Youth Exploring Aviation

Youth Exploring Aviation

Join us for YOUTH EXPLORING AVIATION! 
Open to ages 15-21

Youth Exploring Aviation meets Thursday evenings from 6:30-9:00 pm. at the Museum campus Springfield Hangar on the north side of Poplar Grove Airport just off Orth Road just east of IL Hwy 76.

We are Post 76 of the Boy Scouts of America Learning for Life program and welcome boys and girls ages 15-21 who are interested in aviation.

Our program includes:

  • Hands on work on the restoration of aircraft
  • Theory of Flight
  • Weather
  • An Introductory Flight
  • A Cross Country Flight
  • Meet and work with professional pilots
  • Field trips
  • Participation in Museum events

Costs: $20 per year plus field trip expenses

YEA meets every Thursday 6:30 pm in the Springfield Hangar across from the main Museum hangar. Please contact the Museum for more info.

field trips

There is nothing more enjoyable for students than a field trip, so bring them out to the Vintage Wings and Wheels Museum! Designed for schools, home-school groups, youth groups, and more. Available from May through October.  Prices are $3 per participant, with chaperones admitted free. All field trips will be catered to the size of your group and can be longer or shorter depending on your needs and how many are coming.

We ask that you schedule a field trip at least 3 weeks prior to the field trip or event day.

Boy Scouts

If you are a Boy Scout and are interested in completing your Aviation Merit Badge the museum can help you fulfill certain requirements involved with that badge. Specifically, we can help you with the following:

Requirement 1 (Sections a,b,c,d, and e)

Requirement 3 (Section b)

Requirement 4 (Section c)

Special Note: Requirement 5 must be completed independently due to the research involved. Also, the Museum does not coordinate any orientation or young eagle flights due to liability. If you are trying to fulfill requirement two and wish to participate in a flight you will need to contact the EAA Chapter here at the Poplar Grove Airport (C77). Contact the museum for more details.

The cost is only $3 per scout and all adults are free.