Young Eagles and Background Security Checks

[vaflier]

I see that Jack has stated that 3000 members have completed the background checks, I wonder how many were pilots and what percentage of the Young Eagles pilots do they truly represent ????

I really would like an answer to my question, is anyone in EAA listening, come on how about doing us the favor of giving a legitimate answer to what I consider an important question. The only reason I can see not to respond is that an honest answer might be embarrassing to EAA if it shows that the vast majority of Young Eagles pilots are refusing to submit their personal info and complete the background checks. All I am asking for is honesty and let the chips fall where they will.

[Jkan]

The problem is that there's a whole segment of the population that YE reaches out to that don't have a friend who knows a pilot that can take them for a ride. I was extremely lucky as a kid to have a father who happened to have some pilots for clients. Had he been in some other legal specialty, I'd probably not have gotten a ride until college.

Frankly, it's not just kids (though kids are a logical place to start). I attend a lot of airshows as an exhibit plane. Sitting in my plane still is as close as many of these people even get to an airplane, and sometimes I get a frank discussion with them as to what it takes to become a pilot. I've seen that dreamy "some day" look. I give out a lot of referrals to YE at these events. I put roughly 250 kids into the Navion on the ground in the 4 hours during the Air and Space Museum family day. A few adults, too.

We did a special olympics rally (plane pull) up on the cargo ramp every year. I've put United ramp/cargo guys into my plane. These guys work around airplanes all day long but never actually get to experience aviatino.

The YE does provide additional liability protection for me as a pilot.

I can tell usually tell when I board the kids when I got one that has hope. Try to get them in the right seat.

My big complaint again is the half-assed roll out of the program. I hope this does not "kill" the YE program. It deserves a chance.

I agree the Young Eagles Program must not fail and I believe it will continue, as long as headquarters keeps its fingers off of the program, which it seem they are not going to do.
The Young Eagles Protection Program is destined to destroy the current program, which is a prefect program, performed by the most dedicated pilots one will find anywhere. A bandage here and a bandage there, will not work. The current membership is being divided and we are losing members already. This is a failed program and must be completely disbanded, however, witnessing the interworkings at headquarters, I truly believe that upper management and the board of directors would do nothing constructive, rather than admit they were wrong. Very, very sad for all of us who truly love the Young Eagles Program.

[wyoranch]

We have been listening, responding, acknowledging and changing the policy according to the thoughts and concerns brought up here. I don't think it's quite fair to say we haven't been interacting, although I would have to agree it's not as frequent as most members on the forum, but we have been interacting. Dennis and Eric have done an exceptional job of reaching out to the right contacts to provide answers regarding the policy.

Thanks!
Glory

Glory,
with all due respect ( and truly mean that ), reaching out to what contacts? The people here asking the questions and concerns? If so I must have missed the posts and I apologize.

[Eric Cernjar]

I really would like an answer to my question, is anyone in EAA listening, come on how about doing us the favor of giving a legitimate answer to what I consider an important question. The only reason I can see not to respond is that an honest answer might be embarrassing to EAA if it shows that the vast majority of Young Eagles pilots are refusing to submit their personal info and complete the background checks. All I am asking for is honesty and let the chips fall where they will.

Let me see what I can do for you on this.

Eric

[Eric Cernjar]

Glory,
with all due respect ( and truly mean that ), reaching out to what contacts? The people here asking the questions and concerns? If so I must have missed the posts and I apologize.

I believe what Glory meant is that her, Dennis, myself and others have sought out people internally to be able to answer the questions that members have had on these forums.

For the most part our intent is to have these forums be a place for members to interact with each other, but when we see places that it makes sense to interject we have and will continue to do so.

Additionally, we are encouraging people to contact us directly to discuss questions or concerns. Some conversations can be adequately handled via the forums, but sometimes a live conversation can be a more effective means. If you feel that you're not getting the answers you are looking for here, I can help facilitate a conversation with EAA staff that can better answer your questions.

Thanks,
Eric

[vaflier]

Let me see what I can do for you on this.

Eric

Thank you Eric.

[wyoranch]

I believe what Glory meant is that her, Dennis, myself and others have sought out people internally to be able to answer the questions that members have had on these forums.

For the most part our intent is to have these forums be a place for members to interact with each other, but when we see places that it makes sense to interject we have and will continue to do so.

Additionally, we are encouraging people to contact us directly to discuss questions or concerns. Some conversations can be adequately handled via the forums, but sometimes a live conversation can be a more effective means. If you feel that you're not getting the answers you are looking for here, I can help facilitate a conversation with EAA staff that can better answer your questions.

Thanks,
Eric

thanks eric
rick

[Eric Cernjar]

Thank you Eric.

Ok, update.

So far, we now have about 4,000 people that have done both the online training and background check. Of those 4,000, almost 2,500 have flown young eagles in the past 2 years and are pilots. Of the other 1,500 that haven't flown young eagles in the past 2 years, there is likely a percentage of them that are pilots, but we do not know how many at this time.

Is that helpful?

[FlyingRon]

We have been listening, responding, acknowledging and changing the policy according to the thoughts and concerns brought up here. I don't think it's quite fair to say we haven't been interacting, although I would have to agree it's not as frequent as most members on the forum, but we have been interacting. Dennis and Eric have done an exceptional job of reaching out to the right contacts to provide answers regarding the policy.

Thanks!
Glory

I disagree. Nobody bothered to answer the apparent security hole issues raised other than "We're EAA headquarters, you can trust us." Sorry that's not compelling. Fortuantely, some of the more security minded people were able to dig through the BLATANT RED FLAGS in the screwed up implementation and LIES (intentional or not) given by the EAA staff about the nature of the checks and come up with a reasonable hypotheisis why the disaster wasn't as bad as it appeared.

Nobody either in this forum or in EMAILS specifically sent to the EAA on the subject answered my issues about this or the fact that my training completion and background check things were stuck in PENDING after getting an error at the completion of the course saying the restults "could not be stored at this time." I've recieved NO answers PERIOD from the EAA. Your post is inaccurate. NOBODY has responded form the EAA in a satisfactory manner.

[vaflier]

Ok, update.

So far, we now have about 4,000 people that have done both the online training and background check. Of those 4,000, almost 2,500 have flown young eagles in the past 2 years and are pilots. Of the other 1,500 that haven't flown young eagles in the past 2 years, there is likely a percentage of them that are pilots, but we do not know how many at this time.

Is that helpful?

Eric, thank you very much for responding and posting the above information, however you missed the part of my question regarding , of the 2500 pilots who have flown Young Eagles in the last two years what percentage of the total Young Eagles pilots do they represent. That is obviously not how I posed the original questiona and I have rephrased it in this post to try and clarify my question for you. I really do apreciate your response and efforts . Thank you.

Randy