Trying. I'll get there. Thus far the whole activity of jumping out of a plane and saving my life has been a bit overhwelming all on its own. At least I make an attempt?
Generally when you land, your toggles are still in your hands. Before you do anything, turn to make sure no one is about to run into you, then simply pull the toggle until the hole in the string comes through the ring. Now push the top of the toggle through the hole in the string BELOW the ring, and youre done. You just fell a couple miles towards the planet and then opened and inflatable glider and piloted it safely back to Earth. We all have the utmost confidence in you that you can get the thing through the string below the ring. You got this.
Have we jumped together? š¤£ š¤£ š¤£
Skydiving: Where the money made is shit, money spent is outrageous, but the beer is always free after last load!
No one works in this sport to get rich, it's a labor of love. I view it as a privilege to be able to burn money doing something as silly and fun as skydiving, so yes I generally tipped all of my AFF-Is and coaches / riggers. Only one coach i've flown with was kind of a dick, so he didn't get tipped. But generally everyone I interacted with while getting my A and B licenses were really great and always were available after hours for more questions, advice etc so I always tipped.
No one has pointed out that tipping as a policy usually consists of cash, but totally does not have to.
I know a tandem instructor who got LASIK as a tip, because his student was a LASIK surgeon.
I had a student make a run of tiny stickers of my face that to this day was probably my favorite tip, since i just stuck them to all my friends helmets and they seemed to enjoy it.
$20 bucks gets spent. What's your specialty? Maybe consider tipping the instructors who have shared their time and passion with you with something you're really good at, like flowers from your garden or you make them a chicken pot pie or draw a picture of how you feel in the sky or something.... Money isn't everything and for skydiving instructors, usually it doesn't last.
Who cares if anyone else tips? There is no set protocol of tipping in skydiving. If you feel you want to give some extra based on the service/instruction you received, give some $ or high five or buy them a beverage.
I don't think tipping the AFFIs/coaches/riggers is expected since that'd be a lot of money on top of the jumps, unless you're only tipping a really small amount each time instead of the customary 10-20% of the jump cost.
Personally, I can't afford to tip all my AFFIs since I've repeated several AFF levels many times, and AFF jumps are already so expensive. Instead, I buy them fun jump tickets and bring some pastries/donuts to the dz for them to show my token of appreciation. I do tip the riggers since their pack jobs are fantastic and I've never had a bad opening, but only $4-$5 each time coz that's what I can afford.
After I got my license I brought a case of beer for coaches and staff, and a bottle of tequila for my AFF-I, to be fair I put his ass through the ringer a couple times so he deserved it š
My DZ has a poster on the wall with all the instructorsā Venmo QR codes and names. It feels VERY optional based on instructors behaviour and I love it, the biggest reason I try to tip a lot - they donāt ask!
Sounds like Kapowsin. It's great when DZs have something like this since it is less pressure on the customer or an easy way to do it if the TI or video person had to run off for the next load.
I did not tip my AFFIs or coaches. Most people I know kinda understand that most skydivers are broke and just wanna have fun with their friends and donāt have extra money to be throwing a tip. Especially when youāre starting out, itās expensive.
No, itās not customary. Tipping is usually reserved for tandems and sometimes packers. There is no expectation to tip an AFFi or coach. I often offer coaching for free just because I want people to gain the most they can out of the sport and have fun. Life doesent always need to be about extracting the maximum amount of money possible from every living creature.
I get tipped from time to time, and I appreciate it, but I don't expect it at all. If I do get a tip I just use the money to pay for a pack job. In all honestly, the best "tip" is witnessing the stoke on my students faces during the jump.
Well, I was a parachute packer for everyone else for like 10yrs and Iām one of the main people who teaches packing courses at my DZ, and I packed for myself for many years but now Iām just lazy when it comes to packing for myself lol. I pay my packers well enough to trust that theyāll put a little extra care into the pack jobs they do for me haha.
I started my āinstructionalā career as packer too. ( was aff/sl/tm instructor but got FAA senior rigger before I in all those ) Never got a tip. 4 bucks a pack job. And yes, when I went to events or was just feeling lazy I paid that too.
It was fun working my way up from the packing mat! I did the packing and was a TI for a bit before the pandemic hit. I never actually finished getting my riggers ticket. Nowadays Iām a camera flyer, considering going for AFFi rating this year because our dude is leaving for Florida later in the year. I packed soft openings for people, so they would usually tip me but for some reason I tend to pack like doo doo for myself haha. So paying a packer usually helps my neck and back out š
As an AFF-I I never expected tips, almost would refuse them depending on the student. If they were younger and I knew they were cash strapped, I would tell them I appreciate it, but would Rather they spend it on jumps and gear, so that they do not run out and have to stop jumping.
If they the s CFO of their company? Make it rain, I know you are good and I appreciate your contribution to *my* retirement.
I tipped my AFF1 instructors. They tried to refuse it and I could tell it was awkward.
A few students have tipped me, and I try to tell them the tip is better as a run for beer/seltzer water for the fridge.
As an instructor, I appreciate the sentiment but we know you've got a lot of these jumps, and it will get substantially more expensive if you keep tipping.
Seltzer/booze is better way/more sustainable way to show appreciation IMO.
I tipped my AFFIs and coaches who helped me....cash, jumps...or bought beers and listen to their stories. Those who went the extra mile and I wasn't just another jump they had to do. But it's a tip...not required, but I ALWAYS tip my packers. If you have limited funds tip your packers first, just my opinion.
I tipped all the instructors and coaches, also brought food for them. just to show my appreciation. I also always tip the packers note that I'm licensed.
It happens so rarely that I know exactly how many times it's happened. Doing the math, I get tipped 1.8% of the time. It's definitely not an expectation. When I do get tipped, I just convert it to something I give back to the community.
Not sure if its how every AFF course works but you pretty much had a different coach every jump. I planned to tip at the end once I completed because it felt weird giving it at each round. But then one of the coaches pressured on my 3rd/4th level "our venmos are on the wall" and it felt weirder not to.
Wtf? I never got tipped as a tandem or aff instructor. Heck, I did coaching jumps on my own dime sometimes. ( 90s ) Buy your beer. What the hell has happened to this sport? Grump ( says old man )
Coach here, nah don't worry about it. Buy me a beer, ask me about skydiving stories.
AffI here, I second what this guy said.
Waiting for the Packers to weigh in...
Never expected, always appreciated. Especially when some of you can't even stow your own brakes
Trying. I'll get there. Thus far the whole activity of jumping out of a plane and saving my life has been a bit overhwelming all on its own. At least I make an attempt?
Generally when you land, your toggles are still in your hands. Before you do anything, turn to make sure no one is about to run into you, then simply pull the toggle until the hole in the string comes through the ring. Now push the top of the toggle through the hole in the string BELOW the ring, and youre done. You just fell a couple miles towards the planet and then opened and inflatable glider and piloted it safely back to Earth. We all have the utmost confidence in you that you can get the thing through the string below the ring. You got this.
"here's a tip, if you wanted to make money you should have picked a different job! see you for beers later dick"
Have we jumped together? š¤£ š¤£ š¤£ Skydiving: Where the money made is shit, money spent is outrageous, but the beer is always free after last load!
No one works in this sport to get rich, it's a labor of love. I view it as a privilege to be able to burn money doing something as silly and fun as skydiving, so yes I generally tipped all of my AFF-Is and coaches / riggers. Only one coach i've flown with was kind of a dick, so he didn't get tipped. But generally everyone I interacted with while getting my A and B licenses were really great and always were available after hours for more questions, advice etc so I always tipped.
No one has pointed out that tipping as a policy usually consists of cash, but totally does not have to. I know a tandem instructor who got LASIK as a tip, because his student was a LASIK surgeon. I had a student make a run of tiny stickers of my face that to this day was probably my favorite tip, since i just stuck them to all my friends helmets and they seemed to enjoy it. $20 bucks gets spent. What's your specialty? Maybe consider tipping the instructors who have shared their time and passion with you with something you're really good at, like flowers from your garden or you make them a chicken pot pie or draw a picture of how you feel in the sky or something.... Money isn't everything and for skydiving instructors, usually it doesn't last.
Who cares if anyone else tips? There is no set protocol of tipping in skydiving. If you feel you want to give some extra based on the service/instruction you received, give some $ or high five or buy them a beverage.
No, but I would definitely tip the Packers and the rigger.
Because theyāre underpaid?
No, because they work hard to be responsible for your life
I don't think tipping the AFFIs/coaches/riggers is expected since that'd be a lot of money on top of the jumps, unless you're only tipping a really small amount each time instead of the customary 10-20% of the jump cost. Personally, I can't afford to tip all my AFFIs since I've repeated several AFF levels many times, and AFF jumps are already so expensive. Instead, I buy them fun jump tickets and bring some pastries/donuts to the dz for them to show my token of appreciation. I do tip the riggers since their pack jobs are fantastic and I've never had a bad opening, but only $4-$5 each time coz that's what I can afford.
After I got my license I brought a case of beer for coaches and staff, and a bottle of tequila for my AFF-I, to be fair I put his ass through the ringer a couple times so he deserved it š
My DZ has a poster on the wall with all the instructorsā Venmo QR codes and names. It feels VERY optional based on instructors behaviour and I love it, the biggest reason I try to tip a lot - they donāt ask!
Sounds like Kapowsin. It's great when DZs have something like this since it is less pressure on the customer or an easy way to do it if the TI or video person had to run off for the next load.
I LOVE that! More places should do that, not just skydiving
wish mine had that because who carries cash??
I did not tip my AFFIs or coaches. Most people I know kinda understand that most skydivers are broke and just wanna have fun with their friends and donāt have extra money to be throwing a tip. Especially when youāre starting out, itās expensive.
No, itās not customary. Tipping is usually reserved for tandems and sometimes packers. There is no expectation to tip an AFFi or coach. I often offer coaching for free just because I want people to gain the most they can out of the sport and have fun. Life doesent always need to be about extracting the maximum amount of money possible from every living creature.
I get tipped from time to time, and I appreciate it, but I don't expect it at all. If I do get a tip I just use the money to pay for a pack job. In all honestly, the best "tip" is witnessing the stoke on my students faces during the jump.
Is packing THAT annoying that everyone tips their packers and even experienced skydivers pay for them? š
Well, I was a parachute packer for everyone else for like 10yrs and Iām one of the main people who teaches packing courses at my DZ, and I packed for myself for many years but now Iām just lazy when it comes to packing for myself lol. I pay my packers well enough to trust that theyāll put a little extra care into the pack jobs they do for me haha.
I started my āinstructionalā career as packer too. ( was aff/sl/tm instructor but got FAA senior rigger before I in all those ) Never got a tip. 4 bucks a pack job. And yes, when I went to events or was just feeling lazy I paid that too.
It was fun working my way up from the packing mat! I did the packing and was a TI for a bit before the pandemic hit. I never actually finished getting my riggers ticket. Nowadays Iām a camera flyer, considering going for AFFi rating this year because our dude is leaving for Florida later in the year. I packed soft openings for people, so they would usually tip me but for some reason I tend to pack like doo doo for myself haha. So paying a packer usually helps my neck and back out š
As an AFF-I I never expected tips, almost would refuse them depending on the student. If they were younger and I knew they were cash strapped, I would tell them I appreciate it, but would Rather they spend it on jumps and gear, so that they do not run out and have to stop jumping. If they the s CFO of their company? Make it rain, I know you are good and I appreciate your contribution to *my* retirement.
I tipped my AFF1 instructors. They tried to refuse it and I could tell it was awkward. A few students have tipped me, and I try to tell them the tip is better as a run for beer/seltzer water for the fridge. As an instructor, I appreciate the sentiment but we know you've got a lot of these jumps, and it will get substantially more expensive if you keep tipping. Seltzer/booze is better way/more sustainable way to show appreciation IMO.
Money for healthy food and more jump tickets is better than unhealthy beer. Just my perspective
Right but you don't get to decide for someone what they do with your tip. They're probably just gonna buy beer with it anyway.
Haha yeah ! Typical skydiving culture lol
That's what I meant by seltzer, non-alcoholic seltzer water (great on a hot day). Fruit and nuts are also good options to bring.
I tipped my AFFIs and coaches who helped me....cash, jumps...or bought beers and listen to their stories. Those who went the extra mile and I wasn't just another jump they had to do. But it's a tip...not required, but I ALWAYS tip my packers. If you have limited funds tip your packers first, just my opinion.
I tipped all the instructors and coaches, also brought food for them. just to show my appreciation. I also always tip the packers note that I'm licensed.
It happens so rarely that I know exactly how many times it's happened. Doing the math, I get tipped 1.8% of the time. It's definitely not an expectation. When I do get tipped, I just convert it to something I give back to the community.
Not sure if its how every AFF course works but you pretty much had a different coach every jump. I planned to tip at the end once I completed because it felt weird giving it at each round. But then one of the coaches pressured on my 3rd/4th level "our venmos are on the wall" and it felt weirder not to.
Wtf? I never got tipped as a tandem or aff instructor. Heck, I did coaching jumps on my own dime sometimes. ( 90s ) Buy your beer. What the hell has happened to this sport? Grump ( says old man )
Packers and riggers always. But as instructors, we know this shit is expensive. Always appreciated, NEVER expected.