Future flyers
You’ll need
- Pens or pencils
- A4 paper
- Device with access to the internet (optional)
Before you begin
- Use the safety checklist to help you plan and risk assess your activity. Additional help to carry out your risk assessment, including examples can be found here. Don’t forget to make sure all young people and adults involved in the activity know how to take part safely.
- Make sure you’ll have enough adult helpers. You may need some parents and carers to help out if you’re short on helpers.
Planning and setting up this activity
- Print out the ‘Aviation careers packs’ with one for each group and copies of the scenarios.
Running this activity
- Ask everyone to get into small groups.
- Give paper and pens to each group, then ask them to write down or draw as many jobs as they can think of in the airline industry. You may wish to let them have internet access.
- Gather back together and ask each group to share their lists.
- You could play it like Scattergories and groups get a point for each one they named that no-one else did.
- If there’s any jobs that anyone missed or didn’t name, read these out.
- Next, give each group a pack of the careers in ‘Aviation card pack’ and one scenario from the list of scenarios.
- Ask the groups to find a solution. They should use the ‘Aviation Careers’ cards to pick the roles needed to solve the problem and note down what each role could do. You could ask groups to note down who would need to act first, how the different roles could communicate and what decisions each role would need to make (possibly under pressure!)
- At the end, gather back together and let the groups discuss each scenario, then check them against the answers.
Scenario 1: Stormy skies
A passenger plane is about to take off from London, but the pilot receives a warning of severe thunderstorms along the planned route. Who should help, and what might they do to keep everyone safe?
Scenario 2: Unidentified drone
Just before landing, a plane is notified that a small drone has been spotted flying dangerously close to the runway. Which roles are needed to manage this, and how should they respond?
Scenario 3: Passenger becomes unwell
On a flight from Manchester to Madrid, a passenger suddenly becomes seriously unwell. Who steps in to help, and what actions do they take?
Scenario 4: Ice on the wings
It’s a frosty winter morning, and ice is discovered on the aircraft’s wings just before departure. Which roles need to respond, and what do they do to make the plane safe for take-off?
Scenario 5: Lost luggage
Several passengers arrive at the luggage belt, but their bags are missing. Frustration is growing, and complaints are coming in. Who helps resolve the situation, and how?
Scenario 6: Mid-flight electrical fault
A pilot reports an electrical fault during flight. Systems flicker, and backup is activated.
Who needs to act, and what should they do to ensure safety and communication?
Scenario 7: Simulator Training Malfunction
A flight training simulator crashes mid-session during an important pilot assessment.
Who gets involved, and what are their responsibilities?
Scenario 8: Weather Grounds All Flights
Storms hit a busy international airport, forcing all flights to be delayed or cancelled.
Who responds to manage the disruption for passengers, staff, and operations?
Scenario 9: Emergency Runway Evacuation
An aircraft makes an emergency landing and must evacuate immediately.
Who helps ensure passenger safety, and what actions do they take on the ground?
Scenario 10: Mountain Plane Crash Investigation
A small plane has gone down in a remote area. The cause is unknown, and authorities need answers.
Which roles are essential for response and investigation, and what do they do?
Scenario 1: Stormy Skies Ahead
Roles: Pilot, Meteorologist, Air Traffic Controller, Flight Dispatcher
- Meteorologist: Provides detailed weather forecasts and storm data.
- Flight Dispatcher: Re-routes the flight path for safety.
- Air Traffic Controller: Confirms the new route and clears it with other flights.
- Pilot: Reviews new plan, informs crew and passengers.
Scenario 2: Unidentified Drone Near Runway
Roles: Air Traffic Controller, Airport Security, Drone Safety Officer, Pilot
- Air Traffic Controller: Delays landings and departures.
- Airport Security: Begins drone search and public announcements.
- Drone Safety Officer: Checks drone registration logs.
- Pilot: Circles or holds aircraft safely until clearance is given.
Scenario 3: Passenger Falls Ill Mid-Flight
Roles: Flight Attendant, Pilot, Air Traffic Controller, Ground Medical Team
- Flight Attendant: Delivers first aid, informs cockpit.
- Pilot: Requests priority landing.
- Air Traffic Controller: Clears path for emergency landing.
- Ground Medical Team: Prepares for emergency response upon landing.
Scenario 4: Ice on the Wings
Roles: Aircraft Engineer, Pilot, Ground Crew, Safety Inspector
Actions:
- Pilot: Reports the issue.
- Engineer & Ground Crew: De-ice wings, check for damage.
- Safety Inspector: Approves aircraft for take-off.
Scenario 5: Lost Luggage Chaos
Roles: Baggage Handler, Customer Service Agent, Airport Operations Manager, IT Technician
- Baggage Handler: Checks load records.
- Customer Service Agent: Assists and reassures passengers.
- Operations Manager: Coordinates recovery and response.
- IT Technician: Checks baggage tracking system for errors.
Scenario 6: Mid-Flight Electrical Fault
Roles: Pilot, Avionics Technician, Flight Attendant, Airline Social Media Specialist
- Pilot: Manages systems, informs ATC.
- Avionics Technician: Prepares repair and diagnostics on landing.
- Flight Attendant: Keeps passengers informed and calm.
- Social Media Specialist: Updates passengers and public on delays.
Scenario 7: Simulator Training Malfunction
Roles: Flight Instructor, Flight Simulator Designer, IT Technician
- Instructor: Pauses training, logs issue.
- Simulator Designer: Diagnoses software/hardware fault.
- IT Technician: Supports technical troubleshooting and restart.
Scenario 8: Weather Grounds All Flights
Roles: Meteorologist, Flight Schedule Manager, Customer Service Agent, Airline Cargo Attendant
- Meteorologist: Monitors and reports worsening conditions.
- Schedule Manager: Adjusts flight timings and rosters.
- Customer Service Agent: Assists delayed passengers.
- Cargo Attendant: Safely stores grounded luggage and freight.
Scenario 9: Emergency Runway Evacuation
Roles: Pilot, Airport Security, Aircraft Marshaller, Search and Rescue Technician
- Pilot: Orders evacuation.
- Marshaller: Clears runway and guides emergency teams.
- Airport Security: Secures the scene.
- Search and Rescue Technician: Assists injured and supports emergency services.
Scenario 10: Mountain Plane Crash Investigation
Roles: Search and Rescue Technician, Aviation Safety Investigator, Aircraft Inspector, Air Traffic Controller
- Search and Rescue Technician: Leads terrain rescue and support.
- Safety Investigator: Begins analysis of the crash site.
- Aircraft Inspector: Evaluates aircraft parts for mechanical faults.
- Air Traffic Controller: Shares last known data and recordings.
Reflection
This activity was all about learning the different roles on an airfield or at an airport. Which roles can you remember? What role interested you most? Which one do you think you’d like to do? From engineers and meteorologists to drone operators and air traffic controllers, aviation is full of interesting roles that use a wide range of skills.
How did you find answering the scenarios? People had to use lots of different skills. What skills do you think they use? Some examples are problem-solving, teamwork, communication and creativity.
Whether you're passionate about science, love working with people, or enjoy fixing things, there’s a place for everyone in aviation. What do you think would be the most fun part of the job? And what do you think might be hard?
Safety
All activities must be safely managed. You must complete a thorough risk assessment and take appropriate steps to reduce risk. Use the safety checklist to help you plan and risk assess your activity. Always get approval for the activity, and have suitable supervision and an InTouch process.
You must run your activities in line with the Safeguarding Code of Conduct for Adults (Yellow Card) and report any concerns to the UK HQ Safeguarding Team.
- Online safety
Supervise young people when they’re online and give them advice about staying safe. Take a look at our online safety or bullying guidance. The NSPCC offers more advice and guidance, too. If you want to know more about specific social networks and games, Childnet has information and safety tips for apps. You can also report anything that’s worried you online to the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Command. As always, if you’ve got concerns about a young person’s welfare, including their online experiences, follow the Yellow Card to make a report.
- To make this activity easier, you could tell people the roles involved and then ask them what each person would do.
Make it accessible
All Scout activities should be inclusive and accessible.
