Hillsboro Heli Academy

Hillsboro Heli Academy is the dedicated rotary-wing division of Hillsboro Aero Academy, one of the largest combined airplane and helicopter flight schools in the United States. Helicopter training has run at the Troutdale, Oregon campus since 1980, and since 2019 the site has operated exclusively for helicopter students, with its own leadership, facilities, and a training community built entirely around rotorcraft.

Students train on a fleet of roughly 21 helicopters, mostly Robinson R22s for primary work and R44 Raven IIs for commercial and instrument training, under FAA Part 141 and Part 61 syllabi from Private Pilot through CFI and CFII. Specialised courses in mountain flying, external loads, and off-airport landings use the terrain of the Columbia River Gorge and the busy Portland airspace next door, experience that maps directly to air ambulance, firefighting, utility, and tourism careers. On-campus housing and an in-house FAA-approved repair station keep the operation self-contained.

For international students the academy stands out twice over: it is one of the few helicopter schools authorised to issue the F-1 student visa, which allows graduates to build hours in the US under Optional Practical Training, and its long-standing partnership with RotorSky in Austria lets European students complete both FAA and EASA helicopter licences in as little as 14 months on a single training stay.