Tipping for Tunnel Instructors?

[tps7c 0]

I'm heading to a 30 minute tunnel camp at Raeford tomorrow. The instructor is one of the guys from my AFF course, not just one of the guys who works at the tunnel. What is the customary tip for something like this? I definitely want to hook him up, because he's really a great instructor.

Thanks,
Tom

[humanflite 0]

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I'm heading to a 30 minute tunnel camp at Raeford tomorrow. The instructor is one of the guys from my AFF course, not just one of the guys who works at the tunnel. What is the customary tip for something like this? I definitely want to hook him up, because he's really a great instructor.

Thanks,
Tom

Ive never tipped a tunnel instructor....

hell. it costs enough anyway

But Im a tightwad

[Bowen 0]

Are you paying a coaching fee? if so who gets that money? the tunnel or the guy?

are you just paying for time and he offered to help out?

how many sessions in the tunnel and how spaced out are they?

Is he working or off the clock coming in just for you?

all this info will determine how much to tip.

-Bowen

Retired Tunnel Instructor, Sky/Tunnel Coach

Former dealer for 2k Composites, Skysystems, Alti-2, Wings

[tps7c 0]

Bowen,

I don't think there's a coaching fee----at least not to my knowledge. It's $450 for 30 minutes. He is an AFF instructor at my dropzone, and he organizes these tunnel camps every few months. About 5 of us (including him) are meeting up and driving down together. I think I'm the only newbie in the group. He instructs us based on skill level, and mentioned I'd be working on heading control, forward and backward movement, turns, slow and fast fall rates, side-sliding, knee turns, some docking. I'm not sure how many session there are, but I'm guessing it will be 2-3 minute flights. I *think* there is a video de-briefing also.

Thanks,
Tom

[hotmorj 0]

i learn to fly in hollywood tunnel,thay charge only flying time $100 for ten minutes block,i usually tip $10 to insructor

[Unparagoned 0]

The instructors at paraclete xp usually like getting beer as a tip. Buy them a few of crates of beer. Yuengling seems to a brand most of them would drink.

[tps7c 0]

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The instructors at paraclete xp usually like getting beer as a tip. Buy them a few of crates of beer. Yuengling seems to a brand most of them would drink.

The coach isn't someone from Paraclete, it's an AFF instructor from my home dz in Virginia.

[labrys 0]

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The coach isn't someone from Paraclete, it's an AFF instructor from my home dz in Virginia.

If this is someone from your own DZ who isn't charging you a fee for their time, maybe you should buy dinner or lunch or something like that?

Owned by Remi #?

[tps7c 0]

He is charging a coaching fee, and it's all included in the $450 fee. I'd like to give him a tip on top of the coaching fee, so I'm wondering what is customary.

[labrys 0]

Well.... Is he someone you know and will jump with in the future? Buy him a jump ticket in that case. Tipping is generally an impersonal gesture....

Owned by Remi #?

[tps7c 0]

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Well.... Is he someone you know and will jump with in the future? Buy him a jump ticket in that case. Tipping is generally an impersonal gesture....

He is, but he's an AFF instructor so he jumps for free. Maybe just a case of his favorite beer? I know cash is *impersonal* but a lot of people might rather have cash, especially in this economy.

[DanG 1]

Lambert wants to see boobies. If you are still a student, or don't have any boobies, beer is pretty good, too.

Have fun.

- Dan G

[frost 1]

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Ive never tipped a tunnel instructor

Instructors in the tunnel that give you GOOD coaching are working extra. if someone does you a favor and actually works with you for free for your own benefit... well, i think they deserve a little something, no? Tips are not required of course, but i hope you got what you paid for ;)

The tunnel guys my friends and I've been flying with over the last year actually WORK when they coach us, helping us out a great deal. They have been or have become our friends over this time and tipping friends feels a little weird. But i appreciate what they are doing and the hard physical work they put in. Some of them will come in even when they are sick just to help us out and fly with us.

Bottom line is - if you feel that you've been helped, got good coaching and have improved as a result of it... throw the instructor a few bucks as a small token of your appreciation. If you dont feel like you've been coached and the instructor was simply doing his job - keeping you safe in the tunnel, without making any out of the ordinary steps to IMPROVE your flying then dont.

[rehmwa 2]

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Are you paying a coaching fee? if so who gets that money? the tunnel or the guy?

are you just paying for time and he offered to help out?

how many sessions in the tunnel and how spaced out are they?

Is he working or off the clock coming in just for you?

all this info will determine how much to tip.

-Bowen

Perhaps you could provide a "spreadsheet for tipping" to all these people that keep obsessing about it

for christ sake people - tipping is optional by definition - figure it out yourself

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[rehmwa 2]

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Bottom line is - if you feel that you've been helped, got good coaching and have improved as a result of it... throw the instructor a few bucks as a small token of your appreciation.

or not, or overdo it, or not, or just do whatever you feel like, or not, but man up and figure it out for yourselves

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[Squeak 17]

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Ive never tipped a tunnel instructor

Instructors in the tunnel that give you GOOD coaching are working extra. if someone does you a favor and actually works with you for free for your own benefit....

I'm not going to get into the whole tipping argument, but this quote caught my eye


"Favor" if a favor is done it, by definition, should be done with out thought of return or reward.

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

[BIGUN 1,443]

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He is charging a coaching fee, and it's all included in the $450 fee. I'd like to give him a tip on top of the coaching fee, so I'm wondering what is customary.

It's your choice and money... do what you want.
Gratuities are usually not expected by Coaches or Instructors; but always appreciated.

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[hparrish 0]

You get what you pay for............paying for tunnel time is not paying for one on one coaching. You are only paying for an instructor to make sure you don't hurt yourself. But I think $1-$2 per minute for a Tip if the Instructor hops in a does some advanced Sit Flying, Transitions, or Head Down coaching is more than appropriate given most coaching rates are about $200 per hour.

If you are expecting in depth one on one coaching then pay for coaching. Thats where the tunnel instructors earn a real income.

I usually pay for coaching in advance before I go into the tunnel so tipping is not an issue in that case.

I have about 1300 Freefly jumps but that has done nothing for me in the tunnel. I'm flying HD in the tunnel now after about 12 hours of tunnel time. But I would not be that far along if I didn't get coaching.

[rehmwa 2]

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If you are expecting in depth one on one coaching then pay for coaching.

This is the best comment on the subject so far.

...
Driving is a one dimensional activity - a monkey can do it - being proud of your driving abilities is like being proud of being able to put on pants

[BIGUN 1,443]

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You get what you pay for............paying for tunnel time is not paying for one on one coaching.

No argument. One-on-one coaching with objectives and a negotiated rate in advance for professional services should not require a tip at all and again; is the "customer's" choice.

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[labrys 0]

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No argument. One-on-one coaching with objectives and a negotiated rate in advance for professional services should not require a tip at all and again; is the "customers" choice.

I really agree with that. I've hired a tunnel coach for myself twice. One delivered exactly what he was paid for and I had no complaints. I did not tip him. The other went well out of his way to do more than I'd agreed to pay him and he got a tip.

When I took my niece and nephew to the tunnel and saw their "unpaid" coach make a huge effort to teach each of them according to what he saw as their strengths and weaknessnes I was impressed by his extra effort and tipped him as well.

I think a tip really means more, though, if you can tell the person you're tipping why you're tipping them. It lets them know that their effort hasn't gone unnoticed vs being some mechanical reaction.

Owned by Remi #?

[skyshimas 0]

Four of us went to the tunnel in NH and the guys were awesome. We didn't pay for couching and they helped us a great deal. We had 2h among ourselves and bought an extra half an hour. Each of us chiped in $20 hope it was enough for their efforts to teach us. Looking forward on going there again!

[ZigZagMarquis 9]

The instructor... if she's HOT and instructs TOPLESS, then I'd tip, otherwise... NOTTA!

[tunnelfly 0]

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The instructor... if she's HOT and instructs TOPLESS, then I'd tip, otherwise... NOTTA!

If she's hot, o.k., but topless ??? NO WAY !!!
BOOBS DO NOT LOOK GOOD IN THE TUNNEL !
(The same might apply for dicks, but I wouldn't know...)

No.1 reason NOT to be an astronaut: ...You can't drink beer at zero gravity...

[ZigZagMarquis 9]

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BOOBS DO NOT LOOK GOOD IN THE TUNNEL !

I'd rather judge that for myself.




Hmmmm... we all know what it means when the pilot says, "Extra altitude can be obtained in the traditional manner", but what is the tunnel counterpart to that??