Post 78 is a local Aviation Exploring chapter chartered to Eastern Cincinnati Aviation (ECA) and Sporty’s Pilot Shop by the Learning for Life office of the Boy Scouts of America. Our group of teens (14-20) with an aviation interest meets in the Sporty’s building at the Clermont County Airport in Batavia, Ohio.

Our Exploring meeting and event season runs from October to April/May of each year. During this time period we generally meet on one Wednesday and have one Saturday event per month. Meetings and events include educational opportunities, tours, career discussions, guest speakers, museum visits, flight and simulator opportunities, visits with people building an aircraft at home, model rocketry, and so much more.

The adult advisors for the post work with experienced exploring youth annually to plan the upcoming year. We strive to have a program that will be interesting to youth that are new to our group as well as youth that have been with us for a few years. Each year brings a different program.

Aviation career exploration is major emphasis of our group. We explore careers as pilots, mechanics, air traffic controllers, and many more.

Another opportunity offered to the explorers outside our normal meeting year is the chance to spend a week working at EAA AirVenture in Oshkosh, WI. AirVenture is known as “The World’s Greatest Aviation Celebration” and it happens every year near the end of July or early August. Our members will join explorers from all over at the Explorer Base Camp on the AirVenture grounds. This is a fantastic chance to meet new people and reconnect with last year’s friends. The explorers will work for a few hours each day but will still have several hours to enjoy the show.

Our charter organizations and adult advisors work very hard to ensure that we have a safe and fun program that is also a good value. There is an initial registration fee for each explorer that we pay to the local Learning for Life/Dan Beard Council office. This nominal fee covers registration and some insurance premiums. At the time of this writing, the fee is $15 but that is subject to change. The re-registration fee for active post members that return for another year is covered by our charter organizations.

Many of the places we visit DO NOT charge admission. Admission and food related expenses are the responsibility of the individual explorers when they occur. There is a fee for AirVenture which is also the responsibility of the individual. ECA/Sporty’s covers transportation costs to most events including AirVenture.

Aviation Exploring members are eligible for some excellent scholarship opportunities. They also meet people throughout the aviation industry.

We accept new members throughout the Exploring year. Stop by a meeting, check us out, and sign up. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact us.