Most people spend their morning commutes sitting in agonizing gridlock, listening to stale radio talk shows, and watching brake lights stretch into infinity. Jake Hutzler chose a different path. Instead of fighting morning rush hour on asphalt, the 28-year-old air traffic controller straps a motor and a propeller to his back, launches off the ground, and flies straight to his shift at Pueblo Memorial Airport in Colorado.
It sounds like a stunt straight out of a Hollywood movie. It is real life. Hutzler uses a powered paraglider—commonly called a paramotor—to navigate his weekly commute, sipping coffee at 500 feet in the air while listening to music through his headphones.
You might wonder how an aviation professional legally coordinates landing an ultralight aircraft at an active commercial airport. The reality involves strict clearance protocols, thorough rule-book reviews, and an aviation career built entirely around a passion for flight.
How a Paramotor Commute Actually Works
Planning an airborne trip to an airport tower isn't something you do on a whim. Before Hutzler ever launched his Maverick paramotor and Ozone wing for work, he walked into his manager's office. They sat down and combed through the official rule books.
Because Pueblo Memorial Airport features controlled airspace, Hutzler cannot just drop out of the sky unannounced. He establishes explicit two-way radio communication with the control tower before entering the airspace. Once cleared, he navigates the 20-minute flight at roughly 35 miles per hour, landing safely right where he works.
It turns out the commute is not actually faster than driving. When you factor in the time required to unpack the gear, assemble the frame, inflate the wing, and pack everything away after touching down, the total duration matches or slightly exceeds a standard car trip. Hutzler does it for the sheer joy of the journey. There is no metal cockpit blocking your view. You just float in the open air, experiencing the landscape the way a bird does.
The Financial Reality of Ultralight Flight
For many aviation enthusiasts, traditional pilot training remains financially out of reach. Hutzler discovered this firsthand during college, where he logged about 20 hours toward a private pilot license before mounting costs forced him to pause.
Paramotoring changes the financial equation entirely. While buying a four-seat aircraft requires massive capital, ultralight setups cost a fraction of that amount. Furthermore, the Federal Aviation Administration classifies paramotors under specific ultralight vehicle rules. This means no traditional pilot license is required, though fliers must operate strictly during daylight hours and steer clear of congested urban zones.
The sport quickly took over Hutzler's personal life after he caught the bug in 2021 while watching a viral video of someone paragliding to pick up fast food. He became an instructor, trained the woman who would later become his wife, Bethany, and even proposed to her using simulated engine trouble to lure her toward a hidden ring. Their shared love of flight culminated on their wedding day, where their paramotors rested right beside them at the altar.
Dealing with Mother Nature
The romantic idea of flying to work comes with one major catch: Mother Nature makes the final call. Paramotoring is strictly a fair-weather sport.
A light breeze of just 10 miles per hour is enough to keep Hutzler grounded. On hot afternoons, thermal updrafts create bumpy, unpredictable air that makes low-altitude flying dangerous. Rain, heavy wind, and low visibility turn the airborne commute into an impossibility, forcing him back behind the steering wheel of a standard car.
When conditions align, however, the payoff is unmatched. Floating five hundred feet above Colorado with your favorite music playing beats staring at a bumper-to-bumper highway every single time.
If you want to trade your daily gridlock for a view from above, start by researching local ultralight clubs and safety training courses. Master the ground handling before you ever think about the sky.
