Boy Scout Merit Badge

Merit Badges

Aviation Merit Badge Update

Earn Your Merit Badge in Aviation

A one-day class that earns a Merit Badge in Aviation. The course follows the curriculum requirements established by the Boy Scouts of America.

The Boy Scout Merit Badge Class is a great weekend activity for kids and young adults involved in Scouting. It is a rare opportunity to earn a Merit Badge in an environment perfectly suited to it: at an institution devoted to education, taught by experienced aviators, at an airport where they can sit in a real airplane and go flying as the grand finale.

We’ve held many sessions of this class over the past several years, and they always get a great response and a lot of students. If you intend to register we suggest you do so well in advance because the classes often fill up. The Boy Scout Aviation Merit Badge Class at the Pacific Coast Air Museum attracts students from all over the Bay Area and Northern California, and is one of the few that offers as much hands-on experience and access to actual airworthy aircraft.

Advance reservations are required. Registrations are limited to 30 students per online Zoom class. Register Now for 2021 classes using our downloadable form (.pdf). Be sure to also fill out and return the Flying Permit, included with the registration form

Course Information:

2022 Class Dates:

Saturday, June 18th, 2022- In person 8 am- 3pm

Activities:

Guest speakers from several facets of aviation
Tour historical aircraft with experienced Docents
Experience Hands-on aircraft riveting techniques
Graduation flight with an FAA licensed pilot — after Covid-19 restrictions are relaxed.

Syllabus:

Kinds of aircraft
Physics of flight
Aircraft engines
Careers in aviation

Instructor

Instructor Art Hayssen is a fully vetted, approved Merit Badge Counselor with Boy Scouts of America and he signs off on the Merit Badge completion forms.

Art is a 5-time NAFI Master Instructor
FAA FAASTeam Lead Representative in the North San Francisco Bay Area
ATP and active Flight Instructor since 1980
Over 8,000 hours of flight instruction
Instructor certificate – airplane single, multi-engine, land and sea, and instrument ratings.
Recipient of an AOPA and eight FAA Flight Safety Awards.
Designated as California’s first Master Instructor Emeritus.
Taught Aviation, Meteorology, and Geography at the Santa Rosa Junior College for the past 33 years.

* About that graduation flight: Students will get into the cockpit of a real aircraft, and experience everything from strapping in safely, to communicating with the control tower, to flying the pattern in preparation for landing. Nothing beats the thrill of feeling that engine rev for takeoff, and your Boy Scout will experience it first-hand! Graduation flights will take place after Covid-19 restrictions are relaxed.

Bring Your Lunch

Registration Information:

Registration is limited to 30 students on a first-come-first-served basis. If there are more than 30 registrants, we will put them on a waiting list in the order they were received. Registration closes five days before each class.