Tipping the pilot on a fly in fishing trip

[TennesseeGuy]

Bush pilots are well trained, usually at their own expense. They work long hours, but mostly for a short work season.

 

Pilots love what they do and they'll sacrifice financially to live their dream.

 

I know what they are paid. Check for yourselves. Some will be surprised. Numbers are available on the Internet.

 

Be fair.

[Terry]

 

 

 

According to the latest figures, the highest hourly average (median) wages are earned in Saskatoon / Biggar, Saskatchewan at $45.19 per hour and the lowest average (median) wages are earned in Vancouver / Lower Mainland Southwest, British Columbia at $27.97 per hour.

 

A typical full-time annual salary for this occupation is in the region of $60,000 $80,000

[TennesseeGuy]

Terry, just wondering. Are those figures for bush pilots only, all pilots or commercial pilots experienced in flying larger aircraft.

 

My numbers are for operating small float planes. Bush pilots seem to be at the bottom of the pay scale.

[manitoubass2]

I tip

 

Even had one pilot with no other flights booked help unload/set up and stay for dinner lol

Edited June 9, 2017 by manitoubass2

[aplumma]

Tipping is a way to say thank you for any service. IF the service was great then they get a tip.

 

Art

[can u fish]

Never have last year on our way out of Camp we had to unload the Otter which had a full load of lumber for the new deck that was being rebuilt and on all our Fly in Trips we always help with the unloading of the plane with the new group coming into the Outpost camp anyway i hope you and your Son have a great trip Cliff.

 

Cheers Mitch

[corvette1]

50 in 50 out plus a 60oz bottle for the dock help

[manitoubass2]

I haven't met a pilot yet that didn't appreciate some deer or moose jerky

[Blue Lk]

There is a fly in operator just a few miles down the road from me.

It seems the Americans (most of the customers vs Canadian fishermen) tip,not so much for the Canadians.

It seems the going average is $10 - 20 bucks per person each way.Not much when you consider the cost of the overall price & these pilots only have a few months to make their living.

[Old Ironmaker]

Exactly Dan.

 

On my trip last year the guy who flew us in would no engage in any sort of conversation and was quite grumpy about everything.

I would rather a Pilot be quiet and grumpy and concentrating on flying the plane than a chatty Cathy not concentrating on the flying part. Think about someone when you are at work trying to concentrate with a few people asking you questions every few minutes. It's an Air Craft not an Uber ride downtown. I'd give the guy a pass.

 

 

On our last fly in with my bride, we waited for the pilot to show up on the dock. As we waited a young very pretty dock 16-17 year old girl came out to pump out the pontoons on the plane. I thought if we don't get a pilot soon I might have to go inside and ask the owner if the pilot forgot us or what........

 

After the pontoons were hand pumped out, she OK let's load the plane......great we got some help loading but still no pilot in sight.....

 

Finally after the plane was loaded she said, OK get in we are ready to......

 

I looked at my wife and she looked at me like WTH.........

 

Of course they always over load these planes but with a runway as long as the lake we finally got air born.... Nice, not too many air pockets and I enjoyed the scenery and flight.....my wife not so much....

 

Then came the landing and my wife closed her eyes......she couldn't look at all . . .

 

We landed sooooo smoothly my wife didn't believe we were on the water until I finally convinced her to open her eyes. She said it was by FAR the best flight and the VERY BEST landing she ever experienced.

 

And the pilot was the prettiest, friendliest pilot we EVER had......

 

We both tipped her a dollar........

More common than I thought. The lovely next door neighbour told me both her 18 year old grand son and 16 year old grand daughter fly bush planes up north all summer. I guess she wasn't telling me a story after all.

 

As far as tipping it all depends on the service. If the Pilot doesn't crash that in my eyes is good service. Tipping seems to be a given today like DanD said. I get absolutely incensed when we rent a hall with table service for a dinner dance or stag and gratuities are part of the bill. In some places in Europe and the UK tipping is foreign to them, especially to the owner if serving. One guy in Italy told me not to come back because I wanted to tip him and he was the owner. Basically he said "You think I need your money pal?"

[firebird]

Had my private license when i was 14, commercial fixed wing at 18 and working for an outfitter, and commercial rotary at 20.

 

I get the odd tip, less than half of the groups i would say. I don't expect one.

 

Customers baggage goes right from their vehicle to the scale and then down to the plane and is not handled by the customer again until they are at the camp dock. Then i hand each piece of gear out to them to be set on the dock and carried to the camp. Once the planes empty if their is gear and supplies left on the dock i help take it up to the camp. I then check to make sure boats and motors are good. Double check propane and outboard gas and show the customers how the lights work etc in the camp.

 

Id usually entertain stories, take pictures and do my best to offer fishing hot spots.

 

I will see you once or twice during the week (camp checks, bait, beer, grocery runs) and again on the departure day. If i get stuck with bad weather I might be with you for a few days lol.

 

Just my personality and I try to treat others as Id like to be treated and I enjoy my job so I'm usually in a good mood.

 

Some outfits are run different, but most customers are repeat. Some customers bring up gifts- rods and reels, lures and tackle, gun parts, beef jerky (and lots of it), clothes and hats with their company logo.

 

So to sum it up, Im your bell boy, taxi driver, and fishing/tour guide and maintenance man. And most "pilots" get paid like junk for seasonal work.

 

If I'm miserable and you run out of propane or the fridge doesn't work, motors run like junk, and miss the camp checks you'd have a pretty bad vacation.