At the College of Aeronautics we prepare our students to be successful in long careers in all aspects of the aviation industry - that includes the pilot of the aircraft. Florida Tech offers flight options with many undergraduate degrees through the College of Aeronautics. The flight training program for all flight option bachelor’s degrees consists of four flight courses. The flight training sequence is an integrated series of courses designed to prepare the student for a career as a commercial pilot. Upon successful completion of the flight program pilots will have earned at minimum their commercial pilot certificate with instrument and multiengine ratings, and at least of 190 hours of flight training.
ATP Requirements
The FAA now requires a minimum of 1,500 hours of flight time to qualify for Airline Transport Pilot (ATP) privileges. Pilots pursuing certain degrees along with their flight training at Florida Tech however are able to qualify for a restricted privileges ATP certificate significantly earlier. Graduates of any degree with a flight option from the College of Aeronautics gives the pilot the opportunity to qualify for a restricted privileges ATP certificate at 1,000 hours, allowing them to pursue employment with airlines much earlier than many of their peers.
The Flight Line
Established in 1968, F.I.T. Aviation LLC is a wholly owned subsidiary of Florida Institute of Technology and an integral part of the College of Aeronautics. FIT Aviation supports aviation programs at Florida Tech by providing for all university related flight training activities. FIT Aviation also operates a for-profit FBO at the Melbourne International Airport and provides training for a variety of customers including airlines, individuals, and more.
Visit the FIT Aviation Website
Flight Courses
Private Pilot Training
Private pilot courses at Florida Tech provide students with flight instruction through completing their first solo as well as their written and practical private pilot examinations. The course covers core concepts that are the building blocks for more advanced flight training such as introducing checklists, meteorology, flight controls, and more. The private pilot certificate is earned over the course of two classes, Flight 1 and Flight 2. Flight 1 prepares the student pilot for, and culminates with, their first cross-country solo flight while Flight 2 prepares the student for the final practical and knowledge examinations. Upon successful completion of Flight 1 and 2 the student will have flown at least 40 hours and have earned their Private Pilot Certificate.
Piper Warrior - Aspen
A portion of FIT Aviation’s fleet of Piper Warriors are equipped with traditional the Aspen Evolution 1000 MFD to create a cockpit incorporating both glass and traditional avionics.
Instrument Rating Training
Instrument rating training prepares pilots to fly without the need for an external visual reference. Pilots learn about instrument flight rules to how use all of the information available to them in the cockpit in order to safely operate the aircraft. Flight 3 is the course that prepares students for the FAA instrument rating examinations. Upon successful completion of Flight 3 and passing the FAA instrument rating written exam the pilot will be awarded their Instrument Rating.
Piper Warrior - Avidyne
Piper Warrior III - FIT Aviation’s fleet of Warrior IIIs are the primary aircraft used by College of Aeronautics students for instrument flight training. The aircraft are all equipped with the Avidyne glass avionics suite as well as the Aspen Evolution 1000 MFD.
Commercial Pilot Training
Commercial flight training at FIT Aviation provides students with the most productive training possible. Flight 4 provides advanced flight instruction in single and multi-engine aircraft to prepare students for the FAA commercial pilot practical test. FAA commercial pilot-airplane multiengine land certificate is awarded upon successful completion of Flight 4, the FAA commercial pilot exam, and all prerequisites and co-requisites.
Piper Archer TX and Seminole - Glass Cockpit
The commercial multi-engine program at Florida Tech uses two aircraft. The Piper Archer TX, equipped with Garmin G1000 avionics, is the ideal aircraft for learning principles of commercial flight and working in a more advanced cockpit. The Piper Seminoles are the most complex aircraft in the fleet and the platform for the most experienced student pilots to test their skills.
Certified Flight Instructor Training
Florida Tech offers training for commercial and instrument rated pilots to qualify for the FAA Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) Certificate. Courses prepare pilots to pass practical and written CFI examinations. Students also have the opportunity to start training for even more advanced instructor ratings such as instrument flight instructor (CFII) and multi-engine flight instructor (MEI).
Have You Thanked A CFI Lately?
CFIs are some of the first people that student pilots are exposed to in the aviation training environment and in most cases are present throughout the training process. CFIs have the opportunity and responsibility to train new pilots to operate their aircraft safely and confidently during training and later in their careers as aviators.
Why CFI?
Simply, the aviation industry has a need for qualified airline pilots. With the new rules regarding Restricted ATP, becoming qualified to be an airline pilot is a longer journey than it has been in the past. One of the fastest and arguably the best way to build the necessary hours is by becoming a CFI and training the next generation of pilots while you build the experience to become an airline pilot. Flight instructors at larger and busier flight schools like FIT Aviation are able to build their experience very quickly.
Flight Electives at the College of Aeronautics
Electives are an important part of any collegiate curriculum, flight electives are no different. These courses give student pilots the opportunity to learn about flight from a variety of different perspectives, including an upside-down perspective for aerobatic electives!
Aerobatic Flight
Provides ground and flight training in basic acrobatic flight maneuvers, recovery from unusual flight attitudes and familiarity with conventional landing-gear aircraft. Intermediate Aerobatic Flight continues on the initial training and introduces and develops basic aerobatic skills to enable students to perform complex aerobatic maneuvers.
Conventional Gear Transition
Provides ground and flight training to qualify pilots for a conventional/tailwheel-type aircraft logbook endorsement.
High Performance Airplane Transition
Provides ground and flight training to qualify pilots for a high performance aircraft logbook endorsement.
International Flight Operations
Provides ground and flight training for flight operations outside the U.S. Covers FAA, FCC, U.S. Customs and the Bahamas government regulations. Includes over-water operations, international weather and international flight planning.
Air Taxi Flight
Teaches the duties of pilot in-command and second-in-command in air taxi flight operations and provides multi-engine instrument flight training for air taxi competency. Encompasses ground instruction and training in multi-engine flight simulators and Piper Seminole aircraft.
Pilot Jobs Abound in Modern Aviation
Every year the College of Aeronautics hosts its own career fair for students in aviation related majors, particularly those pursuing careers as pilots. Every year dozens of employers come to Melbourne, FL in search of Florida Tech graduates - pilots and non. Many airlines come to Florida Tech and FIT Aviation to seek out and recruit our graduates and instructors to pilot their aircraft. Airlines such as:
- American
- JetBlue
- Delta
- US Airways
- Southwest
- ExpressJet
- American Eagle
- SkyWest
- Republic Airways
- GoJet
- Endeavor Air
- Cape Air
- Silver Airways
Pilot Job Opportunities
The first step in your career in aviation may be right here in Melbourne. FIT Aviation, LLC facilitates all flight training for Florida Institute of Technology and its College of Aeronautics. Qualified graduates may find opportunity to build experience towards their ATP by applying for a job as a flight instructor for the future generations of College of Aeronautics flight students.