At Paragon Flight Training, we help develop highly skilled pilots with character, integrity and excellent judgement. That fact that the overwhelming majority of those pilots are also good humans is not a coincidence; those are the type of people that are drawn to Paragon Flight. Individually and collectively, these good humans make our organization stand out among other flight training options. They also make for an outstanding – and growing – alumni network.

After 18 years in business, we’ve had approximately 9,600 students walk through our doors and eventually fly away to careers as commercial pilots, charter pilots and aviation leaders. Others use their training to enjoy the freedom of being a recreational pilot on their own terms. As our student and instructor alumni numbers grew, the timing seemed right to gather in celebration, share stories and further build camaraderie in a profession that sets the standard for collegiality, teamwork and a supportive environment.

And celebrate we did! Nearly 150 instructor alumni and friends gathered together on Saturday night, August 17, 2024, at the renovated Paragon Flight headquarters on Page Field in Fort Myers. Many alums did not recognize the place – but they appreciated the traditions that remain.

There’s our Wall of Awesomeness that students sign after completing their first solo flight. There’s also an Instructor Wall that CFIs who have completed their time with Paragon sign, along with the name of their new airline employer. These walls are a jubilant reminder of how Paragon Flight has been entrusted to train the next generation of aviation leaders as they step into the first official chapter of their piloting career. It’s a responsibility we take very seriously.

This alumni celebration went off without a hitch thanks to the creativity, hard work and stick-to-it-ness of Sarah Schoensee and Alycia Wiese. Among their many talents and roles at PFT they are event planners extraordinaire. To share a few clever highlights:

• A champagne wall of branches where guests ring a bell for champagne…and a mysterious hand reaches out from the back of the wall to pour the drink. Cheers!
• A mechanical bull-ride (my personal touch of “class” for the party.)
• Unique thank-you gifts including a commemorative challenge coin with the Paragon Flight Training emblem to reflect official PFT alumni status level as a point of pride. Plus, a logoed luggage tag that immediately identifies Paragon Flight alumni to create a new level of camaraderie and shared experiences when spotted by fellow alums. (Thanks to our esteemed Chief Flight Instructor Jeff Wolf for that terrific suggestion!)

To all of our alumni near and far, thank you for celebrating – in person or in spirit – your connection with Paragon Flight. It is immensely gratifying to have you in our circle.