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Merit Badges > Digital Resource Guides > Aviation >  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 at hobby stores)
  • Rubber bands (size and length suited to the kit specifications)
  • Glue (wood or craft glue)
  • Sandpaper (fine-grit for smoothing edges)
  • Scissors or a craft knife (with supervision)
  • Ruler and pencil
  • Paint or markers (optional for decoration)

Step-by-Step Instructions

Prepare the Workspace
  • Set up tables with all materials distributed.
  • Be sure to work on flat surfaces and use tools safely.
Build the Plane

Wing Assembly: 

  • Sand and smooth the edges of the wings for better aerodynamics.
  • Attach the wings to the fuselage according to the kit instructions.

Tail Assembly: 

  • Attach the horizontal stabilizer and vertical fin.
  • Ensure they are aligned correctly to maintain balance during flight.

Propeller Mechanism: 

  • Attach the rubber band and propeller assembly at the front.
  • Check that the propeller spins freely without obstruction.
Test and Adjust

Winding the Rubber Band: 

  • Wind the rubber band 30–50 turns (depending on its elasticity).
  • Hold the plane lightly and release it for flight.

Flight Adjustments: 

  • If the plane dives, adjust the tail to angle upward slightly.
  • If the plane stalls, add a small weight to the nose.
  • Experiment with rubber band tension for optimal flight distance.
See for yourself!

You will be amazed at how far a balsa wood glider can fly – powered only by a simple rubber band! Find a kit online or at a local hobby shop and see how far you can fly it!

See for yourself!

You will be amazed at how far a balsa wood glider can fly – powered only by a simple rubber band! Find a kit online or at a local hobby shop and see how far you can fly it!

Here is a video that may help show you how to build your glider!

How far did your balsa wood plane travel?

While a rubber-band powered plane can fly a long way, drones can fly for miles!

Go To 2.C

Bray Barnes

Director, Global Security Innovative
Strategies

Bray Barnes is a recipient of the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award, Silver
Beaver, Silver Antelope, Silver Buffalo, and Learning for Life Distinguished
Service Award. He received the Messengers of Peace Hero award from
the royal family of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and he’s a life member of
the 101st Airborne Association and Vietnam Veterans Association. Barnes
serves as a senior fellow for the Global Federation of Competitiveness
Councils, a nonpartisan network of corporate CEOs, university presidents, and
national laboratory directors. He has also served as a senior executive for the
U.S. Department of Homeland Security, leading the first-responder program
and has two U.S. presidential appointments

David Alexander

Managing Member Calje

David Alexander is a Baden-Powell Fellow, Summit Bechtel Reserve philanthropist, and recipient of the Silver Buffalo and Distinguished Eagle Scout Award. He is the founder of Caljet, one of the largest independent motor fuels terminals in the U.S. He has served the Arizona Petroleum Marketers Association, Teen Lifeline, and American Heart Association. A triathlete who has completed hundreds of races, Alexander has also mentored the women’s triathlon team at Arizona State University.

Glenn Adams

President, CEO & Managing Director
Stonetex Oil Corp.

Glenn Adams is a recipient of the Silver Beaver, Silver Antelope, Silver Buffalo, and Distinguished Eagle Scout Award. He is the former president of the National Eagle Scout Association and established the Glenn A. and Melinda W. Adams National Eagle Scout Service Project of the Year Award. He has more than 40 years of experience in the oil, gas, and energy fields, including serving as a president, owner, and CEO. Adams has also received multiple service awards from the Texas Alliance of Energy Producers.