TGP 17 Heliport

The closure was an economic and operational decision made by its private owner, the Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company (TGP), which was a subsidiary of El Paso Corporation at the time (now part of Kinder Morgan). The heliport was likely deemed redundant or no longer cost-effective due to changes in corporate strategy for pipeline inspection and maintenance. The shift towards more advanced ground-based monitoring, fixed-wing aircraft operating from larger airports, or the eventual adoption of drone technology for surveillance rendered single-purpose, remote heliports like this one obsolete.

The site at these coordinates is still an active industrial facility: the Kinder Morgan (formerly TGP) Compressor Station 17. Satellite imagery confirms that the physical, circular concrete helipad still exists within the fenced perimeter of the station. However, it is dormant and no longer certified or used for any aviation activities. The site is private property and is not accessible to the public.

TGP 17 was a private-use heliport located at and serving the Tennessee Gas Pipeline's Compressor Station 17. Its primary function was to support the vast natural gas pipeline infrastructure in the region. Operations were exclusively for the company and included:
- **Aerial Patrol:** Helicopters based here or visiting would conduct routine aerial patrols of the pipeline to check for leaks, construction encroachment, erosion, and other potential security or safety issues.
- **Personnel & Equipment Transport:** It facilitated the rapid transport of maintenance crews and light equipment to remote or inaccessible sections of the pipeline right-of-way for repairs and upkeep.
- **Emergency Response:** The heliport would have been a staging point in the event of a pipeline emergency.
Its significance lies in it being an example of the integral role that private industrial aviation played in maintaining the United States' energy infrastructure throughout the late 20th century.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening the TGP 17 Heliport. Its original mission has been fully superseded by more modern and cost-effective methods of pipeline management. Given its private ownership and specialized purpose, its reactivation as a heliport is considered extremely unlikely.