Hillsboro Aviation

[TPointer]

I will be enrolling into a flight school some time next year. I wanted to know if anyone here has attended Hillsboro Aviation flight school in Oregon? I thoroughly read and watched everything on there website and the school looks to be a great school. I would like for some of you here that have went through there helicopter flight training program to give me information about the school. I would also like to know if anyone here had any problems with the school regarding any issues? Any information that you guys can and will share with me I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you.

 

 

 

Thomas pointer

[LostHeliBoy]

Good school..

OK Wx.

See if portland is the right fit for you

go and try to meet the instructors

and talk to the Admissions guy to learn more.

 

they have ~16 R22s; 2 CB300s and lots of CFII's

 

 

 

Cheers!

[Scoot]

I will be starting at Hillsboro in Mid-September. I also have a friend who is currently enrolled in the program. I chose Hillsboro for a number of reasons:

 

I guess most importantly, they came well recommended from my friend. I actually found out he was enrolled after I started looking into it, so I quizzed him a bit and he said the place is great.

 

I took a tour there and have spoken with Houston, who focuses mostly on fixed wing but has been with HA for quite some time and knows a lot about the program. I've also spoke with Wayne, who is the director of admissions. Both guys were real personable and I felt they represented their program well.

 

Being from Oregon, it helps that Hillsboro is practically right in my backyard, so I can even commute from where I live now to get there. But I like the fact that they had a lot of international students. It shows that they are well known across the world, and I really wanted to attend a school that people would recognize if I told them where I was trained.

 

Another big thing was that they are located at Hillsboro Airport, which has a control tower. It makes sense to me to train somewhere that has one, as you will be encountering them occasionally as you fly.

 

Those were probably the BIG selling points for me. But I'd recommend checking out the facility if you can. It seemed to me that they are running a pretty good operation there.

[Hovergirl]

I'm at Hillsboro now. I really like my instructor and everyone I've met there has been great. It is a big school, so feels maybe less like a personal experience than a smaller operation might. But it is great to fly out of Hillsboro airport and get used to talking to the tower. I have never had any difficulties getting a helicopter either, and maintenance seems to be quick and professional.

 

HVG

 

Let me know when you're going to be at the BBQ!

[OhhAndy]

I actually just interviewed Wayne Moore who is in charge of Hillboro Aviation and Quite Frankly I wasnt impressed, he is a very arrogant person. I did like the facilities, Helicopters and Mechanics facitlity. They seem more like a pilot factory who cares very little about you as a person and just want to get you schooled and on your way. I met a few instructers whom were pretty nice, but overall the enviornment was pretty serious and not overly friendly. Overall they seem like a good school just not the one I would pick.

Edited August 15, 2007 by OhhAndy

[Voluptuary5]

Scoot,

 

I agree with everything you said about the positives of Hillsboro. They are a good at what they do and that is getting pilots their ratings. And on top of that, they do it quickly (student willing) and professionally.

 

I also have to say that I agree with Andy. Wayne might have been the single reason I chose not to do any flight training there. I met with him in person and he obviously got annoyed with answering my questions and started dodging them out-right by the end. That made the decision pretty easy.

 

Applebee also flies out of Hillsboro although I can’t say much about them. I never had the pleasure of meeting them; they were always too busy and cancelled numerous appointments on me.

 

However, if you are close to Hillsboro, you are also close to Precision Aviation (just over the hill outside of Newberg). Maybe you’ll like their style and smaller school better.

 

But I also think the fact Hovergirl enjoys Hillsboro is a perfect argument to VISIT SCHOOLS BEFORE YOU START YOUR TRAINING!!! A good fit is the most important thing.

 

-V5

[ToTall]

Hillsboro is just a factory that is only interested in your mony.

If u get the right instructor you can have fun.

 

Mr. Moor is the lest arrogant person at the school and he tries to help as much as possible.

 

There are some more schools around Hillsboro and a nother one is the one in Aurora. They seem like a nice bunch.

 

Hope this will help you.

 

TT

 

Scoot,

 

I agree with everything you said about the positives of Hillsboro. They are a good at what they do and that is getting pilots their ratings. And on top of that, they do it quickly (student willing) and professionally.

 

I also have to say that I agree with Andy. Wayne might have been the single reason I chose not to do any flight training there. I met with him in person and he obviously got annoyed with answering my questions and started dodging them out-right by the end. That made the decision pretty easy.

 

Applebee also flies out of Hillsboro although I can’t say much about them. I never had the pleasure of meeting them; they were always too busy and cancelled numerous appointments on me.

 

However, if you are close to Hillsboro, you are also close to Precision Aviation (just over the hill outside of Newberg). Maybe you’ll like their style and smaller school better.

 

But I also think the fact Hovergirl enjoys Hillsboro is a perfect argument to VISIT SCHOOLS BEFORE YOU START YOUR TRAINING!!! A good fit is the most important thing.

 

-V5

[Hovergirl]

Your experience is probably going to depend on your instructor more than many other factors. I knew someone who teaches there before I applied and got a lot of my information from her. I don't think I've had more than a 3-4 minute conversation with Wayne before, and once you're in the door I don't know how much you're going to end up dealing with him. The size of the school is probably the biggest make/break factor for most I would think.

 

Good luck finding something that fits!

 

HVG.

[C.R.O.]

I am currently a student at Hillsboro, I just started actually, and so far, I am pretty happy with it.

 

I am surprised that people have an issue with Wayne, my experience has actually been completely the opposite. He always answered all my questions (and I had quite a few!), and made time for me to be able to come in and talk to him after his normal hours to fit my schedule.

 

He really takes an interest in the students, which is why his office is down by dispatch with the pilots, rather than upstairs. That way he can see what's going on with the students, and see how things are going.

 

Last night, while waiting for my flight, and I was a little anxious, and he noticed, and came over to offer some encouragement.

 

As for the rest of the school, so far I am very pleased with it. Lot's of aircraft, and it's not hard to get flights, even easier if you are a little proactive! The facilities are nice and clean, and the people I have interacted with have been very pleasant.

 

I will say that it's a little intimidating walking into a new school, not knowing anyone, and knowing that everyone there is ahead of you already. That's hard for me personally, it's been 8-9 years since I was in college, so it feels foreign to me. At the same time, I felt the same intimidation when I visited another nearby school, so I think it's just me.

 

Like others have said, there are lots of flight schools, and it's best to talk to multiple ones before spending the money, so that you find the right fit.

[heligirl03]

I second HVG's opinion on the instructor. Meet potential instructors and TALK TO THEM!! You don't want to talk to one person and then end up getting scheduled with someone you've never met. I know this is oft-repeated advice but until you're in it neck deep you just don't realize how invaluable it truly is...Your relationship with your instructor will singlehandedly make or break your experience and ultimately your career. GO VISIT all potential schools, find the one that feels right. It's a lot of money, don't make ANY uninformed commitments.

 

Having said that, I know a winter instructor at Hillsboro and he is one of the greatest people I've met in my travels. I wouldn't hesitate to jump in a R22 with him any day (although I only know him from the turbine world).

 

Good luck!

 

HG03

[OhhAndy]

I am currently a student at Hillsboro, I just started actually, and so far, I am pretty happy with it.

 

I am surprised that people have an issue with Wayne, my experience has actually been completely the opposite. He always answered all my questions (and I had quite a few!), and made time for me to be able to come in and talk to him after his normal hours to fit my schedule.

 

He really takes an interest in the students, which is why his office is down by dispatch with the pilots, rather than upstairs. That way he can see what's going on with the students, and see how things are going.

 

Last night, while waiting for my flight, and I was a little anxious, and he noticed, and came over to offer some encouragement.

 

As for the rest of the school, so far I am very pleased with it. Lot's of aircraft, and it's not hard to get flights, even easier if you are a little proactive! The facilities are nice and clean, and the people I have interacted with have been very pleasant.

 

I will say that it's a little intimidating walking into a new school, not knowing anyone, and knowing that everyone there is ahead of you already. That's hard for me personally, it's been 8-9 years since I was in college, so it feels foreign to me. At the same time, I felt the same intimidation when I visited another nearby school, so I think it's just me.

 

Like others have said, there are lots of flight schools, and it's best to talk to multiple ones before spending the money, so that you find the right fit.

Just out of curiosity are you an out of stater or possibly from outside the US? The reason I ask is because I have an out of state cell # that I called Wayne on, He obviously had Caller Id because he was very friendly at first and as soon as he found out I was local his whole demeanor changed and got very arrogant, short, and gave very vague answers to my questions. My thoughts are that Hillsboro caters to people outside of the US to get the word of mouth advertising outside the US and Oregon. You see its easy to talk a very good game to get people here and once they're here they are commited, if you are local then its much easier to call BS on him by walking though the opperation and meeting the people first hand.

Edited August 16, 2007 by OhhAndy

[C.R.O.]

Just out of curiosity are you an out of stater or possibly from outside the US? The reason I ask is because I have an out of state cell # that I called Wayne on, He obviously had Caller Id because he was very friendly at first and as soon as he found out I was local his whole demeanor changed and got very arrogant, short, and gave very vague answers to my questions. My thoughts are that Hillsboro caters to people outside of the US to get the word of mouth advertising outside the US and Oregon. You see its easy to talk a very good game to get people here and once they're here they are commited, if you are local then its much easier to call BS on him by walking though the opperation and meeting the people first hand.

 

I am, and was, local, down just south of the Aurora Airport.

 

And I wasn't a quick sell either, it was almost 2 years from the first conversation with me to the time I made my decision and got the loan approved. During that time, I have had multiple long conversations, asking lots of detailed questions. If anything, I probably took up more time from him during that period than most students or prospective students.

 

After my first conversation with him, he invited me to come down and check out the school, so I don't think he really was trying to hide behind distance, he wanted me to see how the school is run.

 

Once I decided to move forward, I did arrange to go see the school, plus I arranged to check out Precision in Newberg as well.

 

Only time I could get there without taking time off of work was to be there after Wayne's normal hours, and he stayed more than an hour to talk to me, answer lots of questions, and discuss all the aspects of the program. Despite being there after hours, at no point did he try to rush me out, or avoid any questions at all. The only time limiting factor was that I had a demo flight scheduled, and the instructor came to get me. At the same time, he asked lots of questions about who I was, asked about my family situation, and basically tried to get to know who I am which was a positive indicator for me.

 

Like I said, I am surprised that you had a bad experience with him. I suppose he could have had a bad day, it's just completely opposite of the experience I have had with him so far.

[Voluptuary5]

I am currently a student at Hillsboro, I just started actually, and so far, I am pretty happy with it.

 

I am surprised that people have an issue with Wayne, my experience has actually been completely the opposite. He always answered all my questions (and I had quite a few!), and made time for me to be able to come in and talk to him after his normal hours to fit my schedule.

 

He really takes an interest in the students, which is why his office is down by dispatch with the pilots, rather than upstairs. That way he can see what's going on with the students, and see how things are going.

 

Last night, while waiting for my flight, and I was a little anxious, and he noticed, and came over to offer some encouragement.

 

As for the rest of the school, so far I am very pleased with it. Lot's of aircraft, and it's not hard to get flights, even easier if you are a little proactive! The facilities are nice and clean, and the people I have interacted with have been very pleasant.

 

I will say that it's a little intimidating walking into a new school, not knowing anyone, and knowing that everyone there is ahead of you already. That's hard for me personally, it's been 8-9 years since I was in college, so it feels foreign to me. At the same time, I felt the same intimidation when I visited another nearby school, so I think it's just me.

 

The exact same reasons you like Wayne, I don’t. But that’s okay. It takes all types to make this world go around (or at least interesting). My only point--and I think it has been proven on this thread--is to take the time and spend a little extra money if necessary, to see if ANY given school is a good fit for YOU. The perfect school for one isn’t the perfect school for everyone. YOU are going to spend a significant amount of money AND TIME at said school so you better ENJOY your time there.

 

And what’s more, you’d probably also like to get a J-O-B at said school when you’ve finished your ratings…

 

If you do your homework upfront, it’ll be one less thing to worry about down the road.

 

And that’s all I’ve got to say about that,

 

-V5

[JPDPilot]

I was actually quite impressed with Wayne. I was more seriously starting to consider the school after talking to him. The only thing was that he gave really long detailed answers to my questions-I prefer short, more to the point answers. But some people probably like that, just not me. I'm local by the way.

 

JPDPilot

[Voluptuary5]

I was actually quite impressed with Wayne. I was more seriously starting to consider the school after talking to him. The only thing was that he gave really long detailed answers to my questions-I prefer short, more to the point answers. But some people probably like that, just not me. I'm local by the way.

 

JPDPilot

 

 

In terms of YOUR training, YOUR opinion is much more important than mine and what matters in the end...

 

Go with your gut.

 

Best of luck,

 

 

-V5

[OhhAndy]

I was actually quite impressed with Wayne. I was more seriously starting to consider the school after talking to him. The only thing was that he gave really long detailed answers to my questions-I prefer short, more to the point answers. But some people probably like that, just not me. I'm local by the way.

 

JPDPilot

I would say if you like Hillsboro then go with it, Its just not for everyone. It sounds like Wayne may have had one hell of a bad day when I was there and a less then par day the first conversation I had w/him but in the end I made my oppinion of him and the school. I saw and gathered all the info. I needed from the convesations with not only hime but several others there and I just didnt feel good with the atmosphere there but if you do then great, go for it. All I am saying is for you out of state people, invest in a 300.00 plane ticket and come check it out before buying all of the sales pitches off their cd and materials....just do your reserch thats all!

[flying high]

I trained @ Hillsboro and had a good experience. I personaly think Wayne does his job well but thats beside the point. The most important thing is the instructor.if hes good at what he does and you work well together thats what matters.They handle the buisness end pretty well and the instructors are kept on track by the chief so things are organized and usually run pretty smooth.Their flight training is top notch ,lots of helis,good mechanics,and a great area to train in.Ive worked and talked with others that trained elsewhere and im glad I chose Hillsboro.Bottom line, good instructor +deticated student = employable inexperienced cfii. Oh yeah ,they do cater to the foriegn students but what better way for you to make some international connections! Good luck!

[v15x]

I have to agree that the most important relationship is between you and the CFI ... not necessarily the administration, but hopefully you’ll like the general vibe considering the $$$ and time you’re plunking down.

 

How is the turnover/hiring of students at Hillsboro? Here in CT it's been pretty consistent, every few months someone leaves and someone steps up.

 

Thanks.

[Scoot]

I'm kinda surprised at the bad reactions some of you have had from Wayne. He's always been really helpful and seemed like a guy I could probably sit around and just BS with for awhile. And I wouldn't say that location really has anything to do with it. I only live 30 minutes from Hillsboro, he knows that, and I've never had any problems with him.

 

Granted, he probably does have SOME agenda. I mean, IT IS HIS JOB to get people into the school. But I guess from my standpoint, coming from a sales background, which even includes car sales, I'm just kind of used to dealing with that aspect from people and it doesn't really bother me.

 

Overall, I just got a good vibe from the place and it really seemed like the place that I would want to train. Me personally, I don't really want some place that's going to hold my hand and feed me milk and cookies. I want a place that is run professionally and has a reputation for getting the job done. That type of style is of course not for everyone. But I figure since ultimately I'm doing this for a career, I want to go somewhere that's a little more serious, that matches how serious I am...

[OhhAndy]

I'm kinda surprised at the bad reactions some of you have had from Wayne. He's always been really helpful and seemed like a guy I could probably sit around and just BS with for awhile. And I wouldn't say that location really has anything to do with it. I only live 30 minutes from Hillsboro, he knows that, and I've never had any problems with him.

 

Granted, he probably does have SOME agenda. I mean, IT IS HIS JOB to get people into the school. But I guess from my standpoint, coming from a sales background, which even includes car sales, I'm just kind of used to dealing with that aspect from people and it doesn't really bother me.

 

Overall, I just got a good vibe from the place and it really seemed like the place that I would want to train. Me personally, I don't really want some place that's going to hold my hand and feed me milk and cookies. I want a place that is run professionally and has a reputation for getting the job done. That type of style is of course not for everyone. But I figure since ultimately I'm doing this for a career, I want to go somewhere that's a little more serious, that matches how serious I am...

I have interviewed several schools now and I would say they all take the training very serious, none of them have had milk and cookies with a soft violin playing in the background with aroma theropy. Bottom line would you rather have a school that cares about you succeeding with one on one personal feeling or a school that has 30 other guys just like you to train and really dont give a hoot about you as much as they do your money...for me it was an easy choice.

[C.R.O.]

Bottom line would you rather have a school that cares about you succeeding with one on one personal feeling or a school that has 30 other guys just like you to train and really dont give a hoot about you as much as they do your money...for me it was an easy choice.

 

Okay, full stop.

 

What makes you think just because Hillsboro has 30+ students (actually, more than that), that they don't care about you succeeding

 

What makes you think that there isn't one-on-one attention?

 

If you don't like the school, fine, that your decision, but don't post false information here.

 

Fact is, Hillsboro does care about it's students.

 

Fact is, you will get lot's of one-on-one attention and time at Hillsboro.

Edited August 22, 2007 by C.R.O.

[OhhAndy]

Okay, full stop.

 

What makes you think just because Hillsboro has 30+ students (actually, more than that), that they don't care about you succeeding

 

What makes you think that there isn't one-on-one attention?

 

If you don't like the school, fine, that your decision, but don't post false information here.

 

Fact is, Hillsboro does care about it's students.

 

Fact is, you will get lot's of one-on-one attention and time at Hillsboro.

Fact is I never once said there wasnt one on one instruction. They just dont take or have the time like the smaller schools do, to spend time to with you on out of the schedule time frames, when your there and paying yeah they care but when your not paying the attitude is lackluster. I never have posted false info here, just my oppinion on what I have seen first hand and heard from several other ex students, you need to read what I wrote carfully before making a blashpemous statement. If you feel they care about you then great go for it, but be carefull of what you are accusing people of.

Edited August 23, 2007 by OhhAndy

[C.R.O.]

Nevermind. It's clear you have some agenda against Hillsboro, and facts don't seem to matter.

Edited August 23, 2007 by C.R.O.

[hooked4life]

Well, I have to say that this thread has been very informative as well as entertaining. I've been doing a little research on different schools and because Hillsboro is pretty close to my hometown it's one of the companies I've been looking at. I really appreciate you guys hashing out your different opinions. I think the biggest point I've taken away from reading this thread is that I'm actually going to have to check out each school in person before I make a decision.

[BigSky]

I’ve been thinking about Hillsboro as well. I don’t mind the fact that it is a bit bigger school. I was thinking because it is a bit bigger outfit I might be more likely to get a job with them when I’m done, especially since I would like to stay in the Portland area. Dose that seem logical or am I way off?

 

I was also wondering how much stuff they do out at Troutdale because this will be closer to were I’m going to be.