BY IRENE LABOMBARDE

They may not be old enough to drive a car, but a group of Bedford Boy Scouts can boast that they have flown an airplane.

On Saturday, June 23, a dozen boys aged 10 to 14, made a special trip to Daniel Webster College in Nashua to work on their aviation merit badge.

Troop 5 Leader Ellis Bouchard of Bedford, a captain with Southwest Airlines, coordinated the outing for the members of Troops 5 and 414 in Bedford and Troop 135 in Manchester.

Scouts and their parents toured the college’s flight facilities and the control tower at the Nashua Airport, Boire Field.

As part of the merit badge requirements, the Scouts conducted a pre-flight inspection of the aircraft to make sure it was flight-worthy.

The boys checked the oil and fuel tanks before manning the controls for flight – accompanied, of course, by a certified flight instructor.

The Cessna 172 planes seat four, allowing the Scouts were able to experience flight both as the pilot and as a passenger.

From turning the ignition key to just before the landing, each Scout was in control of the plane.

“The instructor was there to fix anything, but he pretty much let the kids get a feel for flying,” said Lee M. Mohnkern, who rode on his 12-year-old son Lee’s flight. “They were doing the steering, the throttle, adjusting the pitch.” 

His son said he was nervous at first, but flying the Cessna was “way cooler” than the flight simulator he’d been in.

“It was awesome,” agreed Chris Conery, 10. “I was scared we were going to crash at first, but then it was OK.” 

Prior to the field trip, the group studied the basics of aviation history, aerodynamics, instrumentation and navigation to prepare them for actual flight. 

Patrick Farrell, 14, said he‘s surprised at how easy flying was once he was at the controls. 
“There weren’t many things to do,” he said.

Although the wind caused some turbulence, flight instructor Juan Valencia said, “The boys all did a terrific job.”

Each flight, including taxiing and waiting for clearance, lasted about 20 minutes. After landing, the Scouts were given a flight log and a certificate.

To complete the merit badge, the Scouts must also build a model airplane and research a career opportunity in aviation.