The Northwest’s Leading Provider of 

Quality Aviation Services and Products

Hillsboro Aviation, Inc. 

AIRMAN’S PROFICIENCY CENTER  HILLSBORO HELICOPTERS

PORTLAND / HILLSBORO AIRPORT  3565 NE CORNELL RD.  HILLSBORO, OR 97124 

TELE: (503) 648-2831  (800) 345-0949  FAX (503) 648-1886 

August 7, 2014 

To whom it may concern: 

Hillsboro Aviation, Inc. operating a part 141 pilot school under the authority of Air Agency certificate LJES093G requests the

approval of an exemption to 14 CFR Part 61.156. Hillsboro Aviation seeks exemption to the requirements of 61.156 for 

students who have graduated our Professional Pilot, CAAC Approved V2 training curriculum for the purposes of conducting 

an Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) knowledge test prior to returning home to China. 

For the past 34 years Hillsboro Aviation has been training professional pilots. Many of our students come to us for training 

from countries around the world outside of the United States. Since 2007 Hillsboro Aviation has been approved by the Civil 

Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) to train airline cadets whom are sponsored by various Chinese airlines to conduct 

their training, return home, receive type specific Flight Simulation Training Device (FSTD) training and begin work as a first 

officer in a transport category turbine aircraft. As part of the training program here in the US, students are administered an ATP 

knowledge test that the CAAC recognizes when conducting the license conversion back in China. An ATP practical test is not 

conducted in the US. 

This exemption will benefit the public as a whole while providing an equivalent level of safety when compared to the existing 

regulation. For many years the US has offered high quality, reasonably priced training to students from around the world. In 

fact, this training brings approximately 160 million US dollars to the US from China in direct revenues, creates thousands of 

direct and indirect jobs, and ensures that the high quality of training here in the US continues to strengthen the safety of the 

worldwide transportation system. If US pilot schools are required to conduct the training specified by 61.156(b) as a 

prerequisite for an ATP knowledge test we become uncompetitive in a worldwide training market. At least one major Chinese 

airline has said that without a solution they will no longer train their students in the US. As such, the benefits to the public 

described above are threatened by 61.156. 

During training in the US the students receive ground training which exceeds that required by 61.156(a) in our part 141 

approved courses. Our ground training course requires over 180 hours of training on the areas required by 61.156(a). Each 

student will fly a minimum of 20 hours in a turbine multiengine aircraft (King Air C90) with focus on the areas listed in 

61.156(b) while in the US. Upon return to China the students receive flight training equivalent to that required by 61.156(b). 

Since the requirements of both 61.156(a) and (b) are met before the student is issued an ATP certificate an equivalent level of

safety is maintained when compared to the existing regulation. 

Summary

Hillsboro Aviation, Inc. operating a part 141 pilot school under the authority of Air Agency certificate LJES093G requests 

the approval of an exemption to 14 CFR Part 61.156. Hillsboro Aviation seeks exemption to the requirements of 61.156 for 

students enrolled in our Professional Pilot, CAAC approved V2 training curriculum for the purposes of conducting an Airline 

Transport Pilot (ATP) knowledge test. 

During training in the US the students receive ground training which exceeds that required by 61.156(a) in our part 141 

approved courses. Our ground training course requires over 180 hours of training on the areas required by 61.156(a). Each 

student will fly a minimum of 20 hours in a turbine multiengine aircraft (King Air C90) with focus on the areas listed in 

61.156(b) while in the US. Additionally, upon return to China the students receive flight training equivalent to that required by 

61.156(b). Since the requirements of both 61.156(a) and (b) are met before the student is issued an ATP certificate an 

equivalent level of safety is maintained when compared to the existing regulation. 
The Northwest’s Leading Provider of 

Quality Aviation Services and Products

Hillsboro Aviation, Inc. 

AIRMAN’S PROFICIENCY CENTER  HILLSBORO HELICOPTERS

PORTLAND / HILLSBORO AIRPORT  3565 NE CORNELL RD.  HILLSBORO, OR 97124 

TELE: (503) 648-2831  (800) 345-0949  FAX (503) 648-1886 

Thank you for your consideration of our request for exemption from the requirements of 14 CFR 61.156. 

Respectfully, 

Chris Berg 

School Director 

Hillsboro Aviation 

3565 NE Cornell Rd 

Hillsboro, OR 97124 

503-648-2831 

cberg@hillsboroaviation.com