DeKALB – DeKalb Taylor Municipal Airport was the perfect location for Boy Scouts in DeKalb Troops 33 and 4 to earn aviation merit badges.

Their day began with classroom instruction, exploring navigation history, aircraft familiarization, physics of flight, power plants and aircraft instrumentation, taught by merit badge counselor David Marx of American Airlines.

Airport manager Tom Cleveland provided a guided tour of the facility, highlighted by showing the boys a MiG 21 fighter aircraft. Russian-built in 1973, the MiG 21 was flown by the Polish Air Force before eventually finding a home in DeKalb. Its maximum speed is 1,500 mph.

John Galante of Fly America talked about aircraft preflight inspection as he guided Scouts to various planes in the main hangar. Boys learned many details about aircraft engines, how to work wings and steer tails, interior cockpits and the complex methodology a pilot uses as he controls his plane.

Bruce Griffith and students with Kishwaukee Education Consortium’s aviation program provided quality time for boys as they used flight simulators to learn about flying. Boys were thrilled with their experience of flight as they simulated flying and landing a plane.

A mixture of classroom instruction, displays, tours, and hands-on instruction provided a great learning experience for 16 Boy Scouts as they earned their aviation merit badge.

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