During its 36 years in business and 1.5 million hours flown, Hillsboro Aero Academy, formerly Hillsboro Aviation’s flight school, has always viewed safety as more than just a way of flying. It is a core part of the school’s curriculum that is incorporated into each student’s training.
“We believe the way a student pilot thinks about safety and risk management is the most fundamental and pivotal aspect of becoming a truly professional pilot,” emphasized Jon Hay, President of Hillsboro Aero Academy. “It is vital then, that our industry’s next generation of pilots receive a strong, experientially-based education in risk management during their initial flight training. Beginning each student’s career with this strong foundation of good decision making will leave an indelible mark on their future as professional aviators and our industry as a whole,” said Hay.
Hillsboro Aero Academy has a very active Safety Management System (SMS) that has been in place for nearly a decade starting when the school was part of its sister company, Hillsboro Aviation, Inc. The SMS is the backbone of both flight operations and the risk management education that all students receive at Hillsboro Aero Academy.
In January 2016, Hillsboro Aero Academy was recognized by the International Business Aviation Council (IBAC) as the first initial flight training academy to be awarded International Standard for Business Aircraft Operations (IS-BAO) Stage Two accreditation. In 2014, Hillsboro Aero Academy was also the first flight academy to receive Stage One accreditation. “Being the first Part 141 flight training academy to receive IS-BAO Stage One and Stage Two accreditation is great acknowledgement that we are continually raising the bar in terms of integrating safety and risk management into flight training education and operations,” said Hay.
IS-BAO is an internationally-recognized set of safety standards for business aviation. This is voluntary process designed to integrate the best practices in safety and operations and develop an organization that manages risk effectively while building a strong safety culture.
Hillsboro Aero Academy is also in the process of becoming the first helicopter flight training school to be accredited under the newly formed Helicopter Association International, Accredited Program of Safety.