FLAPS or not? The grim hidden costs of pilot training in the Philippines.
Informal fees to CAAP checkride examiners are common in the Philippines — an off-the-books cost that's culturally normalized, undermines training rigor, and erodes license credibility.
Philippine student pilots budget for more than just aircraft rental and instructor fees. They verify they have set aside ₱5,000 to ₱10,000 (US$85-$170) per checkride for "FLAPS."
The term is a grim piece of pilot slang. It represents the institutionalized, informal payments to Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) examiners that many students view as mandatory for earning a license.
Etymologically, the term appears to be a double entendre unique to the Philippine aviation community. While students often break it down as an acronym for 'Food, Lodging, Airfare, Pocket money, and Service' to justify the expense, older forum threads suggest it began as a code for the amount paid — where 'Flaps 5' meant ₱5,000 and 'Flaps Full' meant a premium payment.
It does not appear in any CAAP fee schedule. But across flight schools, students know the drill: cash must be handed to check pilots before, during, or after practical exams. Sometimes it is processed through the school; sometimes it is an envelope passed after the oral exam. It is almost always off the books.
How the system works
CAAP designates check pilots to conduct practical tests. While the official examiner fee is standardized, the "unofficial" fee is negotiated by custom.
In open aviation forums, the descriptions of this economy are blunt. Some pilots describe paying "FLAPS" for a multi-engine checkride and never actually flying the plane — “Check na walang ride” (A check without a ride). Another reported paying ₱10,000 for a rating, only to have the school claim the examiner never logged the ride after the student announced plans to transfer.
The reported rates span ₱2,000 to ₱20,000, with most clustering around ₱5,000 to ₱7,000 for Commercial and Multi-Engine checks.
One forum user described watching a check pilot's ethical erosion over a three-year arc: In year one, the examiner wore a "no to corruption" pin and refused hospitality. By year three, he accepted envelopes without hesitation.
"Kinakaen din ng sistema," the pilot wrote. The system eats them, too.
Flight schools as intermediaries
Several pilots allege that certain schools request specific "friendly" CAAP examiners, collect FLAPS from cohorts of students, and remit a portion to the checker. This arrangement helps explain how some schools manage to graduate students with CPL, Instrument, and Multi-Engine ratings in under six months — a timeline that reputable instructors suggest is nearly impossible in Philippine airspace without cutting corners.
A pilot who trained in Australia contrasted the rigor: "In [Australia], the oral exam was a solid two hours... It's a joke here." Another admitted, "I'm ashamed to hold a CAAP license when I'm with FAA or EASA certified pilots."
The compliance theater
The government utilizes "Travel Orders" to cover examiner transportation and accommodation, a system intended to eliminate the need for student subsidies. Pilots report it hasn't worked.
When one student asked online if refusing to pay would have consequences, the responses were cautious. Technically, payment isn't forced. Practically, students who don't participate risk failing on marginal calls or being remembered unfavorably.
"Flaps-giving is two way," one commenter noted. "Walang manghihingi kung walang magbibigay." (No one would ask if no one would give.)
Why it matters
The practice undermines the credibility of Philippine pilot certification. CAAP licenses already face skepticism in hiring markets that prioritize FAA (US) or EASA (European) credentials. When examiners can be paid to pass students without completing checkrides, the signal value of the license collapses.
For students comparing training costs across Southeast Asia, the published price of a Philippine CPL looks attractive. But the all-in cost — including FLAPS across multiple checkrides — narrows the gap with Malaysia, Thailand, and Australia.
What students can do
The practice persists because it is culturally embedded and structurally enabled. Students have limited leverage; reporting an examiner risks retaliation.
If you are planning to train in the Philippines, factor this into your total budget for "informal examiner logistics." Ask current students at your target school if the school handles these payments or if you are expected to face the examiner alone.
And if you are already in the system: document everything. Keep records of payments made, examiners assigned, and outcomes. The system won't change without pressure — and pressure requires evidence.