Free small craft airplane flights for scouts

[ScoutmasterDanny]

An often overlooked resource for Webelos and Troops is the EAA's Young Eagle project.  At local airports around the United States, youth 8-17 years old can get a free 20 minute airplane tour.  They are used to working with Scout Troops, so they can assist you with paperwork.  There are no strings attached.

 

As part of a Woodbadge ticket, I produced a short "Scout Danny" video on the subject, which you can watch here:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1r7tl3lU3Eo

 

Thanks,

Danny

[mashmaster]

My troop has done this before, we save it for the end of the merit badge as a reward.  The boys always come out with a HUGE smile after the pilot lets them take control of the plane.

[Stosh]

EAA stands for Experimental Aircraft Association.  The Young Eagles project is a fantastic program.  We had a camporee centered around the Aviation MB in which the EAA volunteers under the guidance of a certified Aviation MBC got all the boys through the ground school and a final flight for the weekend.  It was really fun.

 

One note, The EAA people probably know this, but one must be careful that BSA does NOT allow scout flights on experimental aircraft, only those commercially built and maintained.  The weekend we did the Aviation MB, I was able to catch a flight in a 1947 Cessna that had been restored back to it's factory condition and won best-of-show at the EAA Fly-in in Oshkosh.  While I had a great flight, none of the scouts were allowed to ride in that airplane.  Make sure everything is up-to-snuff for insurance purposes.