Tips to CFI's?

TheTraveler

TheTraveler

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TheTraveler
Hi All,

Just curious...does anyone tip their CFI?

I have not been asked for this, it hasn't been suggested, and I haven't seen it. It was just a question that popped up after I had one that really did a great job and I was very happy with. I wondered if this was a practice, especially after learning how little they make in the job.
 
I have never been "tipped" as far as "received an extra gratuity at the end of the lesson". However, since I am an independent CFI and set my own rate, it wouldn't make sense anyway. When I was teaching at a couple of schools, I also did not get any tips in this manner.

However, I have occasionally received gifts - so I'm not sure if you wanted to differentiate between the two. For example, after they pass their checkride. One was a gift certificate to Sportys, others were various trinkets (like a coffee mug) or tools or something. But not often, and I really don't expect anything. The primary way you can thank me is to come back to me for recurrent training and future ratings!
 
I've given mine a couple of gifts so far. a Buffalo Wild Wings gift card and a beer opener on two separate occasions. Just for no real reason.
 
Definitely not. Already expensive enough as it is.

I did give mine a small Christmas gift one year, and made him something kinda cool as a thanks after I passed my checkride.
 
Mine is an independent guy with his own hourly rate... I pay him in cash at end of each lesson. I always have $20 bills for the purpose and seldom does the Hobbs * his hourly rate end up at a multiple of 20. I just tell him to keep the change as he doesn't charge anything for ground time, but he always makes change and gives it to me.

Not that I'm actively trying to tip, but if he makes an extra $12... I'm fine with that.
 
I wouldn't. That implies not that you want to reward good instruction but rather that good instruction deserves a monetary recognition. Let him increase his rates if that is the case. Or, you offer to pay him $75 per hour instead of $65 per hour for his services if you believe he is that good.

It also suggests, and no disrespect intended, that a student would actually fully know if the instructor is actually doing a tip deserving job. Does the student know whether or not the instructor actually understands the material, and how does he know, with all of his two months of experience? Does the student know whether or not the instructor is covering all of the material as per FAA standards?

Or is the student basing his tip on the superficial experience of the personality of the instructor or other not so critical areas.

I wouldn't tip an instructor any more than I would tip my doctor, my college professor, or my lawyer for doing, what you consider, a outstanding job.

tex
 
Back in the day, I was broke after paying for the lesson...nothing left for a tip... Now, I put an extra $25 in the bundle after a biennial or when I do my annual "Get-up-there-and-make-sure-I'm-not-getting-stupid-ride...."
 
Bought mine burger and after I soloed.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk
 
A tip? No. Tips are for service folks, like waiters and hotel maids. I think it would be inappropriate to tip a CFI. I don't tip seminar speakers, professors, etc., and I've never had a student at one of my courses try to tip me. Seems silly.

OTOH, a thank-you gift would be a nice gesture. I gave my CFI a small humorous gift after I soloed just to say "thanks" for his efforts and especially his patience.
 
Thanks!

Again, I wasn't implying that I needed to, it's never come up, I've never heard of it, or seen it. I was just curious.

If I hadn't of asked the question, my judgement would be along the lines of what everyone has posted. Pay for the time, be thankful, and a small gift or lunch or something similar after a significant checkpoint would be nice, if deserved/warranted/etc.
 
I never did, although I'm sure he could've used a little bit extra, having a young family, but now he's rolling in money as a regional four stripe.
 
I had a few students buy my lunch.

As for me, when I passed my CFII I gave my instructor a bottle of whisky. He also was my CFI instructor.

As a pilot I did get tipped by some passengers a couple times after making very difficult VFR approaches and landings into Skagway.
 
Ouch. Hit a nerve.

In the US, the only profession (that I know of) that gets so badly paid and relies on tips of customers is wait staff at restaurants. I dunno how this got started, or why it has persisted, but it has. And, somehow, it's bred this whole idea of somehow we need to pass some extra money/gratuity/etc on to the people around us for doing the job that they are getting paid to do. Dunno about you, but I don't get tipped for doing my job. That's what I get paid for. Ditto for most everyone else.

Now, that saying, I'm all about tipping for something above and beyond the basic duty. The concierge who recommends that really great restaurant that the locals love, but nobody knows about. The hairstylist/barber who you go into and ask to transform that mess of hair, and they do something amazing. If someone goes above and beyond expectations (even a CFI), then yes, some token of appreciation is welcomed, I'm sure.

Tipping, in my opinion, shouldn't be something expected. It should be a way of a monetary or gift 'thank you' for something the recipient has done above and beyond their normal job.
 
Can tell the previous poster never worked as wait staff.

Anyway, wouldn't expect a tip ever for instructing. The rate is what the rate is.
 
I've never gotten a tip for a lesson. I have gotten a few gifts after solo or completion of a rating. Never expected, but always appreciated.
 
Never got tipped, but some got me nice gifts after they passed their checkrides. Anything ranging from taking me to dinner to a bottle of Jameson. I never, ever expected anything extra though. I was just doing my job which is what I was already paid to do.
 
I've never received or given a tip. When I passed my checkrides I'd give my CFI a gift card but I never tipped for like every lesson.
 
Best thing I ever got was an original Pilots Operating Guide for a DeHavilland Beaver ! I helped a pretty rusty old-timer get through his biannual and he happened to own a Beaver on a lease-back up in AK.
 
Art VanDelay said:
Best thing I ever got was an original Pilots Operating Guide for a DeHavilland Beaver ! I helped a pretty rusty old-timer get through his biannual and he happened to own a Beaver on a lease-back up in AK.
Click to expand...

So did you do the BFR in the Beaver? That would've been a blast!
 
Gave mine some really good wine when I finished PPL and IFR
 
So would it be appropriate to give the DPE a good bottle of whiskey prior to the checkride? :)
 
MAKG1 said:
A tip?

"I want to say one word to you. Just one word. Plastics."
Click to expand...

Bah, that's easy to fix...just carry a swiper and make sure the receipt prints this at the end:

upload_2017-3-23_11-49-15.png

If it's there, people are more likely to actually put something in then leave it out.
 
I always tip in cash. Just easier for the person receiving the tip.
 
Not cash but I did tip my PPL CFI with a gift after I passed my checkride.

In casual conversation about $100 hamburger runs he had mentioned wanting to fly his 8 year old son to a specific restaurant for lunch one day...but the flight school did not give even him much of a discount on the plane rental rates. Once I passed I prepaid for two hours of time so he could take his kid to lunch.

There was zero expectation that anything was expected but it was the least I could do for putting up wth me that whole time!
 
I always buy the food.

After my primary training, CFI/CFIIs always charge me the tach time and never by the clock. I never question what they charge me as I know it is better than any of the schools.
 
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