I'm curious as to what sort of screening is involved re the pilots & airplanes doing YE rides?
Years ago, there was a YE event at my airport--
basically, anyone who wanted to hop rides with the kids was welcome to participate.
I don't recall much going on re checking pilot qualifications (current medical certificate & flight review, pax-carrying currency ),
or re checking the airplane's airworthiness (in annual, etc).
Also some years ago, there was a YE (or YE type) flight at a nearby airport, a plane crashed & killed some people.
I couldn't help but wonder if the two were related, and that accident could have been prevented
The EAA runs the Young Eagles program, and their requirements are pretty basic: valid PPL or higher, current for carrying passengers, has completed the Youth Protection Program training course online course and passed the EAA background check. The aircraft used for the flight must be airworthy under FAA rules, and insured (with specific minimums). There are also some restrictions on weather (VFR only) and location (takeoff and land from the same airport, with no intermediate stops). Any EAA member pilot can make Young Eagle flights if they meet those rules.
Chapter "events" on the other hand, must meet those same EAA guidelines for the pilots, but there are more "rules" about having two people who have completed the YPP available at all times, and a few other niceties. If you meet those rules, you can apply for an EAA insurance policy that offers a million dollars of liability coverage to the pilots and the EAA chapter.
Our particular chapter has more stringent rules, based on some experiences they had some years ago. We don't fly 8-9 year old kids at our events – the kids have to be at least 10. We require our pilots to have at least 250 hours as PIC before they fly with us. We have each pilot complete a "pilot's attestation" form where we articulate ALL of the requirements, and the pilot signs stating that the pilot and airplane involved meed those standards. We do allow one parent to fly with the child, provided there is a seat available in the plane, and the pilot agrees. But I would say 99% of our YE fly without their parents.
We do also offer "Eagle Flights" (another EAA program) to those adults who are interested in flying. Many YE parents do sign up to take those flights, and we do try to accommodate them outside of our "events".
I have not personally flown with any of our YE pilots, but we do have 3-4 CFIs in the chapter who have flown with most of them, and I've asked them if any of the pilots raised "red flags" with them. So far, none have done so. Our current chapter president is a younger guy with about 150 hours PIC. He can't fly at our events (chapter rules), but he does fly Young Eagles outside our events, and I'm happy to have him.