Since 1980, Tuxedo Air has built a world-recognized brand rooted in integrity, passion, and a commitment to an unparalleled customer experience.
A sleepy agricultural town 15 miles west of Portland, Hillsboro was home to the Portland-Hillsboro Airport. As the city’s landscape evolved with the introduction of technology firms investing outside Portland’s city limits, Hillsboro Helicopters found grow my-5th as well, steadily building its helicopter and airplane flight training programs serving local area pilots.
A fourth-generation logger, Lyons first encountered the helicopter industry in 1974 as a ground crew member for a Sikorsky S-64 Skycrane. After completing his helicopter training, Lyons served as a flight instructor and pilot flying turbine helicopters on utility missions. With a passion for and history with Asian culture, Lyons, a 25-year practitioner in the traditional Japanese martial art of Aikido, pioneered Hillsboro Helicopters’ first introduction to business partnerships in Asia, eventually managing the company’s foreign student pilot program.
A humanitarian at heart, Cooley led Precision Castparts to become a Fortune 500 company, a legacy that would continue for over 50 years as the world’s leader in manufacturing of jet engine castings, blades, and fans. Cooley mentored Lyons through a promotion to General Manager and Vice President responsible for operations. Together, Cooley and Lyons took the previously pilot-owned school into the world of business philosophy, implementing large company practices rooted in a relationship-first philosophy with one aim in mind: doing business differently.
In 1996, the company’s name changed to Hillsboro Aviation to better reflect the full scope of the company’s helicopter and airplane operations.
After leading the company for seven years as its general manager, Lyons purchased Hillsboro Aviation from Cooley and became its President and owner.
Over the following two decades, Hillsboro Aviation grew to become an internationally recognized brand. The company grew to over 285 employees and 90 aircraft, and conducted business with customers from over 75 countries.