Kelly is wonderful! If you are looking to get true experience as a P2 certified paragliding pilot, look no further. Kelly gives you real-world experience to make you a safer pilot. He teaches things like how to deal with an asymmetric collapse, different decent techniques like big ears, and many more practical things that you should be aware of as a pilot that you probably wont learn at other paragliding schools. He teaches directly, 1:1, and makes you feel safe. I would highly recommend! Picture of our final flight below!

If you are willing to put the work in, Kelly is the guy to go to if you want a solid basis to succeed in this sport. He has a ton of experience and is very passionate about making sure people are skillful and safe pilots. He is also deeply involved in just about every aspect of paragliding in the area.

Kelly brings a considerable depth of experience and knowledge to his instruction and is well respected by seasoned pilots and former students. He spends hours on the road to ensure a variety of flying experiences for his students and demonstrated heroic levels of patience with at least one student who struggles with the basics of ground handling the glider but was/is absolutely fine with the idea of running off the side of any mountain. (Very much appreciated, by the way.) Highly recommend Max Roc for anyone who desires to turn their flying dreams into reality and is willing to put in the effort to do so.

Kelly Kellar and his ‘band of brothers’ in the flying community are passionate and true professionals of the sport. Kelly teaches with extreme clarity and focus to ensure you have the techniques to be successful. I learned how to fly, got my license and now am part of a community that will continue to support my journey in the sky. This is absolutely the best thing I did for myself!!!Thank you Kelly and the Max Roc Paragliding crew!

Kelly is incredible.If you are ready to learn and willing to put in the work, youll be rewarded with the ability to walk off a hillside and just fly away. Kelly will get you into the air, (quite quickly), and pass on as much information as you can possibly absorb.He will drive hours to meet you at the best site for the weather, and was regularly willing to stay late when weather was good giving us all the time we could reasonably utilize to learn in a day.On a few days where the weather wasnt agreeable, we learned just as much as if we were flying, taking the down time to go over ground school items, and just as importantly to talk about the air, signs of its movement made visible on the water and in the trees, and the nuances of each site.Kelly had us flying in completely current top notch gear. Everything was fitted perfectly to each student.At every site, Kelly was greeted warmly by fellow fliers, trainers, and past students. He offered further advice to previous students, answering questions and keeping an eye on their flights, and making suggestions for their progression.Thank you Kelly for getting me into the air despite everything 2020 could dish out.

Kelly is a master of the sport and has the training record to help prove it. I have met several other pilots that have gone through the same P1/P2 training program with MAX ROC and there is a unanimous respect for his knowledge and effectiveness as an instructor. He teaches students at levels that suit their needs and gets you flying safely, efficiently, and within your comfort level. His program was the foundation for what is now a life passion of mine and I would recommend it to anyone interested in the sport.

I contacted Kelly this past week after my first class with a different paragliding school turned out to be a huge disappointment. I realized I needed to do a bit more due diligence when interviewing instructors for completing my P1/P2 training. Kelly met with me at no cost and spent 4 hours explaining the basics and working with me to where I was doing my first forward and reverse launches. Patient, knowledgeable and a genuinely nice guy I realized I found my person! My confidence in my ability was shot after that first experience and working with Kelly got that negative mindset gone and ready to move forward. This is the instructor you want and I cannot wait to continue my training.Thanks again Kelly!

I competed my P1/P2 program at MAX ROC Paragliding a couple years ago. I thoroughly enjoyed my experience learning with Kelly. His goal through the training program is not only to sign you off with your P1/P2 but to prepare you to go out and fly on your own. Before your training is over you will fly at a lot of the local High sites and not just at the beach. I highly recommend Kelly for anyone who is looking for a paragliding school in the Portland/SW Washington Area.

Ive bought a glider and a harness from Kelly. Hes also helped teach me advanced techniques over the years even though i didnt start out as his student. He will teach you long after your signed off. Hes a high caliber paragliding instructor. I recommend him often and my wife will be getting lessons from him next.

Kelly is one of the best paragliding instructors around! Very knowledgable and hands on. He’s contributed tremendously to my growth as a paragliding pilot and taught me many things about micro meteorology. Highly recommended!

Kelly is one of the best pilots and teachers around. I took lessons with him during COVID-19 and he was very flexible and worked with the students to get us flying as often as he could. Taking lessons with him you will learn to fly every site, his beginner class includes more information than most, and he does it at a price well below his competition. He will keep working with after the class to make sure youre flying safely and continue to learn.

Kelly is committed, professional, very detail oriented, and makes SURE you are going to have the time of your life! I really enjoyed getting to know Kelly, and his years in the sport are measured in decades. If you want to learn the sport of Paragliding, or even want to brush up or get your next Rating, Kellys your guy.

Incredibly rude to me as a potential customer. I have incredibly limited time off and when I asked if they could make an exception to their policy to require all lessons be taken with in 90 days, they apparently thought that it was good business to respond with a one word email that just said NO in all caps. Sounds like I dodged a bullet, I wouldnt want to give my money to a teacher whose communication and people skills are so poor.

Kelly is an amazing instructor who is incredibly patient and absolutely dedicated to getting you flying quickly and safely. He is committed to getting you as excited about free flying as he is. I highly recommend Max Roc if youre serious about getting into the sport or for an intro tandem (Kelly seems to have a magic touch with a glider and will make sure you have a memorable experience).

Kelly is a rock solid instructor with a massive wealth of knowledge for paragliding. He stays up to date on all the sites and gear, and can back up everything he teaches in the air as a pilot. The class was exciting, and always felt safe thanks to his judgement and experience.Getting my P2 through Max Roc was a super rewarding experience that Id highly recommend!

Kelly has decades of experience instructing new pilots, but I was most impressed with is his work ethic. He regularly drives hours to the best sites to patiently work with you while conditions are optimal. Be prepared to match his level of commitment, and youll be rewarded with the highest quality of instruction.

Kelly is well qualified and so friendly. Made my first paragliding experience more than I could have expected. Kelly is informative and made me feel extremely safe. Will definitely join him again for a tandem flight again soon.

Kelly is quite simply *the* guy. I got my P2 with him last year after starting with PPG about 6 months earlier. His intimate knowledge of a wide variety of local sites provided me with a taste of lots of different conditions in a safe environment. Perhaps most importantly, even after the rating, he continues to generously provide guidance, answer questions, and be a valuable resource at the hill.

If you’re even thinking about paragliding, go with Kelly! He’s patient and highly knowledgeable about flying so I felt safe the entire time. This was one of my favorite experiences ever

I got my P2 with the instruction of Kelly, and so glad i did. From start to finish of the P1/P2 train up, Kelly was there passing on his expertise. Before I was signed off, Id flown at 5 different sites and met numerous local pilots. Getting the chance to fly in the mountains, at the beach, and in the Gorge with varying conditions, all under the watchful eye of one of the most experienced pilots in the area gave me the best introduction to the sport I could ask for! A great source of knowledge for all things paragliding. Go with MAX ROC, and Ill see you out and about!!

Kelly is a fantastic instructor that will have you flying in no time. He’s great about answering any question you may have and giving a new pilot all the recourses and training they need to feel comfortable flying.

Literally the most fun activity I’ve ever done. Kelly was a pro, worked with me to get the perfect day scheduled, and we spent more time in the sky than dealing with paperwork. I’ll be recommending everyone come paragliding sooner than later and to do it with Max Roc

AMAZING INSTRUCTOR! HIGHLY RECOMMEND!! Kelly is a experienced and well balanced instructor. One thing that separates him from others is that he continues to fly and keeps a fresh beat on flying in general. This translates directly to his students. Some instructors get caught up in the teaching only and lose that real world flying experience. Kelly prepares you for real flight and finds the key to unlocking your mind and getting you comfortable in the air.Highly recommended him to anyone who wants to learn or take a tandem.

Learning to fly with Kelly has been amazing . He has so much knowledge, experience and passion for the sport. He was quickly able to pick up on and correct any mistakes I was making and I felt confident and safe throughout the whole course. I felt fully prepared to fly on my own when I finished my P2.After completing the course, Kelly maintains a list of all his past students and keeps them updated on where he will be flying everyday if anyone wants to join. He continues to teach and help as needed when you are flying with him which is great for preventing bad habits from creeping in as well as progressing further. In addition, when I had friends visiting who were new P2 pilots as well, he was extremely helpful locating some great to use while they were in town and offering assistance as needed at the launch.

Ive both flown tandem with Kelly, and solo trained under his instruction.As a tandem passenger his skill and demeanor will calm your nerves and allow you to relax and enjoy the unmatched views you can only get from the air. Its surreal and very fun.As a student you wont find better instruction anywhere in the world, for any amount of money, period. Kellys program is very safety oriented, comprehensive, focused, and extremely fun. Youll learn to not just fly a paraglider, but get experience in a wide array of environments from beach soaring to mountain thermaling with the eagles. Youll learn how to gauge the conditions, understand the weather predictions, practice good judgement, fly safely, and stay high for hours. Kellys instruction goes way beyond any P2 minimums and sets you up for success long after youve got your card. Kellys also a great guy. Hes laid back and funny and continues to offer advice years after my training.

The instructor at Max Roc is amazing. He keeps his students safe and has a solid learning guide for paragliding. The classes are fast, tough, and informative.

I had a great experience paragliding with Kelly! His wife was very kind in taking pictures and videos of my experience since I went on my own. I had so much fun and would definitely go again!

Kelly is a great tandem and solo instructor. His experience over decades of flying has taught him how to not overwhelm students with too much information and focus on the essentials that will make you a successful pilot. Highly recommend him to anyone looking to experience the joys of paragliding!

I had a very cool experience paragliding with Kelly! He made me feel absolutely comfortable and safe in the air and let me steer a bit explaining how this works. His wife Lisa was also very nice and helpful! If youve been wanting to try paragliding, Id definitely recommend Kelly!

I did a lot of research and calling around before committing to an instructor for my P1/P2. There was no question that he is well respected in the region, and has decades of knowledge of the flyable terrain, a huge bonus to learning from him. He was very thorough with his instruction, and even covered things above the requirements. After completing my P2, he still keeps in touch with me and is always willing to answer questions I may have, which I feel is invaluable. Id highly recommend flying with Kelly, and look forward to flying with him as a friend and continued mentor.

Kelly is not only an exceptional pilot, but hes able to effectively communicate the theory to his students. His main concerns are clearly the safety and enjoyment of the student and insuring that they have the skills necessary for safely attaining the Maximum Rate Of Climb (MAX ROC). I chose Kelly for my P1/P2 by chance, but Im certainly glad I did as it has been the best entry into this great sport as I could have wished for! Id definitely recommend MAX ROC for all your paragliding education and equipment needs.

Thank you Kelly for the amazing paragliding experience for my boyfriend! He was completely floored when I surprised him with this as his birthday gift!❤️ seriously, above and beyond experience, I highly recommend to anyone and everyone! Thank you again Kelly, we’ll be reaching out again soon!

A wonderful birthday experience. Would have been good to know ahead of time that he is alone therefore one person must drive to pickup after landing, this was not communicated and led to some confusion which he seemed put out by. More communication would have made the experience more comfortable.

Simply the best! After comparing the options both locally and regionally, I chose Max Roc for my P1/P2 training and couldnt be happier- Kelly is a true pro, a local legend, and a remarkably attentive instructor. I would (and do!) recommend him to anyone interested in paragliding at any level. Go fly!

Fantastic first experience with paragliding. Magical. Kelly was professional, safe, and fun. Highly recommended.

If you have the desire, focus and aptitude to fly, Kelly will show you how. Over the years Ive watched Kelly introduce many a potential pilot to free flight, adjusting his technique and curriculum accordingly.Kelly is without question a master of the sport and an exceptional instructor. He can show you how to master paragliding too.Having learned from (achieved my P1, P2, P3 & P4 certifications through him) and flown with Kelly for over a decade, Id recommend him in a heartbeat.

Kelly is an awesome paragliding instructor. Chillest guy ever. If you are thinking about paragliding, contact Kelly. You wont regret it!

Kelly is a super patient and observant instructor and his 25+ years of experience really shine. I did my research and everyone pointed me in his direction. If your going to learn to soar Max ROC is the place to do it. Very highly recommended.

Kellys is a solid instructor. Hell get you in the air and make certain that you know what youre doing. Safety first is his priority. Fun is the goal.

Kelly was amazing. My husband and I did a tandem ride each.. Spectacular.. Highly recommend.

Kelly is an amazing instructor. He will get you flying all year round. He knows his gear and has lots of experience. Ill definitely be recommending kelly to anyone who would like to get into the sport.

I took lessons from Kelly at maxroc paragliding about 9 years ago. To this day I still remember and use everything this fantastic instructor taught me. His knowledge of this sport helped me work hard and progress to my p4 rating in just a year and a half. His level of teaching goes above what other instructors have to offer. By the time he signs you off as a rated pilot, you’ll have all the confidence and knowledge to not just fly, but, fly safe and with style. I wouldn’t recommend anyone but Maxroc paragliding if your serious about wanting to learn how to fly a paraglider and learn how to quickly. Please do your research for yourself, you’ll quickly learn that everything I’m saying is the truth.

Had a wonderful morning. Felt extremely safe and taken care of. Thank you for everything Kelly!

Kelly is an Amazing instructor!! Hes very thorough & makes sure you fully understand all of the aspects of the sport and the meassures to ensure a safe experience. He works at your pace which for me was quite fast. The best part is you not only get an awesome instructor, but you gain a kick as friend! Many instructors move on after you get your P2 but Kelly is always there to help you with his vast knowledge of conditions & new equipment suggestions! I feel like I won the lottery by choosing Max Roc for my instruction!!!

So you want to learn to paraglide- the instructor you chose will determine your competence, confidence, your safty level, your enjoyment and frustration level and your potential to progress. Its a critical decision and if you make the wrong choice you end up making a poor investment and your safty could be at risk. Ill make it easy for you Kelly at MAX ROC. Its a serious endeavor and Kelly is hard wired to take it serious. The last thing you need as a student pilot is someone just not into teaching, regardless of how good a pilot they are. You need commitment from yourself and your instructor, Kelly gives you that. When Kelly sends you out along the ridge line for your first soaring flight , believe me you just packed a huge bundle of enthusiasm into your life-- Thanks Kelly

Maxroc is the only way to fly in the PNW! They have been teaching many years, and they gave me my wings in 2005. The school is super professional, personal and smooth. If you want a lifelong mentor to help you each step of the way, youve arrived!

Kelly is a great instructor and I recommend him to anyone looking to begin paragliding in the PNW. Kelly goes above and beyond to accommodate his students in their learning and getting to and from flying sites as well as a great deals on new and used gear.

Kelly should charge more. Not only do his students get awesome instruction, they get to be part of a community too. Kellys the right choice if you really want to learn this sport

Kelly Kellar is the teaching guru of the Pacific NW. Hes been teaching people to fly for decades and he has an amazing ability to teach and communicate with people in a way that best fits their style of learning and go at the pace thats best for each individual student. Some schools only teach at the coast and some in the gorge but Kelly takes his students everywhere and anywhere the conditions are best giving them much more knowledge about flying in a variety of geographical conditions. I initially chose Max Roc for that reason alone, but after I began lessons and got to know Kelly I was so glad I did for many more reasons.I am very grateful to Kelly for teaching me to enjoy the phenomenon of free flight and he continues to help me and his other prior students safely excel even after the initial certification. Dont even think twice about it, choose Max Roc!

If you are thinking of taking up paragliding, look no farther than Maxroc. Kelly Keller is an outstanding pilot, but also a great instructor. He strikes a perfect balance between giving you space to learn the things that you have to learn through feel/muscle memory but also is really good knowing when to step in and give you instruction, correction, and pro tips.What you get through Maxroc is far more advanced than what I saw from other paragliding instructors I encountered while out flying (and somehow at a lower cost). On my third day out with Kelly, I saw students consistently struggling with launching. Kelly quickly pointed out to me why they were struggling with their launches. When I was talking with one of the other students, their eyes widened a bit with surprise when I told them it was only my third day out (he had been flying for months). I later found out that that particular school trains off of a dune for up to a year, then take all their students out to this particular cliff for their (one) high flight. Kelly will quickly gauge your aptitude and take more advanced places as soon as you are ready, instead of having you get used to small flights only to get spooked when you are looking off a cliff.Another way in which Maxroc is superior, is in the amount of training you get. When I finished with P2, Kelly had taken me through all the maneuvers of P3. All I have to do when I get the hours required for P3, is go back to Kelly and show him my log book and he will sign off. At least that is how it played out for myself and 2 other students I flew with, I cant say for sure that is always the case (though I tend to think so?). Kelly is running a business, so why would he do this when it would obviously cut profits from returning students? The reason is simply that he wants to train safe pilots that are prepared for the unexpected (and potentially dangerous) things that can come up. That altruism is exactly what you want in an instructor when its your ass in the seat hundreds or thousands of feet up.A bit of advice to get the most out of your lessons:1. Get out there flying as often as you can. You wont advance nearly as quickly if you fly a few times a month and have to relearn everything from the last lesson. Kelly goes out 7 days a week (weather permitting), so no matter what your schedule is, hes got you covered.2. Show up a little early. Even being early, you probably wont beat Kelly there. This gives you a chance to talk to him and learn about the site you are flying and talk about the weather. Not in a small talk sort of way, but more is it safe to fly, if the winds were to change...during certain months of the year this is different...) You might hear some of it again when other students show up right at the last minute, but that just makes it will stick even more. You can also pick his brain about gear, or whatever else. Youre not gonna pay any more for this extra knowledge, so why not?An honorable mention goes out to Kellys wife, Lisa. She was there all but one day I flew. She was constantly driving down to pick us up so we could get flying that much sooner. No waiting on Kelly to finish instructing other students through launch and maneuvers so he can come and get you. This course would have definitely taken longer without Lisa.I know this was long, but there is a lot of good stuff to say about Maxroc. You wont regret choosing Kelly as your instructor.

There are several places to choose from for paragliding lessons in the Portland area. I chose Max Roc for Kellys experience and unhidden passion for the sport. As an added bonus the diversity of flight offered by Max Roc is second to none. From towing to ridge soaring to thermaling to cross country Max Roc is one of a kind for learning all types of flight in virtually all conditions. Kelly Kellar is by far the most interesting man in paragliding.

I earned my p1/p2/p3 ratings through Kelly Kellar … the man behind Maxroc paragliding (that’s maximum rate of climb for the uninitiated). I really appreciated Kelly’s honest feedback and individualized approach to teaching while under instruction. I continue to appreciate the advice and feedback he happily offers long after graduation ... Not to mention his information on gear and very reasonable prices should you decide to purchase through him.I know and like the other instructors in Oregon, however, I think the following things are what stand out with regards to Maxroc paragliding. Kelly is very down to earth and has an intuition for the individuality of his students. He is also willing to adjust the pace and progression of instruction while adding diversity to his instruction sites. During my tutelage, I was able to experience and learn in a good mix of coastal soaring environments as well as thermic sites in the mountains. I really do feel privileged to have learned with Kelly and I continue to relish the opportunities I have to fly with him as a “graduate student”. I would definitely recommend giving Kelly a call when you are making a decision about learning to paraglide.