Aviation Skills

Basic Aviation Skills – White Logo 

Complete the requirements below:

1. Know the rules relating to access to airfields in Policy, Organisation and Rules. Draw a diagram/ map or make a model of an airfield to show and name the different areas.
2. Understand the terms: nose, fuselage, tail, main-plane, port and starboard. Know the names of the control surfaces of an aircraft.
3. Construct and fly a chuck glider for at least 5 seconds or build and fly a hot-air balloon or kite.
4. Choose one of the following activities:
   1. Collect photographs or pictures of six aircraft that interest you, name them and their operational uses.
   2. Discuss an airline that you are interested in, or have travelled on, showing pictures of aircraft livery and logos.
5. Take part in a Patrol or Troop visit with other Scouts to a place of aviation interest.
6. From the list of Aviation Skills training activities complete four items, each to be taken from a different section.

Note:

The Imperial War Museum at Duxford has developed resources for this badge. These can be found on the IWM Duxford website.

  Aviation Skills – Yellow Logo 

 

Complete the requirements below:

1. Qualify with one of the following:
   1. Hold the Basic Aviation Skills Badge
   2. Be at least 11½ years and complete requirements 1 and 5 of the Basic Aviation Skills Badge.
2. List the main types of aircraft and identify the parts of an aeroplane.
3. Identify 12 aircraft in use today from pictures or in flight. These must include at least two civil commercial aircraft, two military aircraft and two light private aircraft.
4. Explain how wind speed and direction are measured and how weather can affect various air activities. Demonstrate how to obtain a local forecast for an air activity.
5. Understand the phonetic alphabet, explain why it is used and demonstrate its use.
6. Demonstrate ability to trim a suitable model glider to perform a straight glide, stall and specified turn. Explain the relationships between lift, drag, thrust and weight.
7. Choose one of the following activities:
   1. Fly in a light aircraft or glider as a passenger and know the rules in Policy, Organisation and Rules relating to flying.
   2. Help to organise a visit to an airfield or place of aviation history for a group of Scouts. Explain to your assessor what you would need to tell the Scouts prior to the visit.
8. From the list of Aviation Skills training activities complete a further six items taken from at least four different sections.

  Advance Aviation Skills – Red Logo  

Complete the requirements below:

1. Qualify with one of the following:
   1. Hold the Aviation Skills Badge
   2. Be at least 13 years old and complete requirements 1 and 4 of the Aviation Skills Badge.
2. Name the main control surfaces of an aeroplane, explain how they work and how they are controlled.
3. Choose one of the following two activities:
   1. Explain the duties of an aircraft marshaller and demonstrate marshalling signals.
   2. Explain the duties of a crew leader for a glider launch and demonstrate procedure and signals.
4. Know the types of air maps and the conventional signs used on them.
5. Choose one of the following activities:
   1. Explain the basic principles of a piston engine, including the four-stroke cycle, with consideration of valve and ignition timing.
   2. Compare and contrast the main parts and workings of a piston engine and a jet engine.
6. Explain the difference between ground speed and air speed and how wind is used in take off and landing. Explain how a wing gives lift. Explain the causes of stalling.
7. Take part in an air experience flight and point out on an air map the features that are over flown.
8. From the list of Aviation Skills training activities complete another six items from at least four different sections.

  Aviation Skills Training Activities  

Section 1 – Practical Skills

1. Build and fly one of the following:
   1. A rubber-powered model for at least 15 seconds
   2. A glider for at least 15 seconds
   3. A model airship
   4. A hovercraft
   5. A boomerang
2. Build a scale model aircraft to a satisfactory standard from one of the following:
   1. Plastic kit, plans or photographs. Talk about the aircraft’s key  points and history
   2. By modifying a standard kit, produce a different but authentic version of the aircraft
3. Make a solid model where all control surfaces operate and can be used to demonstrate their effect.
4. Demonstrate the signals required to launch a manned glider and participate as part of a launch or recovery crew.
5. Arrange for a suitably experienced instructor to give training in how a parachute works. Be able to put on a parachute harness and demonstrate the correct landing roll.
6. Assist with the launching and recovery of a paraglider. Make two ascents, without release.
7. Know the rules in Policy, Organisation and Rules relating to flying and fly in an aircraft as a passenger.
8. Undertake a project to demonstrate a particular aeronautical principle and build a suitable model to illustrate it.
9. Build and fly at least five different designs of paper aeroplane, using published plans if desired.
10. One other activity of a similar nature and level of achievement as agreed by your leadership team.

Section 2 – Flight Safety and Airmanship

1. Know the dangers posed to aircraft by birds and other wildlife and the methods employed to reduce the problem.
2. Understand the working of an airport fire service or emergency team, the equipment employed and main rescue methods.
3. Know the reasons for airport security, the main threats and means of counteracting these threats.
4. Explain how an aircraft lifejacket works. Demonstrate its use.
5. Draw a runway and its circuit patterns indicating:
   1. Climb-out; cross wind; down wind; base leg; final leg
   2. Runway markings
   3. Taxi-ways; overshoot; under-shoot areas
6. Explain and illustrate the purpose and workings of an ejector seat.
7. Understand the physical fitness requirements to fly as a pilot or passenger. Be aware of health concerns such as ear blockage, hypoxia and deep vein thrombosis.
8. Explain the emergency procedures for a manned glider in the case of:
   1. Cable failure in a winch or aero-tow launch, and engine failure of a motor glider
   2. Structural failure or collision at altitude
   3. Inability to release cable in the case of winch launch or aero-tow
   4. Altitude loss to the extent that safe soaring is no longer feasible
9. Understand the responsibilities of the commander of an aircraft. Examples include briefings, safety of load and passengers, completing relevant paperwork.
10. Demonstrate pre-flight inspection of an aircraft and explain why inspection of each part is important to safe operation.
11. One other activity of a similar nature and level of achievement as agreed by the leadership team.

Section 3 – Aerospace Operations

1. Describe at least six airlines by their names and markings, completing one of the following:
   1. Identify the home countries and main operating bases
   2. Describe six routes operated by each airline, together with the aircraft used
   3. Describe the operations of an all-cargo airline. Know the main types of cargo aircraft and their special applications
2. Discuss the design characteristics of a chosen aircraft in relation to its operational role
3. Understand the principles of air launched and ground based anti-aircraft weapons and the systems used to counteract them.
4. Demonstrate knowledge of air and space surveillance systems, their types and applications.
5. Understand the advantage of mid-air refuelling for military aircraft, the main methods of fuel transfer and the main types of tanker used.
6. Discuss the problem of aerospace flight including acceleration to escape velocity, the reason for weightlessness and re-entry problems.
7. Demonstrate a general knowledge of the progress of space exploration, describing in particular one space programme.
8. Understand the principles of re-usable space vehicles. Know their advantages and disadvantages over conventional rocket systems/launch vehicles.
9. Explain the roles of two recent space probes and two recently launched satellites, giving the main types of instruments used.
10. Demonstrate the scale of the solar system with a drawing or model to show the relative positions of the planets.
11. Any other one activity of a similar nature and level of achievement as agreed by the leadership team.

Section 4 – Navigation

1. Explain the workings and potential errors of an aircraft compass.
2. For a cross-country flight of at least 80 kilometres, work out the time of flight from an overhead starting point to an overhead destination for a given airspeed, assuming, i. a given headwind; ii. a given tailwind.
3. Explain the workings of a Global Positioning System (GPS) and be able to demonstrate its usage.
4. Explain the workings of aircraft pressure instruments, for example an altimeter or air speed indictor. Explain the sources of errors.
5. For a cross-country flight of at least 80 kilometres, determine a heading given a track, wind speed and direction.
6. Demonstrate knowledge of conventional symbols used on an aeronautical chart and show how to do simple flight calculations.
7. Illustrate latitude and longitude by simple diagrams. Explain the need for different types of map projections.
8. Show a basic knowledge of Aeronav aids and equipment. Understand the concept of GPS.
9. Any other one activity of a similar nature and level of achievement as agreed by the Section leadership team.

Second 5 – Meteorology

1. Identify the basic clouds and explain how they are formed.
2. Explain how wind speed is measured and how weather can affect various air activities.
3. Demonstrate how to get a local forecast for an air activity.
4. Explain the flight conditions that can be expected in various cloud formations and weather conditions.
5. Outline how temperature and pressure are measured, list the units used and demonstrate conversions between different units by use of tables and by calculation.
6. Identify the weather conditions associated with the movement of air masses over the United Kingdom for example Polar, Tropical, Maritime and Continental..
7. Explain how readings of upper air conditions are obtained.
8. Collect detailed weather maps of the United Kingdom either from the internet or from a newspaper for a two-week period. Illustrate the development of significant weather features over this period.
9. Be able to interpret Met Office reports and forecasts for pilots, such as METAR and TAF.
10. Any other one activity of a similar nature and level of achievement as agreed by the Section leadership team.

Section 6 – Aero Engines

1. Explain how jets or rockets obtain thrust. Explain the principle of the ramjet. Explain the principles of a centrifugal or axial compressor type jet engine and identify the main components of such an engine.
2. Discuss the relative merits of piston engines, turbojets, turboprops, turbofans, ramjets and rockets.
3. Identify the main types of aircraft fuels and fuel systems.
4. Demonstrate knowledge of the causes of aircraft noise and disturbance. Know the design methods used to reduce aircraft noise and how the effects on local communities can be reduced.
5. Demonstrate knowledge of the effect of aircraft engine emissions on the atmosphere and how these can be reduced.
6. Any other one activity of a similar nature and level of achievement as agreed by the Section leadership team.

Section 7 – Communications and Air Traffic Control

1. Identify the signals used on an airfield signals square, together with runway and airfield markings.
2. Identify the lamp and pyrotechnic signals used on an airfield.
3. Understand why Morse code is still transmitted by navigational beacons and be able to recognise six three-letter sequences either from a recording or written copy.
4. Explain the system of air traffic control in use at a small civilian airfield.
5. Demonstrate examples of the ground-to-air emergency code.
6. Understand the special communications difficulties for activities such as paragliding or hang gliding and the need for clearance in areas of military flying.
7. Any other one activity of a similar nature and level of achievement as agreed by your leadership team.

Section 8 – Principles of Flight

1. Explain the meaning of trim and the importance of weight and balance.
2. Explain the purpose and operation of flaps, slots and slats.
3. Explain how basic aerobatic manoeuvres are carried out.
4. Demonstrate knowledge of the principles of take-off and landing with special reference to light aircraft.
5. Explain the methods by which short or vertical take-off can be achieved.
6. Describe the airflow around a modern square parachute, explaining how it develops lift and how it is controlled.
7. Attain a reasonable standard on a home computer flight simulator programme and understand why the aircraft behaves as it does. The suitability of the programme is to be agreed by the Section leadership team.
8. Show knowledge of the methods for operating specialised passenger aircraft into city centres such as helicopters, STOL, tilt wing etc and the main drawbacks
9. Any other one activity of a similar nature and level of achievement by your leadership team.