News release from the Fort Wayne-Allen County Airport Authority:
Smith Field Airport hosts Boy Scouts of America aviation merit badge event
(August 15, 2013) – For the fourth consecutive year, Boy Scouts from Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio will spend the day at Smith Field Airport (SMD) earning their aviation merit badge. More than 200 Scouts have registered for this year’s event. To earn the badge, Scouts must perform a number of aviation-related activities, including learning about careers in aviation, airports and their runways, how to pre-flight an aircraft, and how to build a model aircraft. Scouts will also be able to tour the airfield, see aircraft demos, and take a flight with the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA). The event will be held on Saturday, August 17 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Historic Hangar Two at Smith Field Airport, 426 W. Ludwig Rd., Fort Wayne, IN 46825.
“We have a group of dedicated volunteers from the Airport Authority, EAA Chapter Two, and Sweet Aviation who pull together to help make this event a success and give back to the aviation community and the City of Fort Wayne,” said Tamara George, Lead Operations Coordinator at Smith Field Airport. “Last year, 212 scouts obtained their aviation merit badge and the event was a huge success. This is a great opportunity for the scouts to experience aviation on a whole new level.”
This year, 37 Boy Scout Troops from all over the state of Indiana, including Fort Wayne, Bloomington, Fishers, and Indianapolis are registered for the event. Troops are also expected to travel from Michigan and Ohio.
“At Smith Field, the Airport Authority is not only dedicated to serving the aviation community, we also believe wholeheartedly that education is the key to building a future for aviation,” said Craig Williams, Director of Operations and Facilities for the Fort Wayne-Allen County Airport Authority. “These Boy Scouts will get a hands-on learning experience like no other, and we’re proud to say that we can facilitate that education.”
The aviation merit badge is one of more than 130 badges a Boy Scout may earn. There are 10 requirements for earning the badge, all of which can be fulfilled at the SMD event. Visit www.scouting.org for a detailed listing of the requirements and to find out more about the Boy Scouts of America.
About Fort Wayne-Allen County Airport Authority
The Fort Wayne-Allen County Airport Authority (FWACAA) was created in 1985 and is responsible for managing the Fort Wayne International Airport and Smith Field. In the last few years, FWACAA has undertaken an aggressive improvement plan at SMD, which includes a newly renovated terminal and the construction of a new aircraft maintenance training facility in partnership with Ivy Tech. Improvements also include the installation of an Automated Weather Observation System (AWOS) in partnership with Parkview Hospital, the installation of a self-serve aviation fuel system, and various facility, electrical, storm water, and pavement improvements. The Authority is governed by a six-member board appointed by both the Mayor of Fort Wayne and the Allen County Commissioners. For more information about the Fort Wayne-Allen County Airport Authority, visit www.FWAirport.com.