SOARING ACHIEVEMENT Helicopter visit helps Scouts earn badges
SLIPPERY ROCK TWP — Scouts BSA members have to understand some of the methods and physics of flight to obtain a merit badge in aviation.
The ones who attended Friday’s merit badge session with the Moraine Trails Council BSA got an in-depth lesson when a state police helicopter touched down at Camp Bucoco and let them look around.
“I learned about all the things they have to do to fly before they take off,” said Garrett Banyay, a member of Scouts BSA Troop 806 from Ellwood City. “They have to check everything inside and make sure everything is ready before they can go.”
The Moraine Trails Council BSA has been hosting individual merit badge sessions every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, instead of having a regular overnight camp session. Scouts need 21 merit badges on their journey to Eagle Scout.
Bill Pendergraft, council district executive, said the scout leaders could have just had a normal session to help scouts attain the aviation badge, but they asked the state police to bring a helicopter as an exciting bonus.
“A majority of badges need you to research the topic of the badge,” Pendergraft said. “We just thought it would be fun to have a helicopter come in. It’s not every day kids will get to go into one; they almost never do.”
Andrew Pallus, one of the scout leaders facilitating the session, said the scouts didn’t get a helicopter ride out of the session, but seeing the inside was enough.
“The kids seemed to love it,” he said. “Everyone got to ask questions about certain equipment to see what it does.”
Scouts also had to learn to read an aeronautical chart, learn about career opportunities in aviation and perform a preflight inspection of a light airplane to achieve the aviation badge. The session Friday helped them achieve several of the possible requirements they needed to get the badge.
Matthew Gebhardt, a member of Scouts BSA Troop 806 from Ellwood City, said he wants to get his pilot’s license in a few years. He said he was excited to see the inside of a helicopter for the first time.
“Just to go into it was interesting,” Gebhardt said.
Jennie Wolfe, another scout leader facilitating the session, said the aviation badge is mainly achieved by learning about airplanes, rather than helicopters. Following the helicopter tour, the scouts made planes using Styrofoam plates, and tested them in order to make the most aerodynamic plane.
Banyay said this was his second favorite part of the session.
“We made planes and raced them to see who could make the best one,” Banyay said. “I really liked making them and trying them out.”
