Paragon Flight Training - Fort Myers (FMY)

I’m working on my Ppl in Ohio. I’m most of the way through with it. We were down here in fort myers for vacation. I wanted to surprise my 14 year old nephew with a discovery flight under the guise of I was flying the plane. Back up plan was if when asked if he didn’t want to do it obviously I would fly. We got Andres for our instructor. I’m hoping I got the spelling right. But he asked who wanted to take controls for a bit and I asked my nephew if he wanted to he said yes. I was hoping he would say yes. He loves playing on my cheap set up for Microsoft flight simulator and x plane back home. I thought Andres was very patient with my nephew and explained everything very well without overwhelming him and making him nervous. Words from my nephew about Andres “ even when I didn’t understand what I was supposed to do. He explained until i understood until I knew what to do and he was very patient when I didn’t get it” if you want a discovery flight ask for Andre’s. Also I apologize for not remembering the gentleman’s name I spoke with on the phone to schedule the discovery but he said he worked at the punta Gorda location. He was very kind and was asking about our trip and about my Cessna I take lessons in back home.

I started training for my Private Pilot License at Paragon Flight Training in Fort Myers back in February 2024, and I couldn’t have chosen a better place. Being my first flight school and introduction to aviation, Paragon was everything I could have hoped for. Paragon values every student and truly creates a welcoming, family-like atmosphere. My instructor, Rian Becker, was absolutely amazing. She made learning to fly so much fun while teaching me the skills I needed in such a clear, effective way. Rian is someone I deeply look up to, and her guidance really set me up for success in my flight training now at Embry-Riddle. I also want to shout out the other amazing instructors I worked with—Kiley Farrey, Aimee Armentrout, Wes Janiszewski, Raymond Yang, Ann King, Ethan Meeks, Blake Madden, and Tony Gordon. Each of them brought their own expertise and friendliness to the experience, making it even more memorable and helping me become a better pilot every day. The level of professionalism, skill, and kindness of the entire team at Paragon, along with its supportive atmosphere, is what makes them stand out among other flight schools. A heartfelt thank-you to the incredible staff—Christine, Amanda, Erin, Adriana, Sarah, Alicia, Michael, Sean, and Ro. Their dedication and hard work were instrumental in helping me move forward and get scheduled. On top of that, they were such a friendly presence and the sweetest people, and I am deeply grateful for their support along the way. If you're looking for a flight school where you’ll feel supported and inspired every step of the way, I can’t recommend Paragon enough. It was the perfect starting point for my aviation journey.

I began my aviation journey on July 10, 2024 and it has been the most rewarding, and exciting stage of my life. Being a first generation aviator, with absolutely zero background in anything remotely related, I can confidently say that the best decision I made for my flight training was choosing Paragon Flight Training in Fort Myers. After touring several other flight schools, Paragon was everything I could have hoped for! I’ve had an excellent experience at Paragon and highly recommend it to anybody seriously pursuing flight training! What really stands out is the culture and professionalism throughout the school - from the Student Ambassadors, to administration, to the instructors themselves. It’s evident that Paragon takes pride in maintaining the gold standard for aviation training and preparing every student for their personal future pursuits. I have earned all of my certifications/ratings at Paragon (from Private to most recently passing my Flight Instructor Airplane certificate!) and plan to continue and complete my FII and MEI here. I cannot reiterate enough how instrumental every single instructor I’ve had the privilege of crossing roads here has been in my journey, through which their guidance and mentoring has allowed me to make it this far! As someone who hopes to continue growing in aviation, eventually helping train and mentor the next generation of pilots, I especially appreciate the example Paragon CFIs set every day - the same example I wish to set to future students. To shout out select people to give special recognition wouldn’t do justice to the entirety of the team at Paragon, as every single staff member contributes to the overall amazing experience I’ve had. The same experience you can have as well when choosing Paragon! If you’re looking for a premier flight academy, look no further! ✈️