Cub Scout Aviation Day Held at Gordonsville Airport

Gordonsville Airport hosted Cub Scouts Aviation Day on Saturday, April 23 to introduce children to the exciting opportunities available in aviation.

A total of 185 Cub Scouts from across central Virginia attended the event and participated in hands on STEM related activities. Approximately 600 guests were in attendance throughout the day, including families, Cub Scouts and volunteers.

The Virginia Department of Aviation (DOAV) and the ICON A5 Introduction to Flight Team were on site to teach scouts about aviation. The ICON A5 served as a thrilling educational tool for children to be able to sit in the light sport amphibious aircraft and operate the flight controls while learning about how airplanes fly.

“We have only received extremely positive feedback from the Cub Scout Aviation Day activities, and the ICON A5 was literally the centerpiece of the event,” Cub Scout Aviation Day Director Daman Irby said. “The ICON A5 and Virginia Department of Aviation exhibit were the focal point of the event and attracted hundreds of visitors excited to learn about such a fascinating aircraft. Scouts especially enjoyed the opportunity to sit inside and see the controls up close.”

Cub Scouts, who are between the ages of 5 and 11, participated in numerous activities throughout the day. Some of these included nose cone experiments with the National Air and Space Museum, viewing sunspots and solar flares through a solar telescope and operating robots. During the evening, Cub Scouts attended a presentation in an inflatable planetarium hosted by the Dark Skies, Bright Kids program of the UVA Department of Astronomy. They also had the opportunity to participate in a tour of constellations and fly rocket copters.

Virginia Department of Aviation staff answered questions from Cub Scouts and families about the different careers available in aviation. The ICON A5 Introduction to Flight Team certainly made a lasting impact on many at Cub Scout Aviation Day.

“I would absolutely encourage any organization or school interested in introducing their children and youth to aviation and the science of flight to request a visit by the Virginia Department of Aviation and the ICON A5,” Irby said. “It’s such a striking aircraft that motivates students to consider what it might be like to actually fly in such an airplane and potentially choose a career in aviation or aircraft design.”

If you are interested in having this aircraft visit your school or event, please contact Betty Wilson at the Virginia Department of Aviation for all the details.