Helicopter Training Squadron EIGHT (HT-8), known as the "Eightballers," is a United States Navy squadron established in 1950. Originally based at Naval Air Station Ellyson Field, Pensacola, HT-8 is the Navy’s oldest active helicopter training squadron. The unit provides primary and advanced helicopter flight training for Navy, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and selected international students. Over the decades, HT-8 has transitioned through various rotary-wing aircraft, currently operating the TH-73A Thrasher, and has played a vital role in producing professional naval aviators to support U.S. and allied operations worldwide.
