All worksheets / Aviation
Edition 2026Active Merit Badge
Aviation
Official Requirements & Fillable Workbook · 2026 Edition
Aviation runs from why a wing lifts to what it takes to hold a pilot certificate. Requirement 2 asks you to build and fly something — a paper FPG-9, a rubber-band balsa plane, or a powered model or drone (which needs TRUST certification). Requirements 3 and 4 involve visits and flights that take arranging, so read ahead and book early.
Key Requirements Covered:
- Four Forces of Flight & Aerodynamics
- Aircraft Instruments & Flight Controls
- Airports, Navigation & Air Traffic Control
- Flight Planning & Aviation Careers
10Printable Pages
5Requirements
2025Reqs Revised
What is on the worksheet: Aviation Requirements
Every requirement for the Aviation merit badge, word for word as published, with room to write under each one on the printed worksheet.
1Aviation Basics and Mechanics of Flight
Do the following:
- a Define "aircraft." Describe three kinds of aircraft today, and their typical uses.
- b Provide a brief overview of the evolution of flight, and discuss three notable times in history important to aviation.
- c Explain the difference between a fixed wing and a rotary wing aircraft, and the benefits of each.
- d Explain the operation of piston, turbine, and jet engines.
- e Using a model aircraft, describe the four forces that act on an aircraft in flight.
- f Explain how an airfoil generates lift, specifically noting Bernoulli's principle.
- g Identify and describe the aerodynamic control surfaces on the aircraft of your choice, and explain how they operate to control its attitude and direction of flight.
- h Explain the purposes and functions of the various instruments found in a typical single-engine aircraft: attitude indicator, heading indicator, altimeter, airspeed indicator, turn and bank indicator, vertical speed indicator, compass, navigation, communication, and engine performance indicators.
2Principles of Flight
Do ONE of the following:
- a Build a model FPG-9. Get others in your troop or patrol to make their own model, then organize a competition to test the precision of flight and landing of the models.
- b Build a rubber-band driven balsa wood airplane. Fly the plane for 25 feet in a straight line, with a smooth landing.
- c Build (or obtain) a fuel-driven or battery-powered electric model aircraft or drone. Obtain The Recreational UAS Safety Test (TRUST) certification, and fly the aircraft with a successful take-off and landing.
3Flight Operations
Do TWO of the following:
- a Using a flight simulator software package, set a course and fly the headings you have established with a successful take-off and landing.
- b Under supervision, perform a preflight inspection of an aircraft.
- c Observe and/or participate in an aircraft maintenance activity. Describe the maintenance schedule and requirements for an aircraft of your choice.
- d Obtain and learn how to read an aeronautical chart. Measure a true course on the chart; correct it for magnetic variation, compass deviation, and wind drift to determine a navigational heading for an aircraft.
- e With your parent or guardian's permission, take a discovery flight in an aircraft. Record the date, place, type of aircraft, and duration of flight. Report on your impressions of the flight.
4Airport Operations
Do ONE of the following:
- a Visit an airport. After the visit, report on how the facilities are used, how runways are numbered, and how runways are determined to be "active."
- b Visit a Federal Aviation Administration facility: Airport Traffic Control Tower (ATCT), Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON), Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC), or Flight Standards District Office (FSDO). Report on the operation and your impressions of the facility.
- c Visit a military aviation facility. Learn how that facility supports defense and/or civilian activities. Report on the operation and your impressions of the facility.
- d Visit an aviation museum or attend an air show. Report on your impressions of the museum or show, and what you learned from the experience.
5Personal & Professional Aviation Opportunities
Do the following:
- a Explain the following: the student pilot, the recreational pilot, the remote pilot, and the private pilot certificates.
- b Describe the benefits of the instrument rating.
- c Explain the following: the commercial pilot certificate, the airline transport pilot certificate, and certified flight instructor (CFI).
- d Identify an Aviation Exploring Post and/or Civil Air Patrol facility in your area. Learn about their activities and membership requirements.
- e Identify three career opportunities that would use skills and knowledge in aviation. Pick one and research the training, education, certification requirements, experience, and expenses associated with entering the field. Research the prospects for employment, starting salary, advancement opportunities and career goals associated with this career. Discuss what you learned with your counselor and whether you might be interested in this career.
Two dates, two different things
Requirements Revision vs. Worksheet Date
Scouting America last revised the Aviation requirements in 2025. That is the badge, not this sheet — an older year does not mean the worksheet is out of date.
Verbatim Fidelity & Verification
This worksheet was checked against https://www.scouting.org/merit-badges/aviation/ in Aug 2026 and reproduces the requirements word for word. Both dates are printed on the sheet, so a copy in a binder can always be placed in time.
Requirement text is © Scouting America, reproduced verbatim. The worksheet layout and design are original to this project.
Nearby badges
Athletics is about training your body on purpose. You will pick an activity, build a program around it, stick with it for three months, and measure what changed. Along the way you will learn how to stay out of the athletic trainer's room, what a balanced diet actually looks like, and why sportsmanship matters more than the score.
Key Requirements Covered:
- Conditioning & Injury Prevention
- Sportsmanship & Athletic Rules
- Training Plans & Fitness Tracking
- Competitive Event Assessment
Automotive Maintenance is hands-on: you will be under the hood checking fluids, belts, fuses, and brakes on a real vehicle. You need access to a car or truck and its owner's manual before you start. Much of the badge is about knowing what the dashboard is telling you and what the manual already says — two things most drivers never learn.
Key Requirements Covered:
- Shop Safety & Basic Tools
- Engine Systems & Fluid Maintenance
- Tires, Brakes & Suspension
- Electrical Systems & Diagnostic Checks
Backpacking is one of Scouting’s most demanding and rewarding badges. You will learn what equipment to carry and how to keep weight down, how to navigate with topographic maps and compass, cook on backcountry stoves, and minimize your impact under Leave No Trace. To earn it, you will plan and carry your pack on three 3-day, 15-mile treks, plus a capstone 5-day, 30-mile trek with a service project and daily journal.
Key Requirements Covered:
- Trail Planning & Gear Selection
- Leave No Trace & Campcraft
- Trail Health, Water & Nutrition
- Multi-Day Trekking & Backcountry Logging
Basketry is an ancient, hands-on craft that turns reed, cane, and splint into useful, durable containers and seats. You will learn the hazards and first aid for sharp hand tools, explore the four fundamental basket styles and different weaving patterns, and then weave three real projects: a square basket, a round basket, and a woven campstool seat.
Key Requirements Covered:
- Basketry Materials & Preparation
- Round & Square Basket Weaving
- Ribbed Basket Construction
- Cane Seat Weaving & Finishing
