Aviation Merit Badge

Overview

For most of history, people have dreamed of flying, imagining how it would feel to soar through the sky like an eagle or hover in midair like a hummingbird, to float on unseen currents, free of Earth’s constant tug, able to travel great distances and to rise above any obstacle. Today, through aviation, we can not only join the birds but also fly farther, faster, and higher than they ever could.

Requirements

(1) Aviation Basics and Mechanics of Flight. Do the following:
- (a) Define “aircraft.” Describe three kinds of aircraft today, and their typical uses.
  
  Resources: Types of Aircraft (video), Basics of How a Glider Works (video)
- (b) Provide a brief overview of the evolution of flight, and discuss three notable times in history important to aviation.
  
  Resources: The Wright Brothers, First Successful Airplane (1903) (video), The First Flight Around the World—U.S. Army Air Service (1924) (video), First Solo Transatlantic Flight —Charles Lindbergh (1927) (video), First Solo Transatlantic Flight—Amelia Earhart (1932) (video), First Commercial Jet Airliner—de Havilland Comet (1949) (video), First Commercial Supersonic Flight—The Concorde (1969) (video), First Flight Around the World Without Refueling—Rutan Model 86 Voyager (1986) (video), FAA Approves Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV’s AKA Drones) (2006) (video)
- (c) Explain the difference between a fixed wing and a rotary wing aircraft, and the benefits of each.
  
  Resources: Airplane or Helicopter—Which Should You Choose? (video)
- (d) Explain the operation of piston, turbine, and jet engines.
  
  Resources: The Internal Combustion Engine (video), How a Turbine Engine Works (video), See a Jet Engine in Action! (video)
- (e) Using a model aircraft, describe the four forces that act on an aircraft in flight.
  
  Resources: How Do Planes Fly? (video)
- (f) Explain how an airfoil generates lift, specifically noting Bernoulli’s principle.
  
  Resources: Bernoulli’s Principle: How Planes Fly (video)
- (g) Identify and describe the aerodynamic control surfaces on the aircraft of your choice, and explain how they operate to control its attitude and direction of flight.
  
  Resources: Aircraft Control Surfaces Explained (video)
- (h) Explain the purposes and functions of the various instruments found in a typical single-engine aircraft: attitude indicator, heading indicator, altimeter, airspeed indicator, turn and bank indicator, vertical speed indicator, compass, navigation, communication, and engine performance indicators.
  
  Resources: Cessna Cockpit Tour (video), How To Control an Airplane: How Does a Pilot Control the Plane? (video)
(2) Principles of Flight. Do ONE of the following:
- (a) Build a model FPG-9. Get others in your troop or patrol to make their own model, then organize a competition to test the precision of flight and landing of the models.
  
  Resources: AMA FPG-9 Glider Instructions (PDF), AMA FPG-9 Glider (video)
- (b) Build a rubber-band driven balsa wood airplane. Fly the plane for 25 feet in a straight line, with a smooth landing.
  
  Resources: Balsa Wood Plane (video)
- (c) Build (or obtain) a fuel-driven or battery-powered electric model aircraft or drone. Obtain The Recreational UAS Safety Test (TRUST) certification, and fly the aircraft with a successful take-off and landing.
  
  Resources: Learn (website), Take the Test (website)
(3) Flight Operations. Do TWO of the following:
- (a) Using a flight simulator software package, set a course and fly the headings you have established with a successful take-off and landing.
  
  Resources: Microsoft Flight Simulator (website))
- (b) Under supervision, perform a preflight inspection of an aircraft.
  
  Resources: How to Preflight a Cessna 172 (video)
- (c) Observe and/or participate in an aircraft maintenance activity. Describe the maintenance schedule and requirements for an aircraft of your choice.
- (d) Obtain and learn how to read an aeronautical chart. Measure a true course on the chart; correct it for magnetic variation, compass deviation, and wind drift to determine a navigational heading for an aircraft.
  
  Resources: How To Read an FAA Sectional Aeronautical Chart (video)
- (e) With your parent or guardian’s permission, take a discovery flight in an aircraft. Record the date, place, type of aircraft, and duration of flight. Report on your impressions of the flight.
(4) Airport Operations. Do ONE of the following:
- (a) Visit an airport. After the visit, report on how the facilities are used, how runways are numbered, and how runways are determined to be “active.”
- (b) Visit a Federal Aviation Administration facility: Airport Traffic Control Tower (ATCT), Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON), Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC), or Flight Standards District Office (FSDO). Report on the operation and your impressions of the facility.
  
  Resources: FAA’s Facility Locator (website)
- (c) Visit a military aviation facility. Learn how that facility supports defense and/or civilian activities. Report on the operation and your impressions of the facility.
  
  Resources: Identify a Nearby Military Aviation Facility (website)
- (d) Visit an aviation museum or attend an air show. Report on your impressions of the museum or show, and what you learned from the experience.
  
  Resources: Smithsonian Affiliations (website), Air Shows (website), Miltary Air Shows (website), Recreational Aviation Events (website), Find a Museum (website)
(5) Personal & Professional Aviation Opportunities. Do the following:
- (a) Explain the following: the student pilot, the recreational pilot, the remote pilot, and the private pilot certificates.
- (b) Describe the benefits of the instrument rating.
  
  Resources: How To Use Flight Instruments When Flying an Airplane (video), What Is Instrument Flight Rules (IFR)? (video), Instrument Rating | Tips, Challenges & Benefits (video), Your First Instrument Pilot’s Lesson (video)
- (c) Explain the following: the commercial pilot certificate, the airline transport pilot certificate, and certified flight instructor (CFI).
  
  Resources: Pilot Licenses Explained (video), Certified Flight Instructor (video)
- (d) Identify an Aviation Exploring Post and/or Civil Air Patrol facility in your area. Learn about their activities and membership requirements.
  
  Resources: Aviation Exploring Post Visiting Denton TX Airport (video), Aviation Exploring Posts (website), Gallatin Cap Visiting Montana (video), Find a Local CAP Squadron: (website)
- (e) Identify three career opportunities that would use skills and knowledge in aviation. Pick one and research the training, education, certification requirements, experience, and expenses associated with entering the field. Research the prospects for employment, starting salary, advancement opportunities and career goals associated with this career. Discuss what you learned with your counselor and whether you might be interested in this career.
  
  Resources: Careers in Aviation (video), Aerospace Engineer Careers (video), Career as a Flight Dispatcher (video), How To Become a Helicopter Pilot (video), Career as a Aircraft Maintenance Technician (video), 5 Qualities To Be a Good Air Traffic Controller (video), Career as a Flight Attendant (video), Unseen Airport Jobs You Won’t Believe Exist! | Inside Hidden Roles That Keep Airports Running (video), Airline and Commercial Pilots Occupational Outlook (website)

Resources

Note: This is an unofficial archive of Scouts BSA Merit Badges that was automatically extracted from the Scouting America website and may contain errors.