There’s a quiet kind of wisdom in living for the small moments in life. But once in a while there has to be space for some big ones too, the kind that resets your sense of what’s possible, that you find yourself repeating months and years later.
That belief is a cornerstone of what Foilone is about. And this spring, it took on a new shape.
The Foilone Center in Italy is up and running
We’re proud to share that the Foilone Center is now operational at Hotel Nautilus, just outside Lecco on the eastern arm of Lake Como. It’s our first semi-permanent base on the water, a place where the Pegasus sleeps between flights, where new pilots step onto the dock for the Earn Your Wings experience.
The first sets of wings have already been earned. Watching new pilots from all over the world lift off for the first time, with the lake stretched out in the distance and the peaks mirrored in the surface. It’s the kind of moment that’s hard to put into a post. But here we are, trying.
Takeaways from the Foilone team
The Pegasus is still a headturner
Wherever we dock or lift off, there’s a small crowd gathering. People want to understand her, touch her, ask questions. The curiosity is genuine and it’s encouraging. The only exception is when new pilots are mid-lesson. In those moments, the occasional bit of rib-herding has its place. The lake will only get busier, and we’re here to make sure our new pilots have room to find their foils.
Winter was good to the Pegasus.
We spent the off-season on a series of upgrades, and it shows on the water. The sharpest-eyed may have noticed a small hole on top of the back hatch. We won’t say much about it yet, other than that it’s the residue of some top-secret engine tests we’ve been running.
More on that later.
Lake Como is a ridiculous place to learn to fly.
As an addition to the Earn Your Wings experience, the setting does half the work. The mountains dropping straight into the lake. The villages tucked into the folds of the shoreline. As we say in Finnish — kaksi kärpästä yhdellä iskulla — two flies with one swat. You come to learn the Pegasus. You leave having done that, and also having spent a few days somewhere that doesn’t quite feel real.
The Foilone Center isn’t just a base of operations for the summer. It’s part of a simple decision we made early on: we’d offer a smile guarantee. If you step off the Pegasus without one, we’ll make it right. So far, the odds are in our favor.
If you’ve been following the Pegasus from afar, this is your invitation to come see her in her new home. And if you’ve already been on board this season, the pleasure has been mutual.
We’ll see you on the water.
— Johan & Mathias, Lake Como, May 2026
100% OF NEW PILOTS HAVE EARNED THEIR WINGS
You arrive having never flown above water. Two hours later, you leave with a Flight Certificate, a Pilot Cap, and a story that starts: “You know that trip we took to Lake Como…”
Most experiences are beautiful. Earn Your Wings is unforgettable.
