On Saturday, August 19, members of area Boy Scout troops earned aviation merit badges after participating in a day of learning at the University Park Airport. The 2017 National Aviation Day included tours of the airport and control tower, aircraft displays including aircraft firefighting vehicles, and opportunities to study aeronautical charts and the mechanics of flight. Aircraft displays included firefighting vehicles, a Pennsylvania State Police helicopter, a Geisinger LifeFlight medical helicopter, and single-engine aircraft owned by tenants based at the airport.

Various speakers addressed the group of about 60 scouts about careers in aviation, covering topics such as control tower operations and managing wildlife around the airport. Guest speakers included a representative from SnapFlight USA, a local flight school that provides flight instruction, and hot air balloonist Kevin Witt of Sky’s the Limit Ballooning.