FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does the training take?
Our program lengths vary depending on how often you are able to fly each week. Obviously, the more availability you have to fly, the more quickly you can complete the program. On average, our Airplane Professional Pilot Program plus instructor ratings (which includes Private Pilot Certificate, Instrument Rating, Commercial Pilot Certificate, Certified Flight Instructor Rating, Certified Flight Instructor Instrument Rating, and Multi-Engine Instructor Rating) takes about 18-21 months to complete if you are a full-time student meaning you fly, on average, three times per week.
Our Helicopter Professional Pilot Program plus instructor ratings (which includes Private Pilot Certificate, Instrument Rating, Commercial Pilot Certificate, Certified Flight Instructor Rating, and Flight Instructor Instrument Rating) takes about 12-15 months to complete on average, if you are a full-time student. Please note, that these are averages and vary depending on how often you fly, resource availability, check ride wait times (which is a nationwide issue), and weather at the campus where you are based.
How much does your program cost?
This is also something that is challenging to estimate because it is very dependent on the student. Flying more frequently improves learning. Some people are able to understand and retain the material more quickly than others. These factors can all affect the total cost of the program. We estimate our program costs based on averages to complete the entire course, known as the Professional Pilot Program. The cost of our Airplane Professional Pilot Program, including Private Pilot Certificate, Instrument Rating, Commercial Pilot Certificate, and Certified Flight Instructor Rating is about $68,000 USD on average. To complete the additional instructor ratings, which we recommend to improve your knowledge and experience and enable you to build additional flight hours more quickly, is about $10,000 USD more.
The Helicopter Professional Pilot Program, including Private Pilot Certificate, Instrument Rating, Commercial Pilot Certificate, and Certified Flight Instructor Rating is about $80,000 USD on average. And to complete the additional instructor rating is approximately $3,000 USD more. These estimates are based on average program pricing for flight instruction, ground instruction, aircraft rentals, simulator rentals, and written tests. The only item not included in this estimate is the fee you pay to the Designated Pilot Examiner when you take your check ride because those fees are paid directly to that person and not HAA.
At which campus can I do my training?
If you are interested in helicopter training, then you will enroll at our Hillsboro Heli Academy Campus in Troutdale. If you are interested in airplane training, we currently are only enrolling students at our Hillsboro Campus.
What are the financing options?
HAA works with a couple of organizations that offer financing to flight training students and have some excellent loan programs. The loan programs offer loan amounts up to the full cost of the program, competitive rates, and flexible repayment options. This financing is not through HAA so you must apply directly with these lenders. In order to apply for the loan, you or your co-signer must have a social security number. If you would like more information about our loan programs, please contact our admissions team.
Are scholarships available?
HAA does not currently offer any scholarships, but there are a number of aviation organizations that offer scholarships for portions of the training. When we are made aware of these opportunities, we share them on social media. Also, Tuition Funding Sources is a free scholarship search engine with over 7 million scholarships totaling more than $41 billion to help pay for college. Visit www.tuitionfundingsources.com to learn more.
How many aircraft are in your fleet?
Our airplane fleet consists of over 85 airplanes, including the Cessna 152 and 172, Piper Seminole, Diamond DA42, and King Air C90. Our helicopter fleets consists of over 20 helicopters, including the R22 and R44.
How soon can I begin the training?
Our apply webpage lists the available starts dates by program and campus. Please refer to this page to see our current openings. If you have questions about the programs or our campuses, please contact our admissions team, and one of our representatives will follow up with you to answer your questions.
How many times per week should I fly?
Ideally, we recommend averaging three flights per week for our airplane students and at least 3-4 flights per week for our helicopter students. This puts you on a good track to completing the program in a timely manner even if you have to cancel some flights for maintenance issues or weather. If you want to fly more, there are often openings in off-peak blocks in the early morning or evening. These are great opportunities to take advantage of so you can log some additional flight time.
What does a typical schedule look like?
This really depends on you. Our airplane students have ground class three times per week while our helicopter students have one-on-one ground with their instructor 2-3 times per week. As for your flights, you should try to schedule three flights per week so you can make efficient progress through the course and still stay on track even when a flight is canceled for weather or maintenance.
What is the difference between the M-1 and F-1 visas?
The simplest answer is that the M-1 Visa allows you to participate in our flight training courses in the US, but you are not allowed to work. The F-1 Visa allows students to participate in flight training and be eligible to work as a pilot after the completion of your training. There are different requirements for the M-1 and F-1 visas, and there is more information on our website regarding the specific requirements.
What is financial verification for a student visa?
Financial verification is proof of funds available to cover the flight training and living expenses for the program who intend to enroll in. These funds must be a liquid asset in a checking or savings account shown on a notarized bank statement or an approved loan application. A signed letter of support is needed if the funds are not in the student’s name. All documents must be accompanied by a notarized English translation denoting monies in U.S. dollars. The funds that must be shown for each program are:
Airplane Professional Pilot Program – $68,000 USD
Helicopter Professional Pilot Program – $82,000 USD
Do you offer student housing?
We do offer student housing located near each of our campuses. Housing is only able to enrolled students. We are not able to accommodate families or pets in our housing, and you must be 18 years of age to stay in housing. Each student who requests housing is asked to pay $1000 prior to their arrival which is used as a credit toward your first month’s rent. After that initial payment, you will be billed weekly for housing. The cost for housing for our Oregon campuses is either $250 per week for a master bedroom with a private bathroom or $230 per week for a standard room with a shared bathroom. The apartments all have shared living space, even if you have a private room. You will have at least one roommate. The apartments come fully furnished and include all towels, bedding, and kitchen items.
Can I get a job with you when I am done?
The first job for the majority of our students is to work as a Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) which allows you to build the hours necessary to progress in your career. We hire a large number of our graduate to work as CFIs, and as you get closer to completing your training you can visit our employment page (link) to see available job openings. While we do hire many graduates, we cannot guarantee employment. We also have connections with numerous other operators and can make recommendations and sometimes introductions if you choose to begin your career somewhere besides HAA.