How much do you let your Young Eagles do?

[DaleB]

For those of you who fly Young Eagles, how much do you let them do?

This is my first year flying YE events, and I have only flown 8 kids so far- plus a couple of grandkids, nieces and nephews. Most have been younger, 8 to 14, but one was a high school student. I do the taxi and takeoff, climb out a couple thousand feet, and offer to let them fly for a while. I'll show them how to make turns and keep the nose more or less level and let them take it. If they're flying I usually have them get us back in the vicinity of the airport, then I fly the pattern and land. A couple have not wanted to take the controls... I don't push, if they just want to ride that's perfectly fine.

Just curious whether most of you let them do more or less than that.

[Byron J. Covey]

When our chapter had YE events, we agreed to all fly the same route and do the do the same things in flight. That way, when the YE's compared their experiences later, and they certainly do that, none would feel as if he didn't get the full experience. We did not allow them to take the controls.

When flying just a few, I did what you do.

Don't fly YEs any more.


BJC

[FlyingRon]

Unless we've got a big line, what I usually do is put the oldest or most interested kid in the right seat and let them steer for a while. Alternatively we try to find their house or school so they can see it from the air.

[TedK]

Don't fly YEs any more.

Nor do I, ..I just don't want to have any more Identity Theft issues.

But I still take kids on orientation flights with their parents permission.

ted

[DaleB]

I didn't have to provide any information to EAA or their dark minions that couldn't be gleaned from a phone book. I object to having to take a monumentally stupid web "training" course to satisfy some paranoid lawyer, but I don't object strongly enough to deprive either the kids or myself of the experience. To each his own, though.

And it's been great. I just think of how incredibly cool it would have been when I was a kid to have been allowed to actually take the controls of an airplane. I really think we'd have more pilots if more kids were exposed to aviation in some form other than watching airliners go overhead, or experiencing commercial airline travel -- if anything would scare you away from flying, that would. I hope when I get old enough that I have to hang it up for good, I can sell my plane to someone I gave a ride to when they were too young to drive -- then they can give kids rides too.

Ron, so far the kids have lived far enough away from the airport that we couldn't do a home flyover. That would be cool though.

[Byron J. Covey]

Nor do I, ..I just don't want to have any more Identity Theft issues.

But I still take kids on orientation flights with their parents permission.

ted

I "retired" from participating in YE rallies before the recent unpleasantness. I do, on rare occasion, take people, of any age, for a ride.


BJC

[Mayhemxpc]

Back on topic...
At a YE rally, we all fly the same pattern for the reasons described above, as well as for traffic deconfliction. (We fly out of the DC SFRA, which brings its own concerns.) Whether we let the front seater handle the controls is up to the pilot. Since I can seat up to three, I am concerned about the comfort of the rear seaters. With a full plane, I ask if they are comfortable taking the controls (some are not, others just want to take pictures.) If they do, then it is hold the airplane straight and level with some gentle banks. If they are alone, then - outside the airport traffic area -- I let them do as much as they are comfortable doing.

[cub builder]

Before this years debacle when I used to fly YE, it depended very much on the vibe and interest I got from the kids. Some kids only wanted to sit and enjoy the visual experience. While others viewed it as a carnival ride (which I found to be somewhat unrewarding). All got an opportunity to fly the plane. Those that showed an interest and/or aptitude got to do everything short of landing on the way back. Within limits, I left it up to the kids as to how hands on they wanted to be with the plane. I thought special needs kids were the most rewarding as they truly appreciated the gift of flight and were thrilled, often times beyond words, when they got on the controls and saw me remove my hands so they knew they were in command of an aircraft.

-Cub Builder

[Bill Greenwood]

I always let the Y E or other passenger fly. And they ALWAYS enjoy it. I have never had a single person who after landing said they regretted flying the plane. And I have done this is small simple gen aviation trainers, Cub, up through 400 knot fighters, incluiding gliders.

[Mark van Wyk]

I took the Youth Protection background check and training, and it was no big deal at all. I do not continue to stew over it. I have moved on. As for the kids, sometimes I will let them take the controls and turn the plane left, right, up and down, slightly. Feet off the pedals, and I'm ready to take over if any over-steering occurs. Other times, they are just along for the ride. I'm surprised at how many of the kids have flown YE before. They come back year after year. I like it when it's a newbie who has never flown before. At my annual event (San Martin Airport (E16) Open House), there is often a long line of kids along with parents waiting in the hot sun for a chance to go up. The early birds get the best service. The latecomers can get testy the longer the line gets. That's why I limited my flights to once around the pattern in my C-150. I was dismayed when a pushy mom put her kid back in line for another ride. The kid didn't think once around the pattern was enough, apparently. I refused to fly the kid for a second time. Too many other kids waiting.