends that day.
- No arrivals will be parked in the transient row while the event is taking place. Late arrivals follow the linemen’s parking directions on UNICOM.
- Staying overnight? Your airplane can stay in the grass row. Bring your own tiedowns; none are available on the grass.
- Follow the ground crew to your spot. Aircraft park nose toward the runway.
- Stay clear of the lane in front of the row. It is the fuel truck path.
- Once you are parked, a cart will pick you up and drive you to the event gate.
Departing.
During the event, every departure from the transient row must be coordinated with the airboss.
- When you are ready to taxi, call on UNICOM 122.725 and say you are ready to depart from the transient row.
- Hold your position until the airboss advises. The airboss will coordinate a back-taxi on Runway 4 to Taxiway A, fitted around the competition.
- Taxi via Taxiway A to the paved runway and depart Runway 1 or 19 only.
After flying ends for the day, the airboss no longer coordinates departures. Normal operations resume: self-announce on UNICOM 122.725 as you would any other day.
Fuel.
Direct Flight Solutions, the M54 FBO, has 100LL and Jet A. A fuel truck can come to you while you are parked in the transient row, so there is no need to reposition. Call DFS at 615-444-0031 to request fuel.
At the event.
- Everyone on board needs an event ticket to enter.
- No alcohol and no pets.
- Bring a portable chair if you want one; the fan zone is outdoors on grass.
- Want to compete instead of watch? Competitor registration is at pilot.nationalstol.com and closes Thursday, Oct. 8.
Contacts.
| For | Contact |
|---|---|
| Event questions | hello@boldaviation.org |
| Fuel and FBO services | Direct Flight Solutions · 615-444-0031 |
| On the field, event days | Airboss during competition hours; DFS at all other times; both on CTAF/UNICOM 122.725 |
This brief is event information, not a substitute for a full preflight briefing. Airport data is from FAA records effective Sept. 3, 2026. Always check current NOTAMs and charts. The pilot in command remains responsible for the safe conduct of every flight.