Hillsboro Aviation To Fit ADS-B in Helicopter Training Fleet

Hillsboro Aviation (Booth 10344) has reached an agreement with Hillsboro Aero Academy to install ADS-B capability in the largest helicopter training fleet in the Northwestern U.S. The program, announced on March 1, calls for Hillsboro Aviation to install the systems on the academy’s fleet of 24 helicopters by the end of this year. The company also expects to install ADS-B systems in the academy’s remaining fleet of 53 airplanes.

“We selected Hillsboro Aviation because of their commitment to quality service and expertise in avionics installations,” said Hillsboro Aviation Academy president and CEO Jon Hay. “The hardware we selected for our helicopter installations will provide ADS-B traffic and weather to pilots’ tablets via a Wi-Fi signal onboard the aircraft. We believe that this added functionality will enhance the quality of training and flight safety at our school.”

According to the FAA’s database, more than 38,000 aircraft in Oregon, Washington, Montana, Idaho and Northern California require ADS-B installations by Jan. 1, 2020. Some 30 avionics shops reside in the same area, meaning each shop will need to install the systems on an average of 1,266 aircraft over a four-year period.