It started as a sendoff to the 2023 Birds of Paragon – Lauren Ramage (pilot/captain) and Paragon Flight students Jen Adams (co-pilot) and Gina Willaford (team member) – as they prepared to participate in the all-female Air Race Classic (ARC) from June 20 to June 23.
The Birds of Paragon are back! This year’s Paragon Flight team is comprised of Paragon Flight CFI Lauren Ramage (pilot/captain) and Paragon Flight students Jen Adams (co-pilot) and Gina Willaford (team member). They’ll take to the skies to compete in the 46th annual Air Race Classic (ARC) June 20–23.
With so much news to share in 2022, one of the most exciting announcements from Paragon Flight, the completion of our long-awaited expansion project, got short shrift. I want to rectify that now, not only because it’s a stunning and smart 28,000 square foot addition, but because the team that made it possible deserves public thanks. First some background…
Recent news reports have noted that behemoth employers like Google, IBM, Walmart and state governments are relaxing or eliminating requirements for a college degree for many positions. Interestingly, Delta Airlines – the gold standard in commercial aviation – was among the early adopters of this degree-less approach to boosting employment during the prolonged labor shortage.
Hurricane Ian was a nasty son of a gun that threw us all for a loop. While our new buildings spared us from serious damage or prolonged interruption, the Paragon Flight family experienced varying degrees of impact on a personal level. We keep them in our hearts as they regain some semblance of normalcy.
Does GOAT (Greatest of All Time) only apply to athletes? If so, I’m going to suggest that it shouldn’t – and those of you who know Jeff Wolf will agree. Jeff is my business partner and Chief Flight Instructor extraordinaire, and for readers who know Jeff, you know it’s not an exaggeration to describe him as an exceptional guy. If the secret to Paragon Flight’s success is the not-so-secret philosophy of hiring and nurturing good humans in a relentlessly positive environment, Jeff is the personification of that philosophy.
It’s been the summer of fun at Paragon Flight Training. Of course, there is always the thrill of flight, but it seemed to be amplified this summer due to several factors. First – and an overarching theme these past few months – has been action. There’s simply been an unprecedented amount of positive activity permeating around Paragon Flight’s orbit.
Fresh off a second place victory – with some firsts noted below – I’m happy to be guest blogging for Chris Schoensee, who in 2019 asked me if I would be interested in putting together a team of Paragon Flight pilots for the Air Race Classic (ARC) 2020.
For those pursuing a career as a commercial pilot, the expenses can be daunting. Unlike many other professional programs or degrees, earning a pilot’s license…
I hope you’ve already noticed, but I’ll repeat it here. Paragon Flight is PASSIONATE about being an industry leader in….
