Young Eagles and Background Security Checks

[TomBush]

Jack's letter says "reality is that we have had 2 close calls in last 18 months that could have impacted hundreds of youths."

Could have impacted youth. But didnt. . .

So now EAA is trying to stand up an ineffectual policy to combat this so-called threat? Because of two public relations 'close calls' during the course of almost 25 years and 2 million YE's flown? Where were the policy changes when we KILLED 3 YE's and one adult spanning two accidents that occurred during YE flights?

2005: http://www.aero-news.net/index.cfm?d...3-1a230d0ac25f

2014: http://eaa1418.org/eaa-1418/young-ea...atalities.html

From an FAA 'legal' perspective, there is nothing to prevent a pilot who is on the ragged edge of his BFR or perhaps the ragged edge of his 90-day landing currency from carrying precious young cargo under the YE program. This exposes youngsters to far more REAL risk than the sexual predator bogeymen EAA is trying to purport.

[Mike Switzer]

I agree with Tom. Like I posted earlier in this thread, I know of pilots who have done 3 touch & gos the day before so they could fly young eagles. That means they hadn't flown for at least 3 months before some stranger trusted them with their kids.

[RickG]

From an FAA 'legal' perspective, there is nothing to prevent a pilot who is on the ragged edge of his BFR or perhaps the ragged edge of his 90-day landing currency from carrying precious young cargo under the YE program. This exposes youngsters to far more REAL risk than the sexual predator bogeymen EAA is trying to purport.

I agree with Tom. Like I posted earlier in this thread, I know of pilots who have done 3 touch & gos the day before so they could fly young eagles. That means they hadn't flown for at least 3 months before some stranger trusted them with their kids.

Perfectly said guys. It's ironic that parents trust us (pilots) to take their children up in an airplane and return them safely to the ground with no reservations ... a pretty tall order from a stranger. Is this "youth" issue even on their minds? It will be now. What I don't get: how is it that a Certified Flight Instructor can spend countless hours with a minor, often in a cramped quarters (ie C150), yet the FAA has never had cause to make these types of background checks a requirement for instructors or as part of a BFR?

[cub builder]

I agree with Tom. Like I posted earlier in this thread, I know of pilots who have done 3 touch & gos the day before so they could fly young eagles. That means they hadn't flown for at least 3 months before some stranger trusted them with their kids.

That is the FAA standard, and according to that standard, they should be safe. That's like the old question about what you call the guy that graduated at the bottom of the class in medical school? You still call him Doctor. Was there anything implied in the two accident reports to conclude any of these accident pilots were lacking in skills or currency? There are pilots out there I'd ride with even if they hadn't been near a plane in years, and others I wouldn't ride with at any time, but that's not the FAA standard.

The EAA defers to the FAA standard on currency, which is appropriate. It's their YPP that has some serious issues. However, your point is correct in that from a risk management perspective, the risk of injuring of killing a child is much greater than the risk of child molestation during a YE event. It's pretty clear the EAA is more concerned about public relations and protecting the brand then protecting youth.

It's a simple matter to do a common sense briefing before each event explaining the rules of escorting kids and parents to and from the planes, and only leaving children alone with an adult for the duration of a short flight. We eliminate the opportunity for inappropriate activity. If the EAA wants to start managing risk with the legal what ifs, then it's time to close the Youth programs and stop all aviation related activities.

-Cub Builder

[martymayes]

From an FAA 'legal' perspective, there is nothing to prevent a pilot who is on the ragged edge of his BFR or perhaps the ragged edge of his 90-day landing currency from carrying precious young cargo under the YE program. This exposes youngsters to far more REAL risk than the sexual predator bogeymen EAA is trying to purport.

What was the quote by Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry and occasionally paraphrased by Pogo? "We have met the enemy and he is us"

[PaulDow]

...What I don't get: how is it that a Certified Flight Instructor can spend countless hours with a minor, often in a cramped quarters (ie C150), yet the FAA has never had cause to make these types of background checks a requirement for instructors or as part of a BFR?

Careful about bringing up points like that before someone sees it and says "He's right. We need more rules there too!"

[Byron J. Covey]

Careful about bringing up points like that before someone sees it and says "He's right. We need more rules there too!"

Count me as one of those who thinks the focus should be on pilot skills long before it gets around to this other issue.

http://eaaforums.org/showthread.php?...3290#post53290


BJC

[Mike Switzer]

I tried looking in the NTSB database & couldn't find it, But I am pretty sure there was a fatal accident within the last couple years where a guy had just finished flying young eagles (so it wasn't a young eagles flight) when he had a loss of control incident killing himself & a passenger. I seem to remember at the time some people familiar with the situation commented on another forum that he probably shouldn't have been PIC due to deterioration of pilot skills & a known medical condition.

[vettdvr]

Sorry to report at our chapter meeting this past Saturday, our chapter's Board of Directors has placed our Young Eagles program and any other program involving youth on an indefinite hold. This decision did not come lightly as our chapter has been a STRONG supporter of the Young Eagles program and other youth related aviation programs for many years. So sad! May I suggest any Youth Protection program revision incorporates the knowledge of those that actually plan, implement and conduct activities that involve the youth.

Our chapter has also put any event with under 18 on hold. The members are to report on completing the EAA requirements. Most don't want to do the back ground check. One dropped out of the chapter permanently. I won't know until next month if enough have completed the training to even sponsor an event. The wifes that did the cooking in the kitchen also refused to do the qualification. Now we have no one to cook and only 2 of 10 that have completed the training. We were doing a plan for the year with fly events that might have under 18 and everything is on hold.

[Mayhemxpc]

It's a simple matter to do a common sense briefing before each event explaining the rules of escorting kids and parents to and from the planes, and only leaving children alone with an adult for the duration of a short flight. We eliminate the opportunity for inappropriate activity. If the EAA wants to start managing risk with the legal what ifs, then it's time to close the Youth programs and stop all aviation related activities.

-Cub Builder

+1!!!