5.D Aviation Merit Badge Digital Resource Guide Identify an Aviation Exploring Post and/or Civil Air Patrol facility in your area.  Learn about their activities and membership requirements. What Aviation Exploring Posts Do 1. Hands-On Aviation Activities Participants learn about aircraft systems, flight operations, and maintenance. They may have the chance to tour airports, air […]

Aviation Back to: Digital Resources Guide Aviation Merit Badge digital resource guide For counselor information, event coordinator, and camp director resources, visit our Counselor Information page. Introduction & 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 […]

5.E Aviation Merit Badge Digital Resource Guide 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 […]

4.D Aviation Merit Badge Digital Resource Guide 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. Visiting an aviation museum is a fantastic way to explore the history, technology, and significance of aviation in a hands-on and engaging […]

4.B Aviation Merit Badge Digital Resource Guide 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. Visiting an FAA facility like a control tower, TRACON […]

3.D Aviation Merit Badge Digital Resource Guide 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. The map here shows part of the St. Louis sectional aeronautical chart. We […]

5.A Aviation Merit Badge Digital Resource Guide Explain the following: the student pilot, the recreational pilot, the remote pilot, and the private pilot certificates. Here’s an explanation of the various types of pilot certificates: 1. Student Pilot Certificate Purpose: The first step for anyone learning to fly. This certificate allows individuals to operate an […]

3.C Aviation Merit Badge Digital Resource Guide Observe and/or participate in an aircraft maintenance activity. Describe the maintenance schedule and requirements for an aircraft of your choice. Routine maintenance for a Cessna 172, or any general aviation aircraft, is essential to ensure airworthiness and compliance with FAA regulations. Here’s a general overview: Preflight Inspections […]

1.B Aviation Merit Badge Digital Resource Guide Provide a brief overview of the evolution of flight, and discuss three notable times in history important to aviation. Aviation has developed rapidly over the past 150 years, including:   Click the links below to learn more. The Wright Brothers’ First Flight (1903) The First Flight Around […]

3.E Aviation Merit Badge Digital Resource Guide With your parents 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. Going on a discovery flight is an amazing experience that, with some effort, should be possible […]

5.C Aviation Merit Badge Digital Resource Guide Explain the following: the commercial pilot certificate, the airline transport pilot certificate, and certified flight instructor (CFI). Here’s a detailed explanation of the Commercial Pilot Certificate, Airline Transport Pilot Certificate, and Certified Flight Instructor Certificates. 1. Commercial Pilot Certificate Purpose: Allows pilots to earn money for flying. […]

4.A Aviation Merit Badge Digital Resource Guide 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.” An airport visit is a great way to see Aviation in action! Most airports, especially smaller/regional airports, welcome visitors – especially Scouts!  […]

1.H Aviation Merit Badge Digital Resource Guide 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. Let’s look at the functions of these fundamental and important flight […]

1.A Aviation Merit Badge Digital Resource Guide Define “aircraft.” Describe three kinds of aircraft today, and their typical uses. An aircraft is defined as any vehicle that can fly in the air under the control of an operator (or “pilot”). It can be something big, like an airplane, or something smaller, like a drone. […]

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[…] From planning the activity to documenting funds, this resource supports prudent financial practices safeguarding your unit’s interests and members’ welfare.   Flying Plan Checklist: Prepare meticulously for aviation flights, regardless of complexity, using this checklist as your guide. By covering pre-flight preparations, safety measures, and communication protocols, this checklist supports pilots and leaders in […]

 3.B Aviation Merit Badge Digital Resource Guide Under supervision, perform a preflight inspection of an aircraft. Pre-flighting an airplane is the most important thing that pilots do before flight.  It consists of a number of steps, specific to that aircraft.  In general, preflight inspections will include the following: Exterior Walkaround Wings Check for damage, […]

3.A Aviation Merit Badge Digital Resource Guide Using a flight simulator software package, set a course and fly the headings you have established with a successful take-off and landing. There are a variety of flight simulator programs out there – Microsoft Flight Simulator is one of the more popular options. If your counselor does […]

5.B Aviation Merit Badge Digital Resource Guide Describe the benefits of the instrument rating. An instrument rating is an advanced certification that allows pilots to fly under Instrument Flight Rules (IFR), meaning they can operate in low visibility conditions using instruments instead of visual references. This is very helpful if you are on a […]

2.B Aviation Merit Badge Digital Resource Guide Build a rubber-band driven balsa wood airplane. Fly the plane for 25 feet, with a successful take-off and landing. You can build and fly a rubber-band powered balsa wood plane to understand propulsion, lift, and aerodynamics. Materials you will need Balsa wood plane kit (readily available online or […]

1.G Aviation Merit Badge Digital Resource Guide 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. The primary control surfaces are the parts of the plane that the pilot uses to control the attitude (the orientation of […]

1.F Aviation Merit Badge Digital Resource Guide Explain how an airfoil generates lift, specifically noting Bernoulli’s principle. Now, let’s dive into how an airfoil (the shape of an airplane’s wing) generates lift, and we’ll touch on Bernoulli’s Principle because it plays a big role in this. What is an Airfoil? An airfoil is the […]

1.E Aviation Merit Badge Digital Resource Guide Using a model aircraft, describe the four forces that act on an aircraft in flight. There are four forces that act on an aircraft in flight. These forces are what keep the airplane in the air, make it move, and control its flight. They are: Lift What […]

1.D Aviation Merit Badge Digital Resource Guide Explain the operation of piston, turbine, and jet engines. Piston Engines An internal combustion engine (like the one in most cars) is a machine that turns fuel (like gas) into power to make the plane’s propeller move. Here’s how it works: Intake Stroke First, the engine takes […]

1.C Aviation Merit Badge Digital Resource Guide Explain the difference between a fixed-wing and a rotary-wing aircraft, and the benefits of each. Here’s an easy way to understand the difference between fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft: Fixed-Wing Aircraft Definition: These are the types of aircraft that have stationary wings. The wings are attached to the […]