Flying school, Airbourne Acres, takes off on Lakeshore Road in Yates

Photos by Ginny Kropf: A seasoned flyer glides to a landing in his paramotor after a short flight. The public is welcome to bring their lawn chairs and watch the flying activity most evenings.

LYNDONVILLE – A new flying school has gotten off the ground on Lakeshore Road, near Lyndonville.

Airborne Acres is a passion of Kayla “Kale” Browning, 28, who is a jet pilot, but recently became interested in paramotors.

“I grew up thinking aviation was not an option for me, because you either had to be rich or ‘know somebody’,” Browning said.” With more research, I found out a career in aviation was very possible. You just needed to get creative and be willing to work hard while staying consistent.”

Browning is from Williamsfield, an Amish community in Ohio, where after graduating from high school, decided she wanted some excitement in her life.

“I woke up one day, put everything I owned in my car and researched ‘cheapest flight school in America,’” Browning said. “One in Miami came up and I left. I made ends meet working three jobs while going to flight school. This was back in 2017.”

(Left) Kayla Browning sits in the hanger she outfitted with a classroom to teach people how to fly a paramotor. (Right) Kayla “Kale” Browning watches a paramotor in the air from a landing strip carved out of a farmer’s field on Lakeshore Road, Lyndonville. She opened Airborne Acres, a flying school, this summer.

Browning first flew in gliders and got her pilot’s license when she was 18. That would lead to a job flying a jump plane for parachutists, until she advanced to jet planes. She now flies jets for private owners, in addition to running Airborne Acres.

When she became interested in paramotors, 2-cylinder gas-powered flying machines that strap on the flyers back, she started looking for a place to start a paramotor school. A friend in Youngstown told her of the property at 10954 Lakeshore Rd., which already had an airstrip built by Robert Williams for his private plane.

She arrived here in April 2024, purchased the 38-acre property and started making improvements. She mowed the 3,000-foot landing strip, which took her three days, cleaned out the hangar on the property and built a classroom and shower.  She also built a patio, dug the trench for water lines and put in water and electricity herself.

Instructor Chris Holbert straps Robin Boyle of Medina into a paramotor rigged to teach people how to fly one.

To get the word out, Browning began advertising the adventure on Facebook. Last November, she entered a float in Medina’s Parade of Lights. She had 11 students last year and this year her class has more than doubled. Her project has drawn attention from paramotor owners from around the country, including Chris Holbert, a paramotor instructor from Ohio who also has a school there.

“He is one of the best pilots in the world,” Browning said.

He sees the venture as a great way to get the community together. Friends and neighbors are invited to bring their lawn chairs and watch the activity, usually starting at about 6 p.m. most days.

“A paramotor is an incredibly unique way to fly,” Browning said. “It is the fastest and cheapest way to learn to fly.”

It’s possible to be able to fly in 10-14 days, at a cost of about $3,000, and own an aircraft for $8,000, plus $3,000 for wings, she said.

She has had students from Maine and Texas, and currently has one from Canada. Visitors have come from Tennessee, California and Norway, in addition to local visitors from all over Western New York.

Scott Julius of Hamburg also contributes to the success of Airborne Acres, as a discovery flight/tandem pilot. Tandem flights are available in a 55 h.p. aircraft.

 On Friday night, Alexis Hyman of Strykersville came to take a discovery flight.

“My sister tried it a year ago and now has her own paramotor,” Hyman said.

It is possible to do aerobatics, including rolls, in a paramotor, as a pilot demonstrated Friday night.

“He is one of the best pilots in the world,” Browning said.

A paramotor is capable of flying to 12,000 feet, however, flights are usually no more than 1,500 feet.

Weather permitting, flying is usually going on early in the morning and after 6 p.m. The typical season is April to October.

Anyone interested in learning to fly a paramotor can contact Airborne Acres at (305) 923-4238 or at flyairborneacres@gmail.com.

A student comes in for a landing in his paramotor at Airborne Acres on Lakeshore Road.