Nineteen Scouts Came From Several Towns In Central Florida For The Program

Nineteen Boy Scouts from 7 Florida troops came together at the Leesburg International Airport in Leesburg, FL on Saturday April 22, 2017 to spend the day earning their Aviation Merit Badge with the help of the Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter 534.

The Scouts came from the Florida towns of Mount Dora, Eustis, Lady Lake, Leesburg, Fruitland Park and Cape Coral. The course of instruction was given by EAA Chapter 534 member Steven Barber who has had a long career in aviation with the United States Air Force and American Airlines. Steve prepared the syllabus and workbook for each student based on the requirements of the Boy Scouts of America Aviation Merit Badge.

The EAA Young Eagles Program was also tied into the requirements of the Aviation Merit Badge so each scout had the opportunity to fly in a general aviation aircraft. For most of them it was the first time they had ever flown in a small single engine aircraft, and was the high point of the day’s activities. Many of them actually got to fly the plane themselves under the watchful eye of their EAA pilot.

On a national basis the Young Eagles Program has flown over 2 million kids from ages 8 to 17, and they have been doing this for 25 years.

On this day the scouts were given lectures on the aerodynamics of flight, visited the Leesburg Airport Control Tower and the Fixed Base Operations at Sun Air.

The scouts also built and flew a balsa glider and a foam plate glider. The foam plate glider is a design found  by Steve Barber and is made from a foam plastic dinner plate. These are then flown in a competitive contest to see whose glider flies the furthest. Airplane model kits are awarded as prizes.

EAA Chapter 534 volunteer pilots provided three fixed wing aircraft and one helicopter for the Young Eagles event. Other chapter volunteers were available to provide a BBQ lunch for everybody, keep up with the paperwork and escort scouts to and from their airplanes.

(Images provided with EAA Chapter 534 news release. Used with permission. Top: EAA Chapter 534 member Steve Barber was the instructor for the Boy Scout Merit Badge Program in the EAA Hangar at the Leesburg International Airport. Botton: Scout Justin Powell of troop 34 in Cape Coral, FL. , EAA Chapter 534 pilot Jim Waymire and Andrew Junkin from Troop 12 in Leesburg, FL get ready for takeoff)

FMI: www.534.eaachapter.org