'I'm not just commuting': A Colorado man spent $14K on a flying machine to get to work as gas prices soar — why he says it’s worth it

But getting airborne isn’t exactly cheap. Hutzler told Moneywise that his equipment costs approximately $14,000, and that’s before factoring in training, maintenance and other expenses.

“I wouldn’t buy a paramotor strictly as a cost-saving measure,” he told Moneywise. “The initial investment is substantial, and once you factor in equipment maintenance, training, fuel and replacement parts, it’s difficult to justify financially based on a short commute alone.”

For Hutzler, the appeal is about more than saving money at the pump.

“For me, the biggest benefit is being able to combine something I love with my daily routine,” he told Moneywise. “I’m not just commuting. I’m getting to fly, and that makes the trip much more enjoyable. Any financial savings are a bonus rather than the primary reason I do it.”

Gas prices are putting pressure on commuters

Hutzler’s unusual commute comes as drivers contend with higher fuel costs. The national average price of regular gasoline was approximately $4.36 a gallon on October 12, according to AAA’s fuel-price data. That’s more than $1 above the year-earlier price of $3.11 reported by AAA, putting pressure on household budgets.

Meanwhile, the national average for diesel has reached $6.27 a gallon, up from $3.67 a year ago, underscoring the broader pressure on transportation and fuel costs.

For workers who have little choice but to drive, even relatively short commutes can add up. The average one-way commute in the U.S. was 27.2 minutes in 2024, up from 26.8 minutes in 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

And fueling up is only part of the expense. AAA’s 2025 Your Driving Costs analysis estimated that owning and operating a new vehicle cost an average of $11,577 annually, or about $965 a month. In addition to fuel, that figure includes licensing and registering, insuring and financing, as well as maintenance and depreciation.

Hutzler said flying to work could help him avoid some vehicle-related expenses, including mileage, tire wear and other driving costs. However, he still owns a car and must maintain it for days when he can’t fly.

“There are potential savings in vehicle mileage, tire wear and other driving-related expenses, but I still own my car and have its associated costs,” he told Moneywise. “I also can’t fly every day, so I need a reliable alternative.”

The real cost of flying to work

Hutzler purchased his equipment new. His setup includes a ParaJet Maverick Neon Pro paramotor with a Vittorazi Moster 185 engine and an Ozone Sirocco 3 wing.

The paramotor alone costs approximately $8,368 based on a published dealer price, while a comparable wing costs around $3,800. A reserve parachute, helmet and communications equipment can add another $1,300 to $1,900, bringing the total to around his $14,000 estimate.

Training is another significant expense. Hutzler told Moneywise that professional instruction typically costs between $3,000 and $4,000, separate from the equipment purchase. Maintenance, replacement parts and insurance can add to the ongoing costs.

Despite those expenses, the actual fuel consumed during his commute is relatively modest.

“The motor burns around a gallon of fuel per hour,” Hutzler told Moneywise, which is how much the average car motor burns while just idling.

At $4.36 per gallon — using the national gasoline average as an illustrative benchmark — an engine running for 15 to 20 minutes would consume roughly 0.25 to 0.33 gallons, equivalent to approximately $1.09 to $1.45 in fuel. Actual costs depend on the fuel used and the engine’s operating conditions.

But that calculation doesn’t account for equipment depreciation, training, maintenance or the cost of keeping a car as a backup in case of unfavorable weather conditions. Unlike driving, powered paragliding depends heavily on the weather; wind, turbulence, precipitation, visibility and daylight can all affect the commute.

Because Hutzler works at an airport, airspace, he said, is also a major consideration.

“I have to take the airport environment and applicable airspace rules seriously,” he told Moneywise, adding that “a paramotor can’t replace a car with the same reliability, but it can be an incredible alternative when conditions cooperate.”

You can’t always put a price on doing something you love

For Hutzler, saving on prices at the pump isn’t necessarily why he flies to work. After all, a paramotor may reduce some driving-related expenses under the right circumstances, but the upfront investment makes it difficult to justify as a money-saving strategy alone.

“For me, the biggest benefit is getting to fly and turning my commute into something I love rather than just another drive to work,” he told Moneywise.