CFI gift
 

I just recently finished up my latest rating, so it looks like for the most part i'm done flying with my instructor who has flown prob at least 100 hours with me (helped me get through private, instrument, and commercial).

I want to get him a thank you card and maybe a gift for helping me out so much. I can't think of what could be a good gift though. Any ideas?

A full time CFI?? A gift certificate for dinner for two, maybe tickets to a show. Fund his next date :) he can't.

Ramen Noodles :)
 

What a great idea!

Does he have any interests/hobbies? Magazine subscription?

Maybe tickets to a sporting event or concert

A prepaid gasoline card.

Is there anything in his flight bag that's old and worn out? Or the bag itself?

A free subscription to APC? :)

Just some random thoughts.....................

A customer gave me 2 crisp $100 bills once for finishing up his instrument rating. That was very nice!

Nothing says thank you like a Global 8000. Oh, don't forget to get him a gas card too.

I purchased a wooden model C-172 for my PPL instructor. For my Instrument instructor I got him a meal gift card for 2. I am having a dilemma. My current commercial instructor is a working airline captain who makes over 6 figures. I am not at all sure what to buy him. He is an avid runner, so I am thinking of buying him a Garmin running watch for around $130. I am not sure if it's an ideal gift for him...

One of my students bought me Gleim's ATP written test prep. I thought it was great. A very thoughtful gift for the likely next step in an Instructor's career.

I had one student who bought me a ride in a B-17, when it happened to be in town. I told him it was too much but he insisted, said that he had the opportunity a few years before that and it was a once in a lifetime thing everybody should get to do, so he did it. He was right. Another was from Belgium and after a trip back home she brought a box of authentic Belgian chocolate. My point is there is a wide variety, I agree with a gift certificate to a restaurant or pre-paid gas card. Something practical is always good, feeding your CFI is even better!

We really never expect anything extra, I was always stoked when a student of mine completed another certificate or rating, but it is certainly a nice gesture and I always genuinely appreciated it.

Anything personal goes a long way. A student that obviously cares enough to get a gift, was probably already a pleasure to teach and fly with already.

Congrats on finishing up too!

A gift card to a nice restaurant always makes a nice gift. I've gotten a few of those and me and the mrs. always appreciate it!

Thanks for all the advice guys. I ended up getting him a prepaid quick check card so he can either buy food from the store or fill his car with gas. Also included a card, and some other small things for the flight bag and he seemed to like all that.

One of the things I got him was a Sic-Sac puke bag, because he has filled me in on the horrors that come with having a student try to throw up out the window, only to have the wind from the open window push it back in/across the cockpit into an innocent instructors unsuspecting face. (No, I wasn't that student! haha) I gave him that gift just for a laugh, but who knows, maybe one day it will get some real world application and then he'll really be thankful!

The fastest way to a CFI's heart is through their stomach's!!!! Amazing how much "free" ground I'd give for lunch/breakfast