KaLeigh Biss
Hometown: St. Petersburg, Florida, United States
Profession: Materials Testing Lab technician and part time woodworking assistant
First flight: January 9, 2022 in Lithia, Florida
When and how did you start to fly paramotor?
I started flying after my dad surprised me one weekend with an Atom80 sitting in the garage while I was home from college. He had discovered paramotoring on YouTube and picked it up while I was in high school, but I barely knew anything about the sport. I was deep in my studies and never really thought about aviation.
One day, he convinced me to come out and watch him fly. The next thing I knew, I was strapping on a helmet for a tandem flight. Not long after that, I started my training and took my first solo flight about a year later. I’ve been in love with the sky ever since.
Tell us your favourite…
- Wing: Ozone ViperXC
- Motor: Vittorazi Moster185
- Place to fly: Bornos, Spain and the Portuguese Coastline
What other passions do you have, or activities do you enjoy?
I love indoor rock climbing, hiking, and exploring the outdoors. I love learning new skills and getting to see the world in the process. Also unlocking other areas of aviation and sky exploration, as I just acquired my private pilots license.
Tell us the best advice you have on:
- Learning to fly: Everyone learns at their own pace, so don’t measure your progress against anyone else’s. Focus on your own journey and really take in the magic of learning to fly. Early on kiting may seem like a chore, but you’ll probably find it therapeutic later on.
- The gear: Do your research and talk to people you genuinely trust and who are knowledgeable for recommendations. Not everyone in the sport is unbiased, and sometimes advice can be influenced by money or incentives. A big part of learning comes down to knowing who to listen to, and who to take with a grain of salt, especially when it comes to equipment.
Be honest with yourself about your skills, your progression, and your goals in the sport. When you understand where you’re at and where you want to go, finding the right gear becomes a lot clearer. - Progressing your skills and overcoming challenges: You’ll get knocked down in this sport, sometimes metaphorically, sometimes literally. What matters is getting back up and trying again. Real progress comes from understanding why something didn’t go as planned, learning from it, and knowing how to prevent it next time.
We all get humbled. Even the best pilots make mistakes. That’s part of the sport. Use those mess-ups as fuel, as motivation to learn, grow, and get better every time you step back out on the field.
Please tell us more about the current … that you’re working on:
- Mission/project: Competition flying! I found that participating in competition is one of the best ways to meet wonderful and skilled people as well as improve your skills in the best way, all while seeing wonderful parts of the world.
- Goal: To spread the joy of paramotoring. I found my confidence through this sport, and I want others to find that same feeling too. I’d especially love to help inspire young people and women to discover that same sense of empowerment and adventure. One day, I hope to become an instructor for exactly that reason.
Why is flying important to you, and what does flying mean to you?
Flying gave me the confidence and empowerment I had been searching for. It showed me that I’m capable of far more than I ever believed, and that there’s so much more to life than staying comfortable. It’s pushed me to travel to places I never would have gone, and introduced me to incredible people from all different backgrounds and cultures. Since touching the sky, I’ve found a deeper meaning in how I live.
Flying accomplishments (competitions, projects, records, airshows, etc):
- FAI Slalom World Cup Pre-event 2024
- 12th FAI World Paramotor Championships
- 7th FAI World Paramotor Slalom Championships
Do you have any goals, dreams or plans for the next 1-2 years that you want to share?
My goals are to continually improve, participate in more competitions, and travel and fly in more places all while meeting more individuals who share the same passion for paramotoring.
