Hillsboro Airport Noise and Pollution Continue Amidst Global Pandemic

Miki Barnes
March 19, 2020

The screenshots included in this mailing were captured on 3/18/2020. All came from FlightRadar24.

The depicted flight tracks were generated by pilots flying in aircraft registered to Hillsboro Aero Academy (HAA), a for-profit international flight training school located at the Hillsboro Airport. HAA also provides pilot instruction at Oregon's Troutdale and Redmond Airports. The flight patterns represent a very small fraction of the hundreds of training operations and private pilots that fly over Washington County on any given day.

The Hillsboro Aero Academy flights shown in these screenshots all departed and landed at the Hillsboro Airport (HIO). Many repetitively circled and looped over the area for an hour or more before returning to HIO. These aircraft use leaded fuel which emits vapors and particulate lead during flight. The evidence suggests that impacted residents are being exposed to lead multiple times daily.

The emissions released during most of these training operations were not factored into the 2011 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) National Emissions Inventory (NEI) finding that ranked Hillsboro Airport (HIO) 21st in the nation among close to 20,000 U.S. airports in lead emissions. HIO is also the largest facility source of lead in Oregon. The 2011 lead emissions NEI was based only on emissions released during take-off, landing and taxiing close to the airport. Training patterns lasting an hour or longer multiple times a day over homes, neighborhoods, schools, daycare centers, senior facilities, prime farmland, waterways, and recreational areas were never measured, modeled, or considered.

On March 18, 2020, in response to the coronavirus, Oregon schools were ordered to remain closed until April 28. Restaurants, bars, movie theaters, and many other businesses have been shuttered. Elective surgeries have been canceled or postponed. Many dental offices are scaling back hours while others are temporarily closing. Residents are instructed to stay home as much as possible in an effort to limit exposure and the spread of the disease. Many are understandably feeling stressed and fearful during these challenging times.

Yet Hillsboro Aero Academy was out in full force generating relentless noise while pumping lead emissions and a host of other toxins into the environment. As usual, the Hillsboro Airport, owned and operated by the Port of Portland, placed the profiteering of the aviation industry above and beyond the health and well-being of the community.

By the way, how do a flight instructor and student pilot meet the 6-foot social distancing recommendations issued by the CDC?

Note, the Port of Portland profits from every gallon of avgas (leaded fuel) and jet fuel sold at the Hillsboro Airport. Similarly, Oregon Senator Betsy Johnson owns Transwestern Aviation at the Scappoose Airport, a business that is managed by her husband, John Helm. Both profit from the sale of avgas and jet fuel sold by this company. Thus pumping noise and pollutants into the environment on a near daily basis lines the pockets and serves the self interest of both the Port and Senator Johnson.

It is also important to recognize that Oregon's proposed cap and trade policies exempt aviation fuel. As a result, student pilots, recruited from all over the world feel entitled to circle our homes hour after hour, day after day, week after week, month after month, year after year with no repercussions. In the meantime, those who drive to work, take their children to school, go to their places of worship or tend to other activities of daily living will pay while private and student pilots relentlessly pollute our homes, schools and neighborhoods with no consequences whatsoever.

This situation reveals the hypocrisy of the state of Oregon's pretense of addressing climate change. Clearly, an obvious first step towards reducing CO2 emissions would be to immediately ban flight training and to establish economic incentives to reduce recreational flying and private jet operations. Strategies for reducing commercial aviation also needs to be addressed.

Instead of a democratic vote of the people, the members of the Port of Portland Board of Commissioners are appointed by the governor. The relentless noise and pollution generated by Port owned airports reveals their utter disdain and indifference to the environment and to the people who live in this community. Our livability, health, and well-being have been literally sold out to for-profit international flight training businesses, recreational pilots and private jet owners.

 

This flight track was generated by a single flight practicing touch-and-go's in the vicinity of the Hillsboro Airport. At the time this screenshot was taken, the pilot had been in the air for 35 minutes and had circled the area at least 8 times. This is a typical training pattern that is often carried out by Hillsboro Aero Academy and Portland Community College Aviation Sciences students multiple times daily. Note the Hillsboro Airport is bordered on 3 sides by densely populated neighborhoods and on the fourth by prime farmland. Cessna 152 aircraft use leaded fuel and also release other toxins associated with fossil fuel burning engines. Touch and go's stay below 2,000 feet of altitude and remain within 4 to 5 miles of the airport.

 

This Hillsboro Aero Academy flight occurred over rural Washington and Yamhill County communities. Potential home buyers should be apprised of the noise and toxic pollution generated by the flight training industry and private pilots in this area. Please note that there are more than 14 other general aviation aircraft visible at the time this screenshot was taken. Many were training flights, similar to this one, leaving a trail of noise and pollution in their wake.

 

This aircraft practiced south of the airport over Yamhill and the surrounding area. At the time this screenshot was captured the flight had been in the air for 50 minutes. Student pilots frequently train in the vicinity of a number of vineyards. Given the excessive amount of flight training over this area, winery owners might want to change some of their wine tasting descriptions, for example “aggressive overtones of lead with a burst of PM2.5 and persistent hints of benzene.” Again, please note the numerous other aircraft in flight, many of which are training operations.

 

This pattern was produced by an aircraft registered to Hillsboro Aero Academy. After pummeling rural communities to the northwest of HIO with noise and toxic pollution for an hour or more, the aircraft returned to the airport to engage in touch-and-go's over residential neighborhoods close to the airport. At the time this screenshot was taken the aircraft had been in the air more than 90 minutes. Please note the 5 other aircraft visible in this picture; some are also engaged in extensive training similar to this one.

 

This aircraft looped over the Manning area before going to Scappoose to practice touch-and-go patterns. As mentioned earlier, Oregon Senator Betsy Johnson and her husband John Helm profit from the sale of avgas and jet fuel at the Scappoose Airpark. According to the EPA 2011 National Emissions Inventory, the Scappoose Airpark is the largest facility source of lead emissions in Columbia County. This aircraft had been in the air over an hour and a quarter when this shot was captured.

 

Yet another example of a pilot practicing touch and go patterns over residential communities in Hillsboro. When this shot was captured, the pilot had already circled 7 times in 38 minutes. Note the 4 other aircraft flying over the same general area at the time this shot was taken.

 

This flight flew over the Manning area then returned to HIO to engage in touch and go patterns. This flight had been in the air for over an hour when this shot was captured.

 

This aircraft circled multiple times over the Manning area before flying back towards HIO. It had been in the air for 45 minutes when this shot was taken.

 

This aircraft looped over the Manning – Banks area then flew back to the Hillsboro Airport to practice touch-and-go patterns over people's homes and neighborhoods closer to the airport. The flight had been in the air for close to an hour when this screenshot was captured. Note the 4 other aircraft near the airport at the time this screenshot was captured.

 

My husband and I live on a wooded lot in rural Washington County. Our area is frequently under assault by Hillsboro Aero Academy student pilots, who relentlessly loop and circle in the vicinity of our home. Despite repeated calls over the years to the Port of Portland Noise Office, Hillsboro Aero Academy, Portland Community College, Washington County Commissioners and the Governor's citizen line, nothing has been done to address this issue. This aircraft had been in the air for 25 minutes at the time this screen shot was taken.