Young Eagles and Background Security Checks

[ssmdive]

To Mark van Wyk,

For the edification of the forum, please educate us as to why you are acting as a de-facto spokesperson for this Youth Protection Policy initiative. Serious. Inquiring minds want to know.

Your friend,
Tom Bush

A GREAT question.

Still waiting on my question to the EAA. What are they going to do if my personal information is stolen because of the requirements they MADE me provide? Are they going to pay to repair my credit? What did I get in response from HQ when I emailed them? SILENCE.

This is also a GREAT question.... "If a pilot completes the background check, and the online course, takes a youth flying and later a complaint is filed against him or her, what steps will the EAA or their insurer do to defend the pilot?
My understanding from reading the insurance and the waiver is the EAA will not get involved unless the EAA directly is sued and the EAA will only defend itself. Correct? So what good is any of this to the pilot?"

So what is the EAA going to do to protect the pilot? Or is this just about the EAA protecting itself at our cost?

Basically.... What benefit is all this BS for the pilots?

[Mprogers]

Here's what our YE coordinator had to say about the new policy:

Ladies and Gentlemen,


I finished the EAA review on Youth Protection last night and completed the online request for background check last night just to see what all this would entail - the information is very similar to the Boy Scouts of America Youth Protection guidelines - takes about 15-20 minutes to review - and I believe anyone involved with the Young Eagles program should complete the review. It is a good review to prevent problems as well as just to open our eyes how our actions might be perceived. Let's go into this education with the interest of those youth we attempt to serve as our focus.


We can set this up on Apple TV for group review but each of us will still have to grant background check individually.


Young Eagles Coordinator Chapter 1540

I've always been proud to be in EAA, and even prouder of the EAA chapter at KEVU! No fuss, no bother, just fill out the form, answer some questions, and go flying!

Mike

[vaflier]

Here's what our YE coordinator had to say about the new policy:



I've always been proud to be in EAA, and even prouder of the EAA chapter at KEVU! No fuss, no bother, just fill out the form, answer some questions, and go flying!

Mike

Sure wish that was all there is to it Mike, unfortunately it is not that simple in todays world.

[bookmaker]

While I agree the Young Eagle Youth Protection Policy is a disaster, I have to take exception to those that say EAA is just about the big iron, spam cans and YE. I am not a long time member, but joined EAA a few years ago when I started my build project. I joined one local chapter that was a nice group, but not really interested in building, so I joined another chapter. The second chapter has a lot of builders and projects going on. I have learned a lot from these members. Oh, they also have Young eagle events. The last one flew 132 kids. I personally flew 8 groups.

I have also participated in almost all of the EAA's builder workshops and have learned a ton as well as meeting several new friends. I have met Charlie Becker from the EAA staff and can tell you he is definitely a promoter of building and sharing information. Additionally, while I have only met him a couple of times, the last time I saw him he remembered my name.

The monthly magazine appears to have added back more builder information, projects ant tips.

While yes, a big part of EAA national is Airventure, and working with groups that you might not commonly associate with, please don't make a blanket statement that they are abandoning the base of EAA.

Dale

[rv builder]

Still waiting on my question to the EAA. What are they going to do if my personal information is stolen because of the requirements they MADE me provide? Are they going to pay to repair my credit?

I can tell you the answers to those: Absolutely nothing, and No.

This is also a GREAT question.... "If a pilot completes the background check, and the online course, takes a youth flying and later a complaint is filed against him or her, what steps will the EAA or their insurer do to defend the pilot?
So what good is any of this to the pilot?"

A: Nothing, and none whatsoever.

So what is the EAA going to do to protect the pilot? Or is this just about the EAA protecting itself at our cost?

Basically.... What benefit is all this BS for the pilots?

Nothing, yes, and none.

Unless EAA agrees to defend an individual pilot in the event of an allegation, either criminally or civilly, the pilot is on their own. This isn't like a workplace requirement where the company will (in many cases) provide legal defense for employees if they followed the written rules (e.g., Export Control regulations come to mind). EAA *might* provide legal defense for a chapter, but I'm quite sure the individual pilot would have to fight any criminal or civil action against them all on their own.

[saber25]

I’ve been mildly amused by this thread for the past two weeks. It’s quite simple… for those that see a need to fly youngsters, go fly them and assume all the risk one takes anytime you take up a passenger. For those that insist on this activity under the umbrella and protection of the EAA,take the required course, background checks and what not and collect yourpoints, be happy!

The argument that we’ll grow pilots, mechanics and airtraffic specialists by giving rides does not compute. Based on a reply I received last year from EAA to my query on how many rides have actually progressed beyond that, well, let’s just say if a farmer planted a section of land and the result was a handful of strawberries he’d probably find a day job.

If a young person really wants to jump the hoops he’ll show an interest and have the initiative to show up. Maybe even build and fly an R/Cmodel, something within their financial scope. Some of us started with U control way back before RC became inexpensive enough for the masses. Even Paul Poberezny did not get a free ride but had to rebuild a glider before he could fly.

My advice to youngsters is, build and fly something you can afford. Then, if this aviation thing really rings your bell, move up to full size if finances allow. The ladder to being a professional pilot has many rungs and ambition to go that route requires time and more money. If one plans on making aviation a hobby it still requires money and I suggest finding a career that will support that habit.

I’ve long been a proponent of taking small steps and doing that which builds a base for the next step. It’s much like building your homebuilt aircraft. Taking someone for a ride may titillate for the moment but rarely does it provide the next step or direction. Better take them to your local RC field with AMA members who’ll give him some dual on a buddy box and he’ll actually fly while learning the fundamentals of aerodynamics and mechanics involved.

My thoughts are based on 48 years as aviator with military,airline and sport flying background to include building an RV4 and flying a Pitts. In those years I have given rides to youngsters and adults that expressed an interest and did so without the EAA program.

I did get my first flight as a ten year old in a Waco biplane for which I paid out of my lawnmowing, snow shoveling and paper route earnings.

Cheers Hans

[combahee]

Hans while I agree with you partially, the YE program is much more than turning out pilots and mechanics.
By giving YE rides and exposing youngsters to aviation we are not only opening their eyes to aviation careers, we are giving them the beginnings of a sensitivity to GA and local airports.
While I doubt a tiny fraction go on to any aviation career, these same kids will be the city council, mayors, state officials of tomorrow. They will be the aviation friendly citizens in their community. If there is a threat to the local airport, or some restrictive bill at the State House or city council, maybe these now grown kids will, because of their good feelings about aviation, defend us.
In addition many of the kids because of these flights go on to join the US Air Force, study science and math and become future leaders and professionals. My chapter deals with many groups like the Navy ROTC, Air Force ROTC, aviation day camp, aviation clubs at schools. We also deal with many at risk kids. Kids that that one simple flight can turn their lives around.
So even though I am against this new policy, and will not subject myself or my chapter to it, as we believe it is unnecessary, overly burdensome, and unworkable, that doesn't mean we will stop flying kids. We will simply withdraw from the EAA program and run our own.
I would never trash EAA. They are a fine organization with many great programs, people and support for GA. I think they just screwed up on this one, lets see if they can turn it around.

[S_Van]

EAA Chapter 1029 met this past Saturday, January 30th, and agreed to make every effort to keep our Chapter's Young Eagles activities going. The Youth Protection Program will certainly stress our largest YE activity (we do several each year) in terms of getting enough volunteers, but we do have options, such as splitting it into two parts. We know we are going to have some extra work, but the feeling clearly was that we are going to continue the EAA YE program. Note: By the time we held our meeting, most of us were aware of the negative arguments such as those posted on this forum. We are going forward thinking positive.

[Mark van Wyk]

EAA Chapter 1029 met this past Saturday, January 30th, and agreed to make every effort to keep our Chapter's Young Eagles activities going. The Youth Protection Program will certainly stress our largest YE activity (we do several each year) in terms of getting enough volunteers, but we do have options, such as splitting it into two parts. We know we are going to have some extra work, but the feeling clearly was that we are going to continue the EAA YE program. Note: By the time we held our meeting, most of us were aware of the negative arguments such as those posted on this forum. We are going forward thinking positive.

Thank you, S_Van!

[TomBush]

Thank you, S_Van!

So Mark, given that you seem to be uninterested in telling the membership what your involvement is with this new program, and the fact that you clap and bark like a Seal every time someone indicates they or their chapter will comply, I can only assume you to be one of its architects. You're trying to polish the turd just as hard and fast as you can, but it just won't develop a shine. . .

Anyway, assuming the poll you started in that other thread has any scientific merit to it with only 84 respondents, it looks like you'll now only have about 21.83% of the people you used to have involved with the YE.

Fail. Epic Fail. . .