Another Historic Paramotor Adventure in Puerto Rico – PREVIEW…
Once again, we witnessed breathtaking feats of paramotor flight in Puerto Rico that will be remembered for years to come. Some time ago (September 12, 2020), a cross-country paramotor flight was completed, starting from Machos Beach in Ceiba (the easternmost town on the island) and covering the entire northern coast with a stop in Levittown, before ending at Villa Pesquera in Isabela. This route covered 43.2 miles to Levittown, where the pilots refueled and snapped some photos, then continued on to Isabela. The total distance flown was 99.64 miles. You can read the full story here: VolarPR 2020.
Then, on December 2, 2025, Edgardo Rivera and Darwin Hernández accomplished a historic feat. After flying over Boquerón, Lajas, and San Germán in the morning—covering 53 miles—they took off from Isabela at midday to reach Dorado and then returned again to Isabela. On that single day, they set a National Record for total paramotor flight distance in a day in Puerto Rico. A total of 168.0 miles was covered in the day!!!. Full story here: VolarPR 2025.
Fast-forward to today…
The original plan, conceived by Nixon Porrata, was to take off from Machos Beach in Ceiba, but this time head south to reach Combate Beach in Cabo Rojo, with a fuel stop at La Guancha in Ponce. This route had never been fully attempted before, at least not as far as Cabo Rojo. Here’s how it went down…
Pilots and Family on Site:
- Enrique González
- Edgardo Rivera
- José Emilio Santini
- Nixon Porrata
- Pedro Agostini
- Wilkins Torres, his wife Brenda, and son Doel
- Luis Antonio Cruz
- Berto García
- Radames Tirado
- Carlos Cándido Rodríguez (CC)
- Fernan de Hostos
- Juan Flores (new student)
Morning Preparations in Ceiba
The pilots signed up for the cross-country flight were Edgardo Rivera, José Emilio Santini, Nixon Porrata, and Enrique González, all with ground support.
The plan was to take off together, but as always, adventure doesn’t follow the script. Nixon wanted to leave immediately, while minutes later, Edgardo faced an a MAJOR PROBLEM that could have derailed the entire flight. His paramotor had major damage at takeoff, forcing him to rush home to Aguas Buenas, grab another paramotor, and start his journey from Arroyo instead.
Nixon, Enrique, and Santini departed without major issues, though it was uncertain if they could reach Ponce directly without refueling—over 75 miles+ away. Eventually, Nixon and Enrique had to land near Arroyo, in difficult terrain, to refuel before continuing through turbulent skies.
Edgardo, for his part, hurried to Arroyo. Even after taking off with his second paramotor, he experienced another mechanical failure flying near Las Mareas (between Guayama and Salinas). Luckily, fellow pilot CC, arrived t the scene and provided a spark plug to Edgardo, so he could continue with the adventure.
Arrival at La Guancha, Ponce
Santini made history by flying directly to La Guancha without stopping to refuel, becoming the first pilot to do so.
Enrique, Nixon, and Edgardo arrived minutes later, all safe after their morning challenges. CC also joined the adventure taking off from Santa Isabel.
Meanwhile, at Ponce, Luis Ruiz offered tandem flights to introduce the sport to new student Juan Flores and Charlie, a local kitesurfing pro. Wilkins Torres was flying and Pedro Agostini performed aerial tricks and captured stunning photos of the area. Later in the day, Edgardo and Pedro accompanied CC on his fly back to Santa Isabel.
Push Toward Combate Beach, Cabo Rojo
By afternoon, the goal to reach Cabo Rojo was back on. Nixon’s paramotor was damaged, but he wanted to finish the journey.
Edgardo and Enrique joined him. From Ponce to Cabo Rojo, there were 45 miles to cover, including the challenging terrain of Tallaboa (Peñuelas) to Guanica. Pedro Agostini flew along to El Tuque, Ponce.
Eventually, Enrique González and Edgardo Rivera successfully completed the journey and established some new Records on the island. Nixon, on this occasion made a precautionary landing near El Tuque.
Here the achievements of the day:
- Enrique González – First paramotor pilot (ever) to complete the full route from Machos Beach, Ceiba, to Combate Beach, Cabo Rojo. Distance flown: 120.16 miles (127.9 miles including flights around Ponce).
- José Emilio Santini – First pilot to arrive at La Guancha Ponce from Machos Beach, Ceiba, without refueling. ALL the way straight. Distance: 75 miles.
- Edgardo Rivera – After multiple mechanical issues, detours, and the assistance from CC, he completed a total of 116 miles in various segments throughout the day, and that include arrive to Cabo Rojo. SHOW a great and unique ATTITUDE to keep moving forward.
- Nixon Porrata – First pilot to take off from Ceiba, faced turbulence and forced landings but still covered an estimated 80 miles, even with a Paramotor with mechanical issues.
This extraordinary day of flying demonstrates the skill, determination, and courage of Puerto Rico’s paramotor community.
Photos…
