Young Eagles and Background Security Checks

[VA Maule]

I have been following this discussion closely, posting little. I believe it's time for " The Buck To STOP HERE "!!!!!!!
Mr Jack Pelton communicate with us here on this forum for all to see. You work for us collectively and explain why this volunteer labor force ( labor of love of aviation) must submit to this "Knee Jerk-Proactive " unneeded program in order to continue to volunteer at our expense. You in the " Ivory Tower " need us far more than we need you!!!!!

Drop the background check! Keep the awareness training if you like.

The background check is and will be the Death Blow to this wonderful Young Eagles program!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

E.M. Dunnavant, President Chapter 1202

[Jkan]

I have been following this discussion closely, posting little. I believe it's time for " The Buck To STOP HERE "!!!!!!!
Mr Jack Pelton communicate with us here on this forum for all to see. You work for us collectively and explain why this volunteer labor force ( labor of love of aviation) must submit to this "Knee Jerk-Proactive " unneeded program in order to continue to volunteer at our expense. You in the " Ivory Tower " need us far more than we need you!!!!!

Drop the background check! Keep the awareness training if you like.

The background check is and will be the Death Blow to this wonderful Young Eagles program!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

E.M. Dunnavant, President Chapter 1202

I completely agree with the first part of your post, but must disagree with only the last part. The whole program is an irresponsible disaster. No matter how many bandages are put on this absurdity, it still is " The Young Eagles Protection Program". Protection from who? The only conclusion that the public can draw, is that there needed to be a program to protect children from the pilots and ground crews. What a joke. The whole program must be scraped. Lets not play around with the reputation of the most dedicated and responsible pilots one will find anywhere. It's time for the membership to take charge because senior management at headquarters will never admit a mistake.

[bookmaker]

I've been following this conversation and entered a few posts. It is now time for another.

I am one of the YE pilots who completed the registration process. Even before the lifting of the social security number requirement. However, my decision to quit flying kids at Young Eagle events came after I registered. Since I assume I am not alone, I suspect the statistics quoted above are not representative of those pilots willing to continue.

I reread the policy yesterday and here are two issues that I have grave concerns with:

1. The policy states a child should not be touched "where a bathing suit would cover" What type of bathing suit? It is my opinion this statement is so broad, a gentle touch across the back or mid section could be considered an egregious act.

2. The policy states that the pilot should communicate with the parent that they may have to touch the child to buckle them in and have them watch if they are concerned. Jees, are you kidding? You as a pilot ARE going to touch the child helping them get buckled. The belts in my plane are stiff to snug up and the smaller kids cannot do it. In an active event, I am trying to get kids in and out quickly and buckled safely (and not damage my plane). In many cases the 3 kids are from different families. Am I going to have 3 sets of parents stand over my shoulders while I try to quickly perform this process? NO WAY. In fact, at the last event I flew for, ( I did 8 flights) the chapter restricted parents away from the immediate area of the planes for safety and efficiency purposes.

The above are just two areas that cause me real concern. However, the fact the whole thing is micro detailed in black and white, I see the paranoid kids and parents who learn of the policy, filming every step with their cell phones and sooner or later some poor pilot is going to end up on YouTube shown "inappropriately" touching a child and regardless of their intention, they will be ruined.

Sorry, but I don't need that problem. So I have decided to stop flying kids at Young Eagle events. I may work the flight line away from kids, and I may fly individual kids that I know and log them as Young Eagle flights. I am truly sorry it has come to this as I really loved flying the kids.

Dale

[Mike M]

"In many cases the 3 kids are from different families."

Some kids only go on YE flights because of peer pressure. And never want to feel the controls. They could go in the back. But. Most who start out with that mindset change after takeoff and want to give it a try. I can't predict which kids those will be. Can anyone, 100%? Consider using the back seats by exception or for those who have flown in front before and want to go again. Fly all first-time YE's in a seat with flight controls so they can follow the pilot's actions, experience the input pressures, see the gauges, etc. Don't cheat the little buggers. I'm not accusing you of doing that. Your statement just brought up the thought.

[Bret Steffen]

As of 3-9-16 we had 3922 people take the training and background check. 2360 of those flew as YE pilots in the past two years, so are more than likely current pilots. 1562 people are probably a mix of YE coordinators, ground volunteers, AirVenture volunteers, and potentially pilots who are either new or have not flown in the past two years.

We have averaged around 5000 pilots in the program each year -- gaining and losing about 1000 each year with the total staying around that 5000 mark. So 2360 is nearing half of the typical pilot population for a typical year.

Rick Larsen (VP of member programs and communities) and I will be hosting a webinar on youth protection on Monday, March 14.

[Eric Cernjar]

Here's a link to the webinar. For those that have questions and are looking for an update, this is an opportunity to get that info and also ask questions.

http://pages.eaa.org/WBN2016-03-14Yo...istration.html

[bookmaker]

Mike M - I am not sure what you are replying to. My reference to "3 different families" was only to stress the point that having possibly several parents stand by and watch you buckle their kids in is not practical. And possibly dangerous due to distraction.

As for who sits in the front, unless there was an obvious weight or size issue, I first asked the kids. If more than one wants the front I had them pick numbers from 1-10. By the way, I always asked the front passenger if he or she wanted to control the plane. Most did, but some did not.

Dale

[TomBush]

As of 3-9-16 we had 3922 people take the training and background check. 2360 of those flew as YE pilots in the past two years, so are more than likely current pilots. 1562 people are probably a mix of YE coordinators, ground volunteers, AirVenture volunteers, and potentially pilots who are either new or have not flown in the past two years.

We have averaged around 5000 pilots in the program each year -- gaining and losing about 1000 each year with the total staying around that 5000 mark. So 2360 is nearing half of the typical pilot population for a typical year.

Rick Larsen (VP of member programs and communities) and I will be hosting a webinar on youth protection on Monday, March 14.

Based on the numbers you posted, Bret, the EAA has at the moment lost 53% of its volunteer pilot population over this abomination of a program. Ouch. . .

[crusty old aviator]

I was in the CAP as flight crew, so I had little contact with the Cadets. Still, I was required to be fingerprinted. So I went to the local police station with the CAP form and got my fingers dirty: the price I had to pay to fly with the junior Air Force. Then I learned that if I allowed my CAP annual membership to expire for longer than 30 days, I would have to be refingerprinted...so EAA's requirements don't seem that bad, compared to the CAP!

If you don't want to give them your SSN, make one up and see what happens. I use my +4 zip code. What's the worst that can happen, you get denied?

[Eric Cernjar]

I was in the CAP as flight crew, so I had little contact with the Cadets. Still, I was required to be fingerprinted. So I went to the local police station with the CAP form and got my fingers dirty: the price I had to pay to fly with the junior Air Force. Then I learned that if I allowed my CAP annual membership to expire for longer than 30 days, I would have to be refingerprinted...so EAA's requirements don't seem that bad, compared to the CAP!

If you don't want to give them your SSN, make one up and see what happens. I use my +4 zip code. What's the worst that can happen, you get denied?

Just to confirm, SSN is no longer required.