Young Eagles and the Pilot Protection Policy

[Jim Heffelfinger]

Well, It's be a few years and all those pilots who were going to leave YE flight programs if not the EAA - what happened ?? Did we see a huge loss in pilots and volunteer staff? Are the flight numbers down?
There were thousands of comments and some serious heartburn at the time.......

[FlyingRon]

They did backtrack on some of the great security holes for pilots in the system (I don't know who at the EAA got the kickback from the corrupt background check firm they used, but they should be fired for that selection).

[gbrasch]

(I don't know who at the EAA got the kickback from the corrupt background check firm they used, but they should be fired for that selection).

What is that story all about?

[Floatsflyer]

I don't know who at the EAA got the kickback from the corrupt background check firm they used, but they should be fired for that selection).

I remember this issue very well and the overwhelming criticism and backlash from members it created. I remember that numerous details of this very unpopular program were changed because when initially launched by EAA it was so poorly executed and thought out to the point that YE could be destroyed. I remember that not enough was changed so much angst, anger and expressions of future non-participation were loudly communicated.

I remember the background check company being totally inept, careless, unprofessional and reckless but I don't remember charges of corruption. Ron, please tweek my memory, thanks.

[FlyingRon]

You had to take a course. Fine.
They wanted you to submit your personal information for a background check. Alas, there were all sorts of red flags that came up. First, the site you were redirected to was NOT the one who was advertised as doing the background check by the EAA.
Second, the site you ended up on, had forged SSL certificates. Damned if I was going to type even my name into such a security hole. And the EAA stonewalled questions about the whole thing. Left a lot of people a bit upset.

[Jim Heffelfinger]

Okay, I'm not wanting to rehash the event - it had issues. I just want to know if it really did kill the numbers or was it a bad few weeks and in the new season people moved on with the program. I just spoke with Kyle at the CCA show - helping to man the EAA Trailer. ( BTW - a great resource ). He did not have numbers.....

[DaleB]

All I know is what I have personally observed. Our chapter's YE activity does not seem to have been impacted at all. Many of us didn't like the new requirements, and I didn't do the background check until they fixed some of the more ridiculous aspects. I don't know for sure, but it doesn't seem like we lost any pilots... or if we did, others took their place. I too think the whole thing was grievously mishandled from the start, but eventually they made it at least enough less ridiculous to chase everyone off.