Scout Aviation Merit Badge

A note to Scout Leaders from the lead Aviation Merit Badge counselor

At our Merit Badge sessions in previous years, we've been able to cover requirements that resulted in a boy being able to leave with a completed badge. However, the M.B. book was revised in 2007, and due to time and logistics, we can't cover all the requirements necessary. Consequently, some of the requirements will need to be met by the boys on their own. Fortunately, what they need to do isn't too difficult, so if a boy has his pre-requisites done when he attends our session, he'll leave with a complete badge.

We'll be covering Req. 1a-e, Req. 2c and f, and Req. 4. The boy will need to do 3a or 3b, and 5. 3b is a model airplane made from a foam dinner plate, so should be accomplished easily. Have the boys make their glider at home, or at a meeting, and demonstrate it for a troop leader. The leader can mark it on the M.B. card as done. Req. 5 concerns careers in aviation. Have the boys explain what they have learned, and mark off their card. If they come to the session with those requirements marked off, they can complete the rest of the badge that morning.

Be sure to bring Merit Badge cards to the session. IT IS NOT THE COUNSELOR'S RESPONSIBILITY to provide merit badge cards. They should be signed by a troop leader before the boy starts his work on the badge. Also, double-check that they have names and troop numbers on them. We get an amazing amount of blank or incomplete cards that can't be returned because we don't know who they belong to.

Regarding the Young Eagles flights available to the Scouts (and other youth, ages 8-17) after the session ends, each youth must have a Young Eagle registration/permission form filled out and signed. These forms were revised in 2007 and have and have two sides. Older versions cannot be accepted. If it is possible to print both sides on the same sheet, that would really help our paperwork people. If you bring the forms on two sheets, please staple them together before submitting them. The first side, on the upper part of the form, is for the youth's information. The lower part is for pilot information, so please leave it blank. On the other side of the form, the parent/guardian needs to read the whole statement before signing. On the bottom are lines for the parent's signature, the parent's name PRINTED, the youth's name PRINTED, and the date.

PLEASE stress to your parents to use block letters and good handwriting. The kids get a mailing from the Young Eagles office later, so we need them accurately registered. Also, no abbreviations, full names please. We may assume that "SM" means Shawnee Mission, for example, but the forms go to our headquarters in Wisconsin, so they don't know our geography. Incomplete or unreadable forms may be rejected. Unsigned forms will NOT be accepted, leading to a disappointed child. None of us want that, so please check your forms thoroughly before coming to the airport.

Since the Scouts will have their flights in the afternoon, the air may become a little turbulent. We suggest that they don't overeat before their flight, which could lead to a queasy stomach. Also, it's better to try to avoid the subject, if possible. Thinking about motion sickness can help bring it on. Our flights aren't usually uncomfortable, just sometimes a few bumps due to the afternoon air mixing. Normally, the kids are having too much fun to think of anything else!

The program is free. Space is limited.

Scout Leaders, be sure to bring your Merit Badge cards, and filled out for the boys to work on the Merit Badge. Also, the boys should have read the Merit Badge book (2007 edition) in advance. At the very least, they should look through and review the book. They should be prepared to work on the badge, so that they will be able to complete the badge that day.

Download the Application - Adobe (.pdf) - Adobe Reader Required - Get Acrobat Reader
Download the Application - Microsoft Word (.doc)

Location is: 300 Richards Road, Wheeler Downtown Airport