I was wondering if any of you instructors out there have been given any tokens of appreciation for you help in teaching someone to fly? Do you think it's appropriate to give/accept a gift? This is aside from the obvious satisfaction of seeing a student solo. Do any of you charge for your services? Just curious.

I gave my instructer a gift certificate to a nice restaurant.I figured it was the least I could do for him spending so much of his flying time on a buddy box with me under a hot Summer sun.

I've been an instructor for 6 years now, and have taught more students than I care to count. Yes, I have been given a gift for teaching a student. One bought me a kit I was thinking about getting (Lanier Shrike, cost $36) and another got me gift certificates to Chili's. Both were cool gifts, but they weren't the best. IMHO I would rather the student save his money and put it towards their next plane. The best gift for me is seeing the smile on my students face when they walk back to the pits after their solo flight. I started instructed for a few very specific reasons, and getting money or gifts wasn't one of them. To me, the day I soloed myself was a day I will always remember because it was a special day for me. When I teach a student I get to relive that day when my student solos.

I don't know about your instructor, but I'm willing to bet a gallon of glow fuel that he has the same thoughts that I do. I think he would rather you spent the money on yourself.

Just my .02 cents worth

I agree with RCKen in a lot of ways. As far as getting something for your instructor, that is completely up to you. Most instructors love it when their students solo and move on to outfly them. My main goal is to have my students be better pilots than I am. It's a never ending goal that can drive you nuts but it makes for great fun after the solo.

I did give my instructor a gift cert. from the LHS. I was there when he got it and it made his day. He then told me it was really not needed and I should have spent the money on myself. It's my nature to show my appreciation in any way I can think of and at the time I felt this was best.

I probably have taught over a hundred folks to fly. All I ever tell them is that when they get good enough, then I want them to teach someone that is just starting out.

Oh! and maybe we could occassionally share a cold Coor's light when flying is all done for the day.

a gift is a gesture, it is usually always appreciated,,we lease our field which is several acres inside of a HUGE corn field and still gift the family a nice gift/fruit basket donated from the club for the use of the land every year(it is alway unanimously approved at the club meetings),,they could just as easily say no thank you and plant a few more acres of corn..get your instructor a gallon of fuel, or a $20 gift/restaurant certificate,,in my opinion it is a good feeling to be grateful for what you have learned, and you feel better for it too.... just my .02..Rog

Thanks for reminding me about the landowner! The farmer that lets us use 20 acres of his land (he even mows the grass) won't accept any money for his trouble!!! A gift basket is a great idea!

i asked my instuctor wich kind of engine he needed and ended up buying him a mds 28/ (hes a combat guy)

My Opinion.. I've watched plenty of instructors that have got to have the patience of Jobe. They spend hours/days trying to help students achieve the ultimate goal of saftely flying and landing an airplane. I, for one, would really have a hard time doing that day after day, year after year. Especially with that one guy. The one that could try a hundred years and never be able to fly. It happens. But most of the instructors do it for the satisfaction of passing on their skills, knowledge and abilities to another and they do it solely for satisfaction.

The way I see it, these guys are not only giving up and sharing their knowledge, but they're giving up their time. Time today, is worth quite a bit. After sharing a lot of time with an instructor, the student eventually gets to know him/her quite a bit. I'd say to students, find something the instructor likes to do, and if you're inclined, go ahead and get a little something for him. If it's Coors, then so be it. A couple bottles of CA or epoxy is always appreciated. Offer to take him and his wife/significant other out to dinner. Make it a family friendship. That certainly offsets some of the time the instructor spends away from his family trying to teach you skills you desperately need if you want to fly.

I'm sure we can all look back at our instructors and find that one or two special occasions that he saved you at least a couple bottles worth of CA up to a full course meal at a five star restarunt by hitting that "Trainer Switch" at the right moment. Most instructors, I'm sure, don't expect anything. But it's always nice to get a surprise/present, a debt of gratitude, when it's least expected.

Out of the many students I have taught, I have had 2 give me stuff. Never asked for it, but appreciated it. One was a kit that was very hard to get that they found, and the other was an old cox .049 powered racer in the original box. He knew he was dying and didn't know what to do with the car, but thought I would appreciate it. It has been in a glass case in my house for years. Its not going anywhere. Looks good where it is.

I have to echo most of the thought here.I have a few students every year. I have never recieved a gift but I don't do it for a gift either. Like the first post said it's for the satisfaction of seeing someone solo.


david

Lots of good thoughts in this thread, I concur with 'em. I don't instruct for any reward except seeing the student solo. I have seen them pass me up in skills, and that's actually a great feeling!

I give precious little to my club, other than instructing new folks, so I count this as a part of my dues. I also enjoy watching them gain skills, and feeling like I'm a part of that.

To answer the question, yes, students have presented me with gifts, some expensive. I don't feel these are necessary, but I don't feel I need to pass them on to the club, either!

My favorite author wrote, always accept happily the pay given for your work, as reward for your skill and efforts. If a student feels the need to reward my efforts, I feel obliged to accept with thanks. I hope I make it clear at the beginning, though, that no reward is necessary or expected.

My 2¢ worth,
Dave Olson

I don't want gifts from my students. I love teaching folks to fly & I get huge satisfaction from their success -- that's my reward.

XSDEVOTEE,

Regardless of all the polically correct and selfless answers you are getting. Providing a gift shows that you respect and appreciate what was done for you it also shows you have some class

As most of the others have said, I help people learn for the joy of seeing them succeed. I too remember my solo flight and kind of re-live it when a student solos.

If a gift is oferred I try to politely refuse. If they insist, then I accept graciously.

I think something like a gallon of the instructors preferred fuel might be okay and appreciated, but I wouldn't go further than that.
Dennis-

I agree with 'Crashem'.
A gift is not something you should feel that you have to give or something that should be expected.
Presenting your instructor with a small token of your appreaciation is a nice thing to do and shows class.

You're not "buying" the service by giving a small present, it's just your way of telling "hey, thanks man, appreaciated that you took time too teach me".

It's kind of a company giving a christmas gift to it's employees. It's not needed, it's not called for, but it's a nice gesture of respect.

I'm partial to Henry McKenna... nice smooth table bourbon. A little sweet, and not expensive...

Huh?

Oh! AIRPLANE Fuel!

I must echo many of the responses. Decades of instructing have provided me many valuable gifts from my ex-students... the light in my student's eyes after their first solo, the thrill in my heart watching as an ex-student trains their first student, and the humbling pride as someone I assisted to solo performs precise maneuvers-rounds the pylon-performs the perfect three-point landing, in the way I've always wished I could!

To thank my instructor, I built him an ultimate biplane from the goldberg kit. (He provided the kit, engine, and sundries; I provided the labor.) He liked it a lot, but it's been more than a year and he has still not yet finished the final touches and flown it!

Hi,

From my point of view I find it embarassing if someone gives me a gift for helping them. If I didn't want to help I wouldn't have offered. I agree that the best reward is the satisfaction that comes from seeing someone solo for the first time.

However small gifts of alcohol either fuel or internal personal lubricant are always welcome.

If you feel you have to do something a card or a signed photo (of the student with an already maidened model) is something that costs almost nothing but it lasts and can be pinned up in the workshop.

Cheers,

Colin

Been instructing since 1970. In those 25 years I ran the gamut: the fastest learner was sent SOLO in about 5 hours.... the slowest stayed with me in an eternal student capacity from 1972 until he died last year at age 84. With him we overcame obstacles endlessly, things like Cataracts, disorientation, etc.....he truly loved Model Airplanes and it was a pleasure te be at his beck and call, and I miss him a lot. As far as a gift : I only received one - a beautiful set of wrenches for the workbench. This was from the most UNLIKELY TO LEARN PERSON of them all.
This was a mechanic in the EXXON station I use. Both him and the Owner took up RC and latched onto me from seeing my models in the back of the truck. The station owner never did learn to fly but still he commissioned a BYRON HUSKY and paid 6000$ for the plane. He never did fly it and sold it for 4500$.....The mechanic was 7'tall , each hand was as big and heavy as a regular anvil, and yet he had the delicacy of touch that got him to SOLO in just 5 afternoons.
He also had the delicacy of spirit to offer his instructor a gift, and he was the ONLY one to do so.
Shows to GO you.......you never can tell !

If you are still not sure---- Just make sure that you say THANK YOU !!!!!!

It's funny that this thread should appear now....

Amsterdamn and I have been learing to fly at a private field that LOTS of guys come and go from, but a few have been flying there for 20+ years... They only ALL meet up on Sundays, but are there sporadically through the week. There is a guy that has not been able to fly his plane on a Sunday for a while now, but has gotten lots of stick time. Anyway, just after Christmas he bought a buddy-box, and he can say what he will, I know that he got that for us and with us in mind. 2 weeks ago I soloed, but he has much more to teach. He has been great. We decided (we are comfortable) to get him a plane and a hot engine that really suit his personal style of flying. To be honest, I'm ready to give it to him now... I am so thankful for his help getting started.

I've never asked for or expected any compensation for teaching R/C, but I have accepted a cold can of pop or a few bucks as a tip. But my favorite was when a friend of mine and I were taking turns instructing a guy who had moved here from Korea. We each got him up for 2 or 3 flights, then he thanked us, packed up his plane and left. About 30 minutes later we saw him drive back into the parking lot and thought 'What's going on? Did he forget something?' He brought back a bucket of chicken and a six-pack of beer! What a guy!

Well,

I have had 4 different instructors so far. My club has their instructors scheduled for different days, and sometimes there will be 2, 3 or 4 at the field at once. I thank them profusely after each lesson and it seems to make them a bit uncomfortable. IMHO, they do it because they like to get new people into the hobby and they have made a commitment to the club.

I frankly cannot believe that these people will give of their time so unselfishly. I really appreciate their efforts, and plan to do something nice for each of them, whether that be a gift to the club instructor program, or a small token of my appreciation, I have not decided.

I do think, however, that a large gift which might be mis-understood as 'payment' would be entirely inappropriate. These fine people are VOLUNTEERING and they do it for benevolent reasons. I support a small token of appreciation as a personal 'Thank You', in all cases. A small gift certificate to the LHS might work, or that idea of a pic of me and my plane after solo, or both!! BUT, your continued activity in the club and success in flight will repay the fine people far more than any material gift.

If you REALLY want to repay them, become an instructor yourself in a few years, and send them pics of YOUR students. That would be the best gift of all.

Just a student point of view.