Smoke On for the BSA

dhall_polo · #1 11-05-2009, 11:29 PM

A few weeks back, a friend of mine put together an Aviation Merit Badge clinic for a local scout troop. There's a lot of cool planes at the local airpark, but by some odd coincidence, a trio of RV guys did all the flying, giving these boys their first intro to a small airplane.

My scouting days were an important part of my life, and it was nice to share my RV7 with some great kids. I received an additional reward of a pretty cool pic. Also look for the RV6 coming down from the perch?

If you're still building, just picture yourself in this photo and go hit the shop. You'll get there.

Bob Martin · #2 11-06-2009, 05:28 AM

Don,
Very cool picture! Nice Smoke!
I remember my Scouting days as well.
A few years ago, I helped a Troop leader with a Aviation Merit Badge Clinic also.
The problem was, they were way too politically correct and of course the kids
had to have parental permission slips to be allowed to fly in a real airplane and
if one kid couldn't go for a ride then none of them could go. :-( so none went!
I'm very glad to hear that your group got to go for the RV-grin........
Smoke--on......looks very cool! That picture is a keeper.

Ironflight · #3 11-06-2009, 06:11 AM

Outstanding! Scouting is definitely where I got my start in life, and I am very glad that you were able to share it with the kids. I especially applaud the scout leaders for being willing to do the "right thing" and let the kids go for rides - I am sure that if BSA HQ found out that a kid went up with an adult in a two-seater....well, the PC-types would be pretty upset!

The things we used to do in the old days - you know, they actually used to let us have fire? And firearms? Heck, our Explorer Post built airplanes! I'm glad that there are adults out there who understand that kids need a LITTLE bit of risk to learn to live life courageously....

Great picture Don!

Paul
(There is no such thing as a FORMER Eagle Scout)

the_other_dougreeves · #4 11-06-2009, 06:59 AM

Excellent.

We have BSA troops down at the gliderport several times a year for camping and flying (helps that we own the airport, and there's plenty of grass). We'll typical do 30 tows on Scout days.

TODR

dhall_polo · #5 11-06-2009, 08:51 AM

I wasn't the clinic organizer, but I did a little research about BSA and Young Eagle and Aviation merit badges. The BSA is very active with the Young Eagles program, and there are some stories of some amazing events where many hundreds of scouts get to go flying at camporees and such. I read one story about 380 scouts going up with the Young Eagle program, and I don't think that is the record.

The BSA, however, doesn't allow experimentals to be used for flying scouts as a part of an official scouting event. Outside the regs of a scouting event, those boys and their fathers can participate in Young Eagles. I think the EAA is working with them on this. There are some threads about this on Oshkosh365.

My EAA Chapter, EAA690 at KLZU, has a person training and dedicated to meeting the needs and requirements for Boy Scouts and the Young Eagles program.

Maybe one day I'll fly the RV over the Tooth of Time at Philmont. That would combine a few good memories of scouting and flying.

Ironflight · #6 11-06-2009, 09:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dhall_polo

Maybe one day I'll fly the RV over the Tooth of Time at Philmont. That would combine a few good memories of scouting and flying.

We flew just south of "the tooth" on our recent trip to Oregon, and I pointed it out to Louise - brought tears to my eyes!

Paul

aparchment · #7 11-06-2009, 09:10 AM

Well said Paul. Not to get too off topic, but we seem to be developing a society in which we seek to overly manage/eliminate risk and remove individual responsibility. People learn and grow through sensible management of risk in all phases of life.

Glad to hear some of the scouts got to fly, but disappointed to read that experimentals are excluded from providing flights during official BSA events. Hopefully EAA can open their eyes on that and just put in place some good guidelines that will allow future participation by experimentals.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ironflight

I'm glad that there are adults out there who understand that kids need a LITTLE bit of risk to learn to live life courageously....

AZtailwind · #8 11-06-2009, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ironflight

We flew just south of "the tooth" on our recent trip to Oregon, and I pointed it out to Louise - brought tears to my eyes!
Paul

This thread brings back some great memories- The tooth of the ranch and Bears that are "hungry" for a group of explorer scouts! What a magical place that is.

bruceh · #9 11-06-2009, 10:53 AM

I was an Assistant Scoutmaster for my son's troop for almost 8 years. We did several Young Eagles & Aviation merit badge events with the EAA chapter 14 in San Diego. Yes, it is a lot of paperwork, but the council made it pretty easy.
Lot's of smiles in the pictures after going flying.

My son made Eagle at 15 and we finished his scouting days with a Philmont trek in August of 2008 before heading to college.

Life is an adventure and scouting ups the volume on the adventures!

tsandberg · #10 11-08-2009, 04:38 AM

I was lucky enough to be able to get involved in a Aviation Merit Badge program at the BSA camp in my area. Almost 70 boys earned their merit badge last summer, and it was the sixth year of the program. Introducing young people to aviation is great, and as someone to was one of those young people only a few years ago it feels great to pay it back.

Oh, and for my day job I often fly just to the east of Philmont. I think the folks I work with get tired of me pointing out Mount Baldy...