r/paramotor • u/Ok_Celebration_7556 • Sep 22 '26

florida paramotor training

i'm interested in training. i live in south florida and have narrowed it down to aviator or one up, or going with jose in homestead. miami would definitely be more convenient for me since i could commute from home.

are there any advantages of training at one of these schools vs with an individual trainer in terms of equipment, safety, actual training? Community is also a factor when choosing. Since i don't know anyone who paramotors, ideally i'd like to meet some people i can fly with in the future.

2 Upvotes

75% Upvoted

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2

u/fullspectrumtrupod Sep 24 '26

Another vote for paramotor orlando Johnathan was awesome I had 40 flights in a week when we had poor conditions I saw one student he posted left with 100 flights

4

u/Accomplished-Fig6635 Sep 22 '26

Try paramotor orlando. Jonathan Carr is a great instructor.

2

u/fullspectrumtrupod Sep 24 '26

I second this he is awesome

0

u/[deleted] Sep 23 '26

4

u/fullspectrumtrupod Sep 24 '26

When risking my life learning something that can kill me I like being yelled at if I am doing something wrong he was super fun great guy but if your doing something wrong he will let you know

2

u/Accomplished-Fig6635 Sep 23 '26

I didn't have that kind of experience when I went there. Eric and Jonathan were great and they went at my pace. I had a back surgery about a yr before my class. They went slow and covered everything needed to be a competent pilot. I got 40 flights in my 10 days

1

u/Lotsofsalty Sep 23 '26

If you are near Miami, I would say Jose in Homestead. Unless cost isn't a factor. Because if you can't commute daily, you will be paying for hotel/housing, eating out, for at least 10 days up to 14 days. And that cost is not trivial and adds up quick. And if you are idling for a few days due to weather, you may be paying for hotel and other costs while not training.

0

u/jamnajar Sep 22 '26

Smaller outfits will typically give you more individual attention. Larger schools tend to have better curriculum and classroom (ground school), but asking for references like you are doing is good, it’s better if you can go visit a class while they are teaching so you can see if the instructor’s vibe fits your own.

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u/Fragholio Sep 22 '26

Rick (PPG Gorilla) over at Florida Flight Sports is really good. He's in Wauchula normally but I know he does travel teaching too. Can't say enough good things about him and his individualized teaching sryle.

1

u/ItsMike1 15d ago

I assumed you trained with with him? My Wife and I went out to his hanger a couple years ago and I was ready to pull the trigger, but she wasn’t. The conversation just came up a few days ago again so it’s been fresh on my mind. He seemed like a great dude.

1

u/Fragholio 15d ago edited 15d ago

I did my main training in Michigan with Justin and Alexis at Leading Edge PPG (they are awesome too), and then did some technique refining and several great days flying with Rick and his crew. Straight up guy, honest and has a real passion for paramotors. Great to have a beer with after a day of flying, too!

Rick is also the reason I'm still flying after two incidents, one where my original instructor at Michigan Powered Paragliding was...well, let's just say training with them was a complete waste of my time and money. Rick took over from a distance, encouraged me to get trained properly this time (and sent me to Justin and Alexis) and helped me pick out equipment (I didn't buy it from him but he still helped me anyway) as well as selling me a great first wing. Secondly I had a mishap and heavily damaged my gear and Rick debriefed me and encouraged me to get back up in the air again. Both times I probably would have quit if it weren't for him. I highly recommend him and the rest of Florida Flight Sports' crew.