Hillsboro vs HAI

[Wanna-be]

Hey!

 

There is enough to read about HAI, but since HAI en Hillsboro are the only 2 schools in the US which issue the J-1 visa it might be interesting for non-americans to know the diferences between the two schools.

You can think of questions like:

* Where do they have the best flying weather

* Where do they have the best flying enviroment

* Which one is the cheapest

And go on

 

(tried to find answers with search but didnt find anything)

[flingwing206]

Hey!

 

There is enough to read about HAI, but since HAI en Hillsboro are the only 2 schools in the US which issue the J-1 visa it might be interesting for non-americans to know the diferences between the two schools.

You can think of questions like:

* Where do they have the best flying weather

HAI

* Where do they have the best flying enviroment

Hillsboro.

* Which one is the cheapest

HAI, although your CFIs will have a larger effect on the total cost than the company's rates.

And go on

R22 in Oregon or 300CBi in Florida. There's your choice. Hillsboro has some 300's, but they charge a premium for them. HAI has R22's but you don't do primary in them.

(tried to find answers with search but didnt find anything)

Look at weather.com for the weather, call the schools for their hourly rates (they both have toll-free numbers, HAI has a UK toll-free as well). As far as the aircraft choice goes, 1,000 hours later it won't matter at all (except to you during those hours) which helo you choose.

[Witch]

.R22 in Oregon or 300CBi in Florida. There's your choice.

 

 

Hey, I was at Hillsboro yesterday, and they have a few 300's. I may need to up there to do "Die Schweitzer".

 

I went to see a CFI I flew with once. I wanted to see if he could fly with me again at CVO. He told me that I'd have to come to Hillsboro to fly because they won't let him teach at another airport. Bummer. So, to fly with him again I have to drive three hours each way. That sucks.

 

I'd go to Hillsboro, but then again, I'm biased.

[HelliBoy]

For the record, HAI has about 10 robbies too so u can fly both.

[Voluptuary5]

Hillsboro's program is based on the R22. They only use the Schweitzer's for special "add-on's" and in special circumstances.

[maveric]

They only use the Schweitzer's for special "add-on's" and in special circumstances.

...not true... They use Schweizer also for private and commercial training.

 

I know many pilots who did the training in Schweizer instead of R22.

[Voluptuary5]

...not true... They use Schweizer also for private and commercial training.

 

I know many pilots who did the training in Schweizer instead of R22.

 

Maveric,

 

I apologize, maybe my post was unclear. Hillsboro does offer training in the Schweitzer but their "base" program is centered on the R22. When you call to inquire, browse their website, interview, or are quoted prices, they are referring to training in the R22. It is "possible" to train in the Schweitzer, but it isn't as straight forward as it seems; that is, they don't ask you on day one of your classes "whether you prefer to do your training in an R22 or Schweitzer". Like everything in the great USofA., everything has its price...

 

If you are looking for a Schweitzer-based training program, Precision Aviation, just down the road from Hillsboro, trains exclusively in the Schweitzer.

 

-V5

[Opilot]

Well actually you can fly either ship at Hillsboro and you don't have an option at Precision. Both are good quility schools and you are paying the money so you can train in whatever aircraft you want...Allways keep that in mind. If not than I suggest not going to a progam that limits you on your options....

[maveric]

Maveric,

I apologize,

 

no problem

[Heli-pilot]

Hey!

 

There is enough to read about HAI, but since HAI en Hillsboro are the only 2 schools in the US which issue the J-1 visa it might be interesting for non-americans to know the diferences between the two schools.

You can think of questions like:

* Where do they have the best flying weather

* Where do they have the best flying enviroment

* Which one is the cheapest

And go on

 

(tried to find answers with search but didnt find anything)

 

Another question you should ask yourself as a J-1 visa student..

 

How fast can I do my training at HAI compared to Hillsboro?

 

Due to the fact that you are here on a visa, the longer time you have left, the more hours you can gain.

 

I took my training in 9 months at Hillsboro, 2 of my friends went to Florida.

1 used 13 months to finish, the other one is still not done.. Going into 15 months now.

 

Not because they want to do it slower, but because the availability of aircraft and instructors is less.

 

Not saying HAI is a bad school, it's a very good school from what I here. But it WILL take you longer to finsh.

[Wesp]

I did PPL/CPL/CFI in 5 months at HAI 2004-2005. Aircraft availability is up to your self. When you don't schedule in advance you don't fly. It's your own responsibility. HAI has about 40 Schweizers now by the way. I don't think there's any other school in the World having that many Schweizers. (or even come close).

[mechanic]

Are you sure they are the only 2 helicopter schools? I did a google search and got a bunch of hits for helicopter schools J1 Visa...

 

 

 

I am thinking my school offers M1 and J1, HSI in Houston.

 

 

 

Regards.

[Witch]

I think Corvallis does J-1 visas. Frontier has a lot of Japanese students on the J-1. Give'm a call.

 

Later

[Heli-pilot]

Well, first of all I have to say 0-CFI in 5 months nomather witch school you are at is pretty fast. Good job If its to fast people have to concider themselves. I would say that every person is different. But I would not recommend someone to take this education in less than 6-7 months.

 

Now the time you are refering to is before HAI expanded. And it's after that things started to go slower for students. I have a friend who was at the school at the same time as you and he used 9-10 months witch is the avarage.

 

The case is that if you take the combined JAA/FAA education you get priority from what I have heard.

 

And the fact that HAI has 40 aircraft is not always a good thing, it means more traffic and more waiting time.

I heard some rumors that sometimes it takes students a 0.4 only to get out to the training patters down there. And that you have to pay for.

 

My whole point with this is that if you are concidering to take pilot education. Don't start before you have concidered every factor of witch school you choose.

 

Both HAI and Hillsboro are great schools.

 

As for J-1 visas. I think there are only 2 schools in the US that have that for helicopters right now. Remember, fixed wing and rotorwing J-1 are 2 different things. And no, Corvallis don't have J-1 for helicopters.

 

 

 

I did PPL/CPL/CFI in 5 months at HAI 2004-2005. Aircraft availability is up to your self. When you don't schedule in advance you don't fly. It's your own responsibility. HAI has about 40 Schweizers now by the way. I don't think there's any other school in the World having that many Schweizers. (or even come close).

[Wanna-be]

Thanks for all your replies!

 

It is pretty hard to make the right decision because both schools have pre's and cons. The thing I like about Hillsboro is that they offer 1 on 1 groundschool instruction and that they have furnished rooms you can rent. But they don't answer my emails for some reason, maybe my questions are hard to answer

 

Can anyone confirm that you can hardly fly from autum till pring because of bad weather?

[mechanic]

Heli-pilot,

 

Where is the source for you to say that only 2 schools have J1 Visa's? I had asked about this at my school a few months ago for a poster on a forum and they (HSI) said they do M1 and J1. Have the rules changed recently?

 

 

 

Regards

[Helibear]

Can anyone confirm that you can hardly fly from autum till pring because of bad weather?

 

 

Hi,

 

I can confirm that this is NOT correct. I started Training last Oct. and did all my private Flight lessons in the Winter.

Off course you can´t fly every day or everytime due to fog, low clouds etc, but there are always times you can fly. And you really learn to use weather data, deal with Special VFR and fly in rain.

 

Again, the weather in Oregon is not nice during the winter, but I really think it makes you a better pilot if you learn to deal with it. You will hardly find a commercial job where you only fly in blue sky with 10SM visibility.

 

Have a nice day

 

Rainer

[Heli-pilot]

Heli-pilot,

 

Where is the source for you to say that only 2 schools have J1 Visa's? I had asked about this at my school a few months ago for a poster on a forum and they (HSI) said they do M1 and J1. Have the rules changed recently?

 

 

 

Regards

 

If you say that they have the J-1 visa status that is great. From what the TSA have said, only the schools who already have J-1 visa will continiue to have it. In summer 2005 there where 3 schools in the US that had the J-1 status, Hillsboro, HAI Florida, and Heli-flight in Florida. That school has shut down.

 

I can't say with 100% security that this schools do not have the visa, but I was concidering to change school earlier this year, and I am on a J-1 visa. And than you are not allowed to change school unless the other school is also a J-1 visa school. (They take over your visa)

 

Than I did allot of research, and even my school say its only 2 schools in the US who offer it at the moment.

 

Whats the homepage for the school you are refering to?

[flyby_heli]

I can't say with 100% security that this schools do not have the visa, but I was concidering to change school earlier this year, and I am on a J-1 visa. And than you are not allowed to change school unless the other school is also a J-1 visa school. (They take over your visa)

 

 

This is not entirely acurate. I have actually changed schools while on a J-1 visa, from HAI to a small part 61 school to finish my CFI training. The reason for my change was the waiting time to get my CFI at HAI plus i had a job opening at the school i transferred to but they wanted me to finish my training there.

The only thing you need to do is to get the sponsor of your visa (owner of the flight school) sign some papers for you, and most people doesn't like signing money away like that so I have to give Mr. Corr credit for that!!

 

The visa issues will always be up for debate, the rules are really complicated and open for different interperations.

 

Flyby

[mechanic]

Heli-pilot,

 

I am talking about Helicopter Services Inc. in Houston. Pre 9/11 they had a lot of Japanese students. I ran across someone asking about HSI on JH and I asked the office and they said yes they still do both of those visa's. I was wanting the reference so I could go and read it myself for future reference and thats also why I wondered if the rule system had changed lately.

 

 

 

Regards