My name is Tucker Gott and I am a 19-year-old private pilot from New Jersey. Coming from a family of aviators, I have been fascinated by flight for as long as I can remember. About three years ago, I first discovered powered paragliders while watching youtube videos. I immediately knew it was something I wanted to do. In the summer of 2013, I was ready to make my dream of flying paramotors a reality. With a little online research, I discovered Eric from Aviator PPG. I gave Eric a call and immediately felt right at home. Eric helped me pick the best gear for my needs and was very flexible to work with my somewhat tight schedule. About a week later, I was able to meet Eric for the first time at the EAA Airventure airshow in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. I could tell right away that he was super passionate about aviation, just like myself.

After watching Eric fly, I was even more stoked to begin training with him. About a week after Oshkosh, Eric and I met in his hometown of Lake Wales, Florida. Eric really made me feel like I was part of his family for my entire 10-day visit. Training began right away with an introduction to the equipment, general knowledge/regulations, and kiting. Eric is a natural teacher, as he is very calm, positive, and focused while instructing. After about four days, I felt confident kiting and was ready for my first flight. Eric talked me through the entire flight, from launch to landing. I felt very safe under his instruction and followed everything he had taught me. The feeling of my first flight was truly amazing. For the remainder of my time at Aviator PPG, Eric and I worked on more advanced skills and shared many awesome flights. I loved every moment spent in the air, as Lake Wales is an insanely beautiful area to fly in. From the very beginning, Eric has been a great friend and incredible instructor. I would definitely recommend Aviator PPG to anyone looking to get into this awesome sport.

What can I say about my experience at AviatorPPG? It was easily one of the coolest things I’ve had the opportunity to do in my life. You will have a general idea of what flying a paramotor will feel like, but it will exceed all expectations. There is truly nothing like coasting over the edge of a cloud with your feet dangling in the open air, smelling the sweet dew, or soaring just feet away from a flock of birds. Every human has to experience it at least once in their life. It will seriously change your perspective on things. It’s an entirely different world up there and you have it all to yourself!

All the guys at AviatorPPG have quickly become some of my best friends and I consider their school a home away from home. They are the best of the best in the business. If you are looking to learn how to fly paramotors, AviatorPPG should be the only school on your list.

Nicest people, the best place to learn how to fly!

What can I say about Aviator PPG? Awesome doesn’t cut it, and I can’t think of a higher-level descriptor at the moment. I personally have been through many different types of flight schools, 61, 141, College, Graduate school, and Military, and I have never encountered so much dedication, wide-eyed excitement, and deep passion for this type of flying. Eric, Travis, Jon, and Sebastian are epic instructors who know exactly what you need to do to get you off the ground carving up the sky in a reasonable time, but always, always with an eye towards safety. At no time did I feel afraid or unsafe. My experience with these four (sadly now three, good luck in CO, Bas!) has been extremely accommodating, they are so willing to work with you for you to achieve your goals in this sport. Hard work in the beginning, but the payoff is huge, so many awesome sunrises at 300 feet.

All I have to say now is thanks guys, now I’m eyeballing every open field I see and evaluating wind conditions as a potential launch point; my perspective has changed. But seriously, thanks for helping me get back up in the air. We’ll hopefully see you in a fly-in sometime!

Cheers! Jon

I cannot speak highly enough about the Aviator PPG group. I’ve been wanting to fly for over a year and these guys made it happen. Their training is top-notch and very efficient. I learned more than I ever thought I would go through their flight school. The staff are very knowledgeable and have a passion for what they do, making it even easier to learn how to fly. If you even have the smallest interest in paramotoring, definitely come talk to these guys. I highly recommend them.

This place is awesome! Great people, ZERO egos, friendly, family atmosphere, and the flying… fogettaboutit the pilots here are nothing short of spectacular. Eric runs a crazy fun LZ. AviatorPPG is a great school full of great people whose mission is to create great pilots. Trust these peeps with every aspect of your training needs.

Top-notch ?? These guys welcomed me like family. I flew with some of the crew this morning and It’s a memory I’ll hold on to.

Great people and beautiful area to fly over lake wales country side

This is by far and away the best place to learn this incredible sport! The whole team, Travis, Eric, Jon (and Lorenzo!) are very passionate about bringing people into the PPG world in a professional and safe environment. The course covers everything you need from zero to hero. Classmates were more like teammates, super supportive, and it’s been SO MUCH FUN! They have a fantastic facility here and a beautiful place to fly. All in all, I would’ve flown from the UK just to learn to fly with these guys…. if I hadn’t been in Florida already!

Aviator PPG is top-notch, great ground school, great support, and a beautiful place to fly!

Want to learn powered paragliding? If so, this is your place! I went there all the way from Finland and it was really worth the money! Great instructors, top-quality equipment, a nice environment, beautiful weather, and unforgettable experiences.

Been there done that. These guys are very professional but yet personable that they can relate to anyone. I spent about 2 months in lake wales and watched not only my class but one other and the dedication to the students and their success was unbelievable. The instructors are top-notch and would recommend this school to anyone. Great job Aviator PPG!!!

Love these guys, and an awesome place to fly! — Gotta check them out

Eric is very helpful and counts with a lot of knowledge of the sport.

The sport is awesome! The instructors are the awesomesauce that brings the whole dish together. Travis, Eric, Jon and Kyle are the best at what they do; knowledge and professionalism as great as the sport. This is something that everyone should experience in their lifetime. Wouldn’t change where I had this experience for anything.

If this sport reaches back into your childhood dreams of just spreading your arms and flying, you owe it to yourself to check it out. There are a LOT of people that make it look easy. These guys are some of them. Their talent and passion for flight is infectious. But don’t kid yourself, this sport can be intimidating, physical and, frankly, dangerous. Get training. Get GOOD training. That’s what Aviator offers. Jon, Kyle, Travis and Eric teach the skills to make this dream a reality. They break down the information and skills to manageable pieces and help you put them together. They revel in their student’s success. It wasn’t just – you took the class, off you go, next class in…I left feeling that I have the skills I need to fly. But more importantly, I feel like I am part of a community that will continue to help me improve. Excellent facilities, excellent equipment, excellent program. These guys are the best!

I was a student in the October 2017 class and highly recommend the Aviator PPG crew. They are professional yet fun people who make you feel like family. A lot of passion in these guys (and gals). Message me if you want more feedback from my experience.

Passionate folks who are professional, organized, and friendly!

5 stars!

Loved the people, loved the training, loved the flying, perfect location. I did a bunch of research when I was searching for a place to train, and to be frank, lots of places seemed pretty sketchy. The training I got at Aviator PPG was everything I hoped it would be… In-depth classroom work and lots of hands-on training on the flying field. My gear is ordered… I can’t wait to start flying at home.

Just wanna say thank you to the folks at Aviatorppg, for an absolutely fabulous week of training. We walked thru the doors last week not knowing anything. We all left as aviators and part of the family. Their enthusiasm for the sport is very apparent thru all their videos and is what initially drew me to them. Actually being in the middle of all of that was truly amazing. Will forever remember the enthusiasm and excitement in their voices after the first tows and Solo’s and then in the subsequent flights. We had an absolutely amazing week weather-wise and I was able to rack up 22 flights and even a couple of foot drags which leaves me confident that I would be able to launch, fly and land safely just as I have been taught. (once my motor arrives😜)You guys ROCK!

The guys at aviator are awesome they’re some of the nicest people I’ve ever met. They’re extremely patient. They have a love for the sport and the new people coming into it. I’m so glad I made the decision to train with Aviator I had the time of my life coming down here to train.

Great school! I was trained by very knowledgeable staff who are passionate about the sport. They are also fun folks! After I graduated and bought my own gear, AviatorPpg provided awesome after-sale support. Been there a few times since then and the place feels like home.

Micah, Judson, Ross, Eric, and Andrew are the best instructors I’ve ever had. I’m having an absolute blast training (day 5) and I’ve been airborne 3 times already. These guys make you feel safe, well educated, heard, and understood. I’m so glad we choose Aviator PPG for our training. I regret nothing! Not even the stupid sore muscles!! Thank you guys for making my dream a reality and letting me fly with the birds!

I trained with Aviator as a part of the January 16th, 2021 Dunnellon class and would wholeheartedly recommend Aviator to anyone who wants PPG training. The class was super thorough and kept a fast pace from just learning the basics in the first few days to rehearsing and polishing skills by the end of the first week. Everyone in my class was up and flying by the end of day 5. Due to weather and winds, we spent the beginning of the second week working out ground school and continuing to hone in on ground handling skills. Once we got flying again in the second week it wasn’t to long before the instructors had us doing no com solo flights which was really confidence-inspiring. On graduation day we opted as a class to get more repetitions in and practice launch and landings. Throughout the two weeks, the instructors did an amazing job in teaching the skills, “book knowledge”, and showing a positive attitude around all aspects of the course. Another Confidence-inspiring thing was how focused the instructors were on the safety of the class throughout training and having a debrief after every session to discuss. The instructors also did an outstanding job in bonding the class together like a family keeping the focus on everyone’s success. While training I also opted to buy gear From Aviator. It was such a surprise to me that the owner of the company, Eric was the one helping me pick out gear and place my order. He really showed his knowledge, dedication, and passion for helping others achieve safe flight. By the end, I had all the gear I needed to start flying when got back home. After such amazing training and guidance in getting gear, I plan to do what I can to support Aviator in the future and recommend their training to anyone looking to learn how to run into the sky.

I cant’ say enough about how awesome the team is as Aviator PPG!

Their customer service is second to none. They have been ridiculously responsive, and they legitimately care about the sport and their customers. You guys are the best!

Real professional operation with amazing people running a great school.

Our training is not yet completed, and we will be very sad to leave after the time we’ve had here. This is an amazing company run by dedicated, passionate people who share their love for the sport with their students and do it in the most patient, informative, and safe way possible.

I came into the training not really knowing anything about PPG, and not even thinking that it would be something I enjoyed. Once I met Mary, Eric, Kyle, Travis, John with ParAmerica, and the other instructors, it became clear to me that this sport can be something completely amazing and is as safe as the decisions you make. Safety was the most important thing to me from the start as both I and my husband entered the PPG training together and I was extremely skeptical of how something that looked so strange from the outside can be made safe.

But this training program convinced me through how thorough, step-by-step, and informative it was that PPG can be safe and enjoyable for all. Through a combination of classroom work and LOTS of practice, we’re flying and learning the techniques to do it safely at home, while building a network of support throughout the US through Aviator PPG’s affiliates and prior students.

Anyone who wants to learn to fly a paramotor would be completely insane not to learn it with Aviator PPG or one of their trusted affiliates. We trusted them with our lives and they taught us how to fly, a rare and special gift. We will be forever grateful.

Best guys to teach you everything you need to know about the world of paramotors.

Aviator is ranked number one for all the right reasons.

Don’t second guess yourself. Call them and get on the list to be trained PROPERLY.

Loved the experience.

Great team to learn PPG! Good ambassadors to the sport!

I know what you may be thinking and feeling right now… reading the reviews on what you already know is an incredible company like reading some hot romance to get your appetite good and whet and your imagination flowing. I don’t need to tell you how good it feels to fly on your own for the first time (absolutely mind-blowing in case you live under a rock), however, I may be able to provide a unique perspective on the greatest company on the planet. Aviator took me on as an intern, where I had the opportunity to put together a bunch of videos while learning to fly, traveling around the country with them. Forming a close relationship with each one of these dedicated instructors, tirelessly working to give the world the superpower of flight, is inevitable, and I can say that this crew is 100% real. They expect your success but aren’t afraid to tell you how it is, and will call you on your shortcomings in order to ensure your safety and progress while keeping a… unique… sense of humor (you have been warned 😜). If you are looking to get authentic instruction by a family of aviators that truly have your best interest in mind, these fine gentlemen (and wonderful lady – love you Mary Shanley) have your back! When you do manage to fit into a class (you know it’ll happen sooner or later), prepare yourself for a life-changing week that will feel like an hour, time literally flies when you are having fun – where fun is a vast understatement – and you will have new friends for life. The PPG community needs good safe pilots to set the example and ensure the longevity of this sport; receiving instruction from Aviator will provide the experience and tools you needed to show the world what responsible flying looks like and ‘keep ’em flying!

I highly recommend Aviator PPG school to anyone interested in learning to fly paramotors. I attended PPG training in March 2019 and was highly impressed by everyone there.

They differentiate themselves from competitors by focusing their business model around safety, professionalism, and aeronautics.

Eric, Chris, Ron, Fletch, and Ross were amazing instructors and extremely helpful to me academically and during flight. Additionally, they didn’t harass or pester me into buying their equipment…unlike every other school I vetted (95% of them).

Aviator PPG is legit and I rate them at 5 stars. They definitely have my endorsement.- DJ Glass

I came for training with pretty high expectations, and somehow they managed to far exceed them. The entire process was perfect, allowing me to get a lot done before I headed home and progress far faster than I could have on my own or most likely anywhere else. I left feeling confident in all aspects of flying and making the right decisions once I got home.

The quality of training appreciably surpassed my expectations. There were 7 instructors in my class of 6 students! Great culture, amazing instructors, and personable staff. Highly, highly recommend!

Great training, outstanding experiences, and new friends all wrapped up in one neat package!

Fantastic flight school for paragliders. The instructors are safety-minded, promote a mass amount of instruction in the air and on the ground. They always have a positive attitude and are never critical of competitors. All are professional and create the most knowledgeable well trained and safest pilots.

What were some of the highlights about Aviator Paramotor?

How about learning to fly with a giant fan strapped to my back.

More fun than a human being should be allowed to have!

You couldn’t ask for a better group of instructors. They have a genuine passion for the sport and they are highly invested in getting their students into the air safely. The training is extremely thorough and you will feel like part of the family by the time you leave. If you want to learn to fly a paramotor this is the best place to do it.

Aviator paramotor in Dunnellon Florida was one of the best experiences of my life.

Being part of the first class to graduate was very exciting, instructors show you every aspect of the sport with great technique, skill, and positive vibes! I was treated like family when i arrived feeling like I was already part of the team. The experience to show how you can set and achieve goals outside of your box help me build confidence, strong focus, and knowledge to fly from this earth like a bird landing on my feet safely!

Extremely exhilarating with no way to compare of past experience this class is a must anyone interested in the sport of flying I strongly suggest the instructors at Aviator paramotor your extended family starts here

I arrived for Training at the Aviator Paramotor School in Dunnellon Florida expecting to leave 14 days later with the necessary skills and confidence to fly a Paramotor on my own after returning to my home in South Carolina. I left with much more than expected. I not only left with the skills, knowledge, and confidence that I needed, I met many wonderful new friends and gained a second family. It has been said that the 14 days would be a life-changing experience, I can personally affirm that this is absolutely true. I would recommend and invite anyone to join our Family! Mike Smith

Aviator Paramotor is a great school to learn how to fly while being surrounded and supported by some of the most uplifting and positive people I have ever met. You’ll truly leave feeling like family!

I came down to Aviator expecting the best of the best and I got nothing less. They are the best at what they do without a doubt. Best part is it’s like a family and you become part of it. Can’t wait to go back and visit!

I went to AviatorPPG after researching flight schools, and they were the best. I wanted to fly my whole life, but life events always came up and got in the way. The world has a tendency to make you put important dreams on the back burner. Going to AviatorPPG I had committed to achieving that dream, and that first flight where the instructor said, “Full Power!” and I lifted off the ground… was magical. I was laughing most of the flight. The ability to surprise yourself, to do what you had written off as unrealistic years ago, is a wonderful thing. AviatorPPG taught me about airspace, wings, motors, and most importantly, that it’s not too late.

When you train at Aviator PPG, you get to join an awesome family! Everyone I’ve met in this sport is passionate about it. That certainly becomes obvious about the staff there, after the first day of class. Thank you so much for teaching me this life-changing sport and accepting me into your family Aviator! Truly a great experience learning to fly my butt fan with you 🙂

I went to Aviator for training about a year after I started drooling over YouTube PPG videos. I looked at a few schools, but it was clear to me that Aviator Paramotor was the right choice for me. Immersive training by a group of expert and patient instructors is what I really wanted out of my experience.

Even with my high expectations, I was still pleasantly surprised with the quality of the training. I was really impressed how they got a bunch of new pilots into the sky safely and quickly even though none of us had kited or otherwise prepared prior to arriving at their door. The class time was great covering a wide range of topics like weather, wing design, paramotor maintenance, how to make calls on aviation radios, reading airspace maps, and more. The time spent analyzing our every take-off and landing after flights were extremely useful to correcting our form and technique early before bad habits set in.

What they don’t really tell you, however, is how much fun you will have over your two weeks. I don’t think I’ve ever laughed so hard as I did with my fellow Aviators/instructors. It is an experience like no other. If you are considering PPG, I suggest you don’t delay another minute. Life is short. Sign up now to begin a bright new chapter in your life. You won’t regret it!

I’d be hard-pressed to believe there is a better PPG training program out there.

Awesome weather, great gear, and instructors who were knowledgable, patient, empathetic, and utterly passionate about aviation. The training was methodical, thorough, and rigorous. By the end, our class had developed a solid foundation on which to continue building our skills as pilots.

It’s difficult to describe how life-changing this journey was. It’s as visceral and liberating of an aerial experience as one could ever have. I’ve never felt anything like it. It was worth every second and penny and brought me into a sport and community that I expect to stay with for life.

Advice to incoming students: Get used to waking up early before arriving (6:30 AM EST was our normal start time), stretch a lot, and drink lots of water. Your body will thank you.

I went to Aviator PPG in June 2020. To be honest, I sucked.

My kiting was terrible, with lots of aborts and broken props.

Nevertheless, they kept pushing me to be better. The following month I returned for some additional instruction and within two days I was in the air for good! I know there are many stories of those who struggled but Aviator really wants their students to succeed. Six months later I am flying several times a week and can think of nothing else, my week revolves around when I’m going to fly next. Thanks Aviator!

Had an absolute blast out on the field, working with the staff, and learning something so special. Learning how to control a wing and a motor and cut through the sky was absolute magic and the staff worked constantly to bolster our strengths, correct our weaknesses, and cheer us on the whole way.

Absolutely the best program out there!! 10/10, would recommend.

Professional friendly team who care about their sport and students. Great site, equipment, and attitude. People should be banging on the doors of this place for the opportunity to get this caliber of training. Or, maybe there just waiting till their next life to be able to fly like the birds…

My experience far exceeded anything I had expected. Having flown over 20 flights since my class (growing every week) my confidence is solid because of the foundation of training I received with Aviator. The family dynamic makes all the difference. New friends, mentors, and unforgettable experiences. Thank you all!

Best training available! So I am now 10 days into my Aviator training, I’m 56 years old, in ok shape, and have 12 flights under my belt (not including tows). As our instructors say, “you get out of this training what you put into it.” Well, I have gotten a heck of a lot out of it!

You are probably reading this because you’re thinking about getting into this life-changing sport. Please learn from my experiences, if you are thinking about flying a paramotor, get lessons where they teach you to FLY A PARAMOTOR…and when NOT too! Aviator PPG.

I flew all the way across the continent and then some (Victoria, BC Canada) to train with Aviator. My training saga began 2 years ago with a local school, he took a sum of money and had me ground train (kiting) for 5 days. Aviator had us (and my fellow newbie students) kiting in 2 days, towing into the air, and landing on the third day with 7 of us foot launching into the air on the 4th day!

Another student who is 76 years old gave it a valiant effort but was not quite up to the challenge. My first trainer in Canada had decided to retire before I could come back to finish my training but would not refund the balance of my tuition. The only way I could get my money back was to apply it toward the purchase of some heavy, old used gear. (Not cool). So, I went to another instructor who assessed my kiting ability and an hour later put me on a trike and said “you’re ready to fly.” I got 1 flight with ZERO trike training and landed hard and broke my prop on my old heavy gear. (Not cool) Fast forward another 18 months, I go to another school in Arizona, we practice some kiting and he say’s “you’re ready to fly!” I attempt to foot launch in increasingly thermal conditions and I choose to abort my attempt and now realize, I never should have been put into that situation. (Again, Not cool)I received an email from Aviator about cancellation and I jumped at it.

With Aviator, I’ve learned to fly on their brand new state-of-the-art equipment, been taught about the weather, legal regulations, equipment maintenance including rebuilding a carb. Besides the GREAT VALUE of learning on new equipment BEFORE you buy, I am now part of a great network of fellow pilots. Prospective students, THIS IS AVIATION! Think about how long it took you to learn to drive a car confidently, 3 days, 5 days 2 weeks?

You cannot shortcut the process and expect to be comfortable, let alone confident. Surely; in this day and age, we all understand that you get what you pay for. Do your own research, make up your own mind but in my opinion, I made 3 mistakes, and thank God I didn’t get in the air with those other guys because if I had, I never would have ended up at Aviator and received the quality training I have. I applaud Eric and his team for their ethical business practices, comprehensive training content, and teamwork. Special thanks to Mike Brown who coached me into the air on my first flight. Thank you to AJ, Fletch, Ross, and Chris for your tag team training and facilitating, Alley & Kat for helping me with my gear selection, Dan for your awesome photography. Last but certainly not least, former students and now volunteers, Woody and Dave for your invaluable class assistance.

See you in the air, John aka “Jumpsuit”

So I’ve had a few people ask me about paramotoring since I was at AviatorPPG and took my first flights. What was it like, how does it feel, was it worth it, and so on are mostly the inquires that I’m sure all of us get.

These are simple questions and yet extremely hard to quantify. I would love to hear how the rest of you answer these questions and as such, I will share how I answer: The first flight you say to yourself, “Holy Sh*t! What am I doing?”. You have a case of tunnel vision, you’re sweating and your mouth might be a little dry. You are praying that your headset doesn’t go out because the only thing you feel that has you tethered to the ground is the strangely calm voice of your instructor in your ear.

It doesn’t matter how long the flight is, time has little meaning to you. Once you land you are filled with a sense of amazement at what you have just done, a mixture of elation to be alive, and a strong sense of accomplishment that you just did something superhuman.

This isn’t just something that affects only you. As corny as it may sound, your instructors are no longer just your instructors and your classmates are no longer just guys in the same class. There is a bonding, a brotherhood that is forged at that moment that you all shared in this amazing feat. More so than even the act of flyng itself, this will drive you to want to get right back into the air, dismissing any misgivings you felt from your first flight.

On your second flight, you say to yourself, “Holy Cow! I’m really flying!”. The tunnel vision isn’t completely gone, but your eyes open up to notice far more than they did in the first flight. The instructor in your ear isn’t just your connection to the earth, he is your bother who is sharing his knowledge so that you might sore as he does. You start to feel the wind, to notice how you feel the lift and the turns. You are more aware that it is you that is controlling this vessel and while you are far from its master you begin to believe it can be tamed.

Your third flight is your awakening. Sure, this is still a little foreign to you and sure there is still some trepidation, but the world expands. You see the earth from a view that few before you have ever experienced. Details of things you look down at will start to stand out, things that you didn’t even see when they were right beside you. Everything is a little smaller and yet takes on much more clarity from you set in the sky. Despite the fact that you did all of this so you could leave the earth, paramotoring doesn’t disconnect it from you, it just brings it more in focus. If this wasn’t enough, it is at this point that you will notice a sunset or sunrise and you will say to yourself, “Holy God! Why did I wait so long?”. It’s been said many times that this sport changes you. I say it changes you because first, it awakens you. It awakes you to your world and it bonds you with your brothers and sisters that, like you, were reborn from the sky.