SMV Achievement Badges—a great idea!

At the SPK 2008 in Baden and as part of an article in the MFS, the SMV’s proficiency badges were introduced; these badges provide an incentive for both beginners and more experienced pilots to improve their flying skills and/or demonstrate a special level of commitment. The Lucerne Model Flying Club has since incorporated this program as an integral part of its youth development efforts.

At the 2008 General Assembly, the Lucerne Model Flying Group established a Youth Development Department with the clear goal of further expanding support for junior pilots.

During the same period, the SMV’s Youth Development department published the test programs for the proficiency badges, which can be earned in a fairly straightforward manner within the clubs. The “Pilot” and “Advanced Pilot” badges, available in

virtually all disciplines, serve primarily as an incentive for beginners and slightly more experienced pilots to specifically refine their flying skills.

How candidates for the badges acquire the necessary skills is irrelevant, meaning that no flight instructor needs to feel constrained, and there remains ample room for creativity in teaching methods. The SMV specifies only the flight program that must be completed.

In addition, there are the “Competition Pilot,” “Master Pilot,” and “Instructor Pilot” badges, which can be earned through specific activities in competitive flying, corresponding achievements, or by demonstrating one’s own successes in the field of flight training.

We really like the approach that the badges do not form a tiered system. Everyone can aim directly for the award they feel ready for. Anyone who flies successfully in a discipline at competitions can receive the “Master Pilot” designation immediately upon demonstrating the required achievements! For the “Competition Pilot” designation, proof of active competition participation over a defined period is sufficient, regardless of placement.

To establish the new division within the club, the SMV’s performance badges provided a welcome incentive. Without hesitation, two of our junior members set out to train for the “Pilot” and “Advanced Pilot” test flights in the powered flight discipline.

On the day of the test, despite their intensive training, our candidates were a bit more nervous than usual—likely due to their healthy ambition. Ultimately, however, both were able to successfully complete the flight programs twice in a row as required, under the watchful eyes of our department heads Fabian Danz and Thomas Suter.

During the awards ceremony for our F3A fall competition, the two successful pilots were ceremoniously presented with their

SMV and the corresponding patches. Once again, heartfelt congratulations to Severin Kuhn and Roland Weber. Keep up the good work! Based on these positive experiences, the Lucerne Model Flying Club has added an annual exam day for performance badges to its annual program

. Thomas Suter, who helped develop the flight programs as part of the SMV’s Youth Development Department, will take over as director at the 2009 SPK. And I myself will be involved in the same department, providing support in the area of powered flight/F3A.

I recommend that all clubs publicize the exam programs to their junior members as well, because it helps them progress, because it sets standards for training, and because it’s fun for everyone without a lot of red tape.

And last but not least: Everything is free for SMV members,

including a personal certificate and a really nice patch! Those interested can find all the details at www.modellflug.ch/jugendfoerderung.

Adrian Bruni, President
of the Lucerne Model Flying Club

The SMV's "Pilot" and "Advanced Pilot" proficiency badges can be earned in the disciplines of powered flight, free flight, helicopter flight, tethered flight, and gliding.