Air traffic controller opens up about flying, not driving, to work
A Colorado man's unusual commute to work is catching the attention of tens of thousands online.
Jake Hutzler, an air traffic controller, travels to his job site at Pueblo Memorial Airport by power paragliding at least once a week and shares his flying adventures on Instagram.
"There's nothing better than flying to work, you know, 500 feet in the air, sipping your coffee," Hutzler told ABC News' Danny New.
While he's soaring through the sky, Hutzler says he likes to sip coffee and even eat breakfast, like a burrito.
The father of one said paragliding from his home to the airport takes about the same time as driving a car -- about 20 minutes, but if he catches a good tailwind, he can shave his travel time down to 15 minutes or less.
"It's probably the closest thing that you can get to a jetpack," said Hutzler.
To power paraglide, Hutzler wears an engine propeller backpack called a paramotor, which can typically cost between $8,000 and $9,000.
"It's like a lawn chair in the sky," Hutzler compared.
Hutzler said he has been traveling the skies at 35 miles per hour for the past five years and even met his now-wife Bethany when he was her instructor.
A couple of months ago, Hutzler said he got the idea to ask his boss if he could start paragliding to work, and after they double-checked the rules, he received the green light to change up his commute.
"If you're flying to work and your work is [in] an air traffic control tower, then, yeah, you do need to tell someone when you're flying," Hutzler said.
Hutzler said he looks forward to taking the scenic route every week, even if the setup and takedown of the engine on his back takes a bit more time and effort.
"Altogether, it's a little bit less convenient, but it's a lot more fun," he said.
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