ATP at Portland Hillsboro

Elias Levenson

New Member
Hey I have decided to go the ATP route and was look at the new Portland location at Hillsboro airport (HIO). I hear they have the new archers and a 2000 Seminole. How are the facilities, sim, instructors? I would be starting in mid Jan 2015 I know weather can be a problem but would not mind building some actual IMC. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
 
If no one has been to the Hillsboro location maybe a pros, and cons from a small ATP location to a big ATP location.

Hillsboro is an extremely busy airport, but has all the approaches you'll need to practice within a very short flight. Just keep your head on a swivel and your eyes outside when flying. I'd stick to the smaller locations for more individualized instruction. Also, in the winter time the freezing levels can dip pretty low so it can be difficult to get flights done if they need to be higher altitudes like IFR flights etc. It's something to think about, but overall training out there is pretty awesome.
 
From Oregon but I did my training at Scottsdale which is a very small location for ATP. Maybe only a few guys and gals were there at once, smaller ATP locations usually are better in my opinion, I got a lot more time with my instructor and a lot more help when I really needed it last minute. It all depends, my old instructor in SDL is good friends with the HIO instructor and I know the girl there doing her CFI stuff right now in which i have heard its pretty laid back. Yeah weather may get in the way, but if you dont mind the wait somedays, You will get amazing experience in our NW weather and dealing with everything from mountain flying to icing. If I could have, I would have rather went to HIO over SDL any day, wish I could have.

Oh and the 2000's seminoles are pretty rad, archers I have not flown so cant say.
 
For anyone who sees this in the future, the HIO location (or TIW, or anywhere in the PNW) is probably a great place to train in the summer, but not in the winter. Freezing levels and clouds mean you may not fly for several weeks.
 
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