U.S. Congress, FAA, the State of Oregon, Port of Portland and Portland Community College Foist Cost, Noise, Pollution, and Security Risk of Training Foreign and Out-of State Pilots onto Local Communities

September 13, 2018

As a direct result of irresponsible and insensitive decisions made by the U.S. Congress and the FAA to open up our skies to student pilots from overseas and out-of-state, communities across this country are being subjected to oft-times relentless air traffic noise. Oregon's Hillsboro Airport is a prime example.

A majority of the aviation activity at this airport is on behalf of the Hillsboro Aero Academy, formerly Hillsboro Aviation. The publicly subsidized Hillsboro Airport $17 million third runway was built in large part to accommodate these two corporations. However, many of the pilots trained by these companies are from outside the country.

Per the Hillsboro Aero Academy, "Since 1980, we have been training professional pilots with thousands of pilots trained from over 75 countries." Their website also states that they "have representatives in many countries" that can help with the enrollment process. In this regard they list email addresses for contacts in 12 different countries including Austria, Brazil, China, Germany, India, Japan, Luxemborg, Myanmar, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Switzerland and Taiwan.[i] To achieve this end, they partner with the taxpayer subsidized Portland Community College.

A 2013 posting from Hillsboro Aviation, now Hillsboro Aero Academy, provides additional detail on the foreign organizations and airlines that have made them "a leader in the industry."

Most are associated with China. Japan, Taiwan and Norway were also included on the list.

• The Airline Pilot Association of Taiwan chose Hillsboro Aviation as its premier location to train.
• The Japan Aviation Academy chose Hillsboro Aviation as their exclusive pilot training school.
• Shanghai Airlines chose Hillsboro Aviation to train its pilots.
• China Eastern Airlines chose Hillsboro Aviation to train its pilots.
• Air China chose Hillsboro Aviation to train its pilots.
• PTES (Cessna's single-engine piston airplane and Robinson helicopter dealer in China) chose Hillsboro Aviation as its U.S. aviation partner.
• Luftfartsskolen School of Aviation in Norway chose Hillsboro Aviation to train its pilots.
• The CAAC (Chinese government) approved Hillsboro Aviation to conduct both airplane and helicopter training.[ii]

In addition, in 2018 Hillsboro Aero Academy entered into a partnership with Windells Sports Academy to provide pilot training to international and domestic high school students between the ages of 14-18.

"Students enrolling in the Windells Academy Aviation Program will have the potential to earn their licenses and ratings to become professional airplane or helicopter pilots and obtain an Associate of Applied Science degree in Aviation Science through HAA's unique partnership with Portland Community College."[iii]

As usual, the public was denied a voice in the process even though the negative effects including noise, pollution, safety and security risks accrue to the local community.

Sources

[i] International Student Information. Hillsboro Aero Academy website. Last accessed on 9/12/18 at https://flyhaa.com/student-resources/international-students/.

[ii] Why Choose Hillsboro Aviation. Hillsboro Aviation website. Last accessed in April 2013.

[iii] International Student Information. Hillsboro Aero Academy website. Last accessed on 9.12.18 at https://flyhaa.com/helicopter/windells-academy-aviation-program/.