Young Eagles and Background Security Checks

[lutorm]

As for the question of the background check, I can't but think that it seems misguided to worry about sexual abuse of children while they are being flown around in an experimental aircraft of unknown condition by a pilot of unknown proficiency. Statistically, flying in general aviation airplanes is up there with riding motorcycles in terms of risk, and if I was a parent sending my child off on a flight with some guy I don't know at the local EAA club, i would worry a whole lot more about whether the guy is a safe pilot that maintains his airplane properly than about the child being touched inappropriately during the flight. Yet I'm not aware of any concerns about this aspect of the YE program.

[Mike Switzer]

As for the question of the background check, I can't but think that it seems misguided to worry about sexual abuse of children while they are being flown around in an experimental aircraft of unknown condition by a pilot of unknown proficiency. Statistically, flying in general aviation airplanes is up there with riding motorcycles in terms of risk, and if I was a parent sending my child off on a flight with some guy I don't know at the local EAA club, i would worry a whole lot more about whether the guy is a safe pilot that maintains his airplane properly than about the child being touched inappropriately during the flight. Yet I'm not aware of any concerns about this aspect of the YE program.

This is something I have always had an issue with. While most of the pilots around here that participate are fairly competent, there were a couple that would have to do 3 laps around the pattern the day before a YE event to be legal to carry passengers.

[Byron J. Covey]

...if I was a parent sending my child off on a flight with some guy I don't know at the local EAA club, i would worry a whole lot more about whether the guy is a safe pilot that maintains his airplane properly....

I will not fly with someone if I don't know from personal observation that he is a competent pilot. Ditto others' airplanes.

I have been amazed at the trust that parents put in total strangers.


BJC

[Mark van Wyk]

This is something I have always had an issue with. While most of the pilots around here that participate are fairly competent, there were a couple that would have to do 3 laps around the pattern the day before a YE event to be legal to carry passengers.

I will not fly with someone if I don't know from personal observation that he is a competent pilot. Ditto others' airplanes.
I have been amazed at the trust that parents put in total strangers.
BJC

Both EXCELLENT points. I have observed numerous planes in the pattern at an uncontrolled airport carrying kids in a Young Eagles event, with pilots chattering on the radio trying to figure out where the other is. I question the competence of at least one of the pilots, I don't recall his name or tail number. I have seen one plane cut off another plane in the final approach leg more than once.

And on September 27, 2014, the unthinkable finally happened when some trusting parent stood on the tarmac and watched their child die, along with the pilot, during a mid-air collision at a Young Eagles event.

http://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.av...27X22122&key=1

I remember the first time I was asked to give rides to kids at a Young Eagles event. I was told "all you have to do is join EAA, and you are eligible." Meaning, all I had to do was go onto www.eaa.org, sign up, pay my membership fee with a credit card, get my EAA member number, and I was good to go. I believe they do check medical and possibly airplane registration and airworthiness.

DON'T THEY?

No wonder I feel so strongly that EAA Young Eagles definitely SHOULD tighten up it's eligibility requirements. That is why I believe all pilots should be willing to comply with the background check, and yes, maybe EAA needs to do more to ensure the safety of the kids.

[rwanttaja]

And on September 27, 2014, the unthinkable finally happened when some trusting parent stood on the tarmac and watched their child die, along with the pilot, during a mid-air collision at a Young Eagles event.

Make that "the unthinkable happened a second time." Our chapter had YE fatalities about ten years ago.

Ron Wanttaja

[combahee]

Mark so first you were happy requiring the volunteer pilots to undergo background tests and online testing, Now you want proficiency tests? And you are the one worrying about YE going away?
It should be up to the chapter to know their pilots.
Would you be happier if the EAA just did away with the program?

[Mark van Wyk]

Mark so first you were happy requiring the volunteer pilots to undergo background tests and online testing, Now you want proficiency tests? And you are the one worrying about YE going away?
It should be up to the chapter to know their pilots.
Would you be happier if the EAA just did away with the program?

If kids are in danger, yes. Otherwise, EAA should continue to tighten up their standards. The background check is only a start. You have a problem with this?

[Jim Rosenow]

If kids are in danger, yes. Otherwise, EAA should continue to tighten up their standards. The background check is only a start. You have a problem with this?

Currently, about 75% of the pilots responding to your poll have a problem with 'this', Mark. In 45 years as an EAA member, I've not run across one who I believe would willingly put kids in danger....that's an opinion, of course. YMMV.

Jim

[CraigCantwell]

If kids are in danger, yes. Otherwise, EAA should continue to tighten up their standards. The background check is only a start. You have a problem with this?

Great, advocating another pile of regulations for the program. Add few more items and you will kill the program due the crushing weight of rules, regs and bureaucracy.

[dusterpilot]

I made a couple of early comments in this thread, but have mostly lurked about taking it all in.

I am our Chapter YE Coordinator. I’ve been flying YEs for nearly 20 years. Some of my YEs have flown fighters and tankers for the USAF in Afghanistan, some are flying for airlines, most are not flying as a career, but all remember the thrill of that first flight experience.

The Youth Protection Policy has NOT been rolled out smoothly. (Quite an understatement!) But, I suspect it’s here to stay. We can either offer constructive suggestions to improve it or we can tell EAA to “Stuff it!” Personally, for the value that youth receive from this great program, I’m going to try to figure out how to work with it.

The following is MY interpretation of how the program will impact our Chapter and YE activities. It may not be entirely accurate, but it’s a condensed version of how we can operate.

The on-line training takes no more than 15 minutes. We have some “seasoned” members who don’t do computers. I asked Michelle, and she replied that we could conduct the training in a classroom style setting, document the trainees, and forward a list to EAA HQ to document the training. So, we’ll ask all our members to complete the on-line training, but also conduct the training at or before a regular Chapter meeting for those without computer access or skill.

We work together with our local air museum, college, and airport fire department and often have our YEs fly their simulators and participate in various activities with their volunteers, before or after their flight.

The background check is free to the individual and does NOT require a SSN or other sensitive information. Those non-EAA volunteers who are essential to the youth’s experience can create an on-line account as a guest and complete both the training and the background check. I’ve spoken to many of those non-member volunteers and they have no objection to complying with the process.

How do I know who has completed the requirements? I’ve asked each member to forward the e-mail with their completion certificate to me, their YE coordinator, and to our Chapter Secretary. We both maintain spreadsheets of essential member information. It’s easy to add one more column to our spreadsheets. If a guest pilot shows up on the day of a rally, I can use my smartphone to call up the on-line master list and verify that a pilot or ground volunteer has been cleared. (Remember, a ground volunteer does not HAVE to be trained or cleared unless it’s not their 4^th time to volunteer in a year and you are going to limit their volunteering to less than a 4-hour shift. We’ll probably make Youth Protection procedures a part of our volunteer briefing at the start of each day.)

Additional recordkeeping and trained supervisors are a new requirement we have to determine how to easily implement. Yes, we’ll have to plan in advance to make sure we meet the two-supervisor requirement, but I think it is doable. The ground volunteers are the most important people participating in a rally and are necessary for safety. I hope I won’t have any problem gaining the support of our Chapter officers and other frequent volunteers to complete the training and check.

We have a couple of very active minor members. Our Chapter Secretary keeps good meeting minutes. The names of minors in attendance at our meetings can be included in the minutes.

I see the easiest way to meet all the recordkeeping requirements for minors is to create a “Training File” for each minor member. The file folder will be maintained in our Chapter meeting room. It will include a form that we will create that will contain parent and emergency contact information and a signed acknowledgment that the parent has received a copy of the youth policies and procedures, any applicable permission slips, a record of attendance at each EAA related program or event, and a sign-in/out log. We’ll ask each minor member to be responsible for entering information in their personal “Training Folder” at each meeting or event. We’ll use that folder as a training tool to help them understand the responsibilities they can expect to face when they are expected to manage their own training folder and event currency in the future if they pursue an aviation career.

I see no new record keeping requirements or significant changes for YE flights since HQ will maintain those records after we send them in. Two-place aircraft continue to be fine for YE flights. We must simply make the parent or guardian aware that the YE will be flying in a 2-place aircraft.

Bottom line…for me, I see nothing that is significantly unacceptable to prevent me from continuing to support EAA and the YE program. I’m not offended that I’m being asked to do all this. I AM offended that we live in a world that makes some think it is necessary, but I have no control over others’ actions. Two of the most important lessons I taught my kids are that life isn’t always fair and not everyone else is a good person. I don’t mind a little extra effort to protect them from that not-so-good person.

Yes, my ruffled feathers have settled down a bit now and I will definitely continue to fly as many Young Eagles as I can.