.png)
A Tradition of Excellence in Collegiate Flight Training and Education
With outstanding flight instructors and an unparalleled maintenance and safety program, as well as the latest technologies in flight training and modern facilities, FIT Aviation offers the very best in aviation education for future pilots who aspire to achieve distinction and excellence as professional aviators.
Students who choose Florida Tech and FIT Aviation for their pilot training typically arrive with passion and deep respect for both the art and science of aviation. From there, our dedicated faculty and staff help every flight student become a competent and confident pilot by:
- Cultivating industry-leading expertise in aeronautics and flight.
- Developing career-ready skills in all aspects of modern aviation.
- Nurturing an attitude of integrity coupled with a safety-first mindset.
Aircraft
We fly an all-Piper fleet composed of Warriors, Archers, and Seminoles. Our Airplanes are equipped with Garmin G-1000, the Garmin G5, and Avidyne Entegra, so our students learn to fly in a state-of-the art glass-cockpit aircraft.
Simulators
FIT Aviation maintains a fleet of ten simulators that are integrated into all phases of our flight training program. In fact, before your first lesson in an airplane you will have a lesson in a motion-enhanced simulator.
Flight simulators add immensely to the flight training experience. FIT Aviation maintains a fleet of ten simulators. Our simulators can enhance the training experience by simulating a broad array of scenarios that would be difficult to do in flight. Additionally, risk is mitigated since countless different in-flight emergency scenarios may be presented to a student that would otherwise be difficult to safely do in flight. Finally, simulators are cost effective, especially when compared to the costs associated with an airplane. There is an old adage that airplanes are horrible learning environments due to the many distractions – heat in the summer, cramped space, noise and turbulence. Those distractions may be eliminated or greatly mitigated in a simulator thereby allowing the student and Instructor to focus on the lesson’s learning objectives.
Flying in Florida provides a number of benefits. Most important of all is the 300+ days of excellent flying weather in a typical year, which explains why so many flight schools locate their facilities and operations in the Sun Shine State. Such great weather enables a student to complete their flight training in a shorter period of time compared to other parts of the country. Being on Central Florida’s Atlantic Coast further adds to the flight training experience. To the north is Jacksonville’s Busy Class Charlie Airspace, to the west is the busy Orlando-Tampa Metroplex and associated Class Bravo airspaces, and to the south is Miami’s Class Bravo airspace, and the Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Class Charlie airspaces. No other place in the country provides such excellent flight training opportunities in three different directions in such busy airspace. Additionally, 25 miles to the north is the Kennedy Space Center, which has become increasingly busy with weekly launches. Seeing a rocket launch while in flight is a truly awe-inspiring experience.
Located just 2.5 miles from Florida Tech's beautiful campus, the Melbourne-Orlando International Airport (KMLB) is a rapidly growing transportation and business hub, and home to FIT Aviation.
In recent years KMLB has experienced considerable growth and infrastructure improvements. It has three runways, including one in excess of ten thousand feet. The KMLB airport has the distinction of being one of the world’s most scenic runway approaches.
Embraer has a state of the art facility where it employs hundreds of high-tech employees producing the Phenom business jet. Northrop-Grumman, one of the country’s largest defense companies, maintains one of its largest campuses adjacent to FIT Aviation.
The KMLB airport terminal is undergoing an extensive expansion which will enable a significant increase in passenger throughput, as well as adding an international arrivals/departures concourse. Every day KMLB has dozens of scheduled domestic air carrier arrivals and departures by American Airlines, Delta and Allegiant. TUI, the world’s leading holiday company, has daily wide-body arrivals and departures from numerous cities in the UK, including London, Manchester, and Birmingham. Other prominent airport tenants include SATCOM Direct, STS Aviation Services, and Sheltair. Ten miles to the north is Patrick Space Force Base, and ten miles to south is Valkaria, a county run airport frequently used by FIT Aviation for flight training.
The FIT Aviation flight training experience is greatly enhanced due to KMLB’s location, where a student may be holding short for take-off behind a Phenom, while an Allegiant Airbus 320 lands on one KMLB’s parallel runways, and an Air Force C-130 transitions overhead on approach into Patrick Space Force Base. For additional information about KMLB, please visit the following websites:
Safety and quality of training are fundamental policies of the Florida Tech College of Aeronautics and F.I.T. Aviation. Excellence in safety and the highest quality of customer service are vital components of our mission and the source of our leadership pride within university aeronautics programs. As aviation professionals, we recognize that aviation can never be totally free of all risk. We freely choose to participate in aviation, and in recognition of the acceptable risks, the leadership of F.I.T. Aviation is totally committed to the implementation of Safety Management Systems (SMS) throughout the organization.
The management of F.I.T. Aviation shall provide all customers, students and team members with a safe and healthy working environment. Safety is the responsibility of ALL HANDS, and F.I.T. Aviation senior management is accountable for the safety and quality performance of all activities and services under their cognizance. We shall always conduct all activities in accordance with applicable policies, procedures and regulations. Directors, managers, supervisors and each individual team member are expected to remain proactive in our company at all times.
F.I.T. Aviation will maintain a proactive, cross-functional Safety Management System based upon the four SMS pillars of Safety Policy, Safety Risk Management, Safety Assurance, and Safety Promotion. We will continuously examine our operation for hazards and find ways to minimize them. We will report incidents in a timely manner, train staff regarding safety matters, document our findings and our responses, and always strive for improvement. Management fully supports the open sharing of information of all safety issues, and all students and team members are strongly encouraged to openly communicate their safety concerns to senior management without any fear of reprisal or disciplinary action.
Any criminal acts or willful or repeated violations of workplace safety rules by any individual will be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment. Regardless of position, compliance with all safety policies, procedures and regulations is considered a condition of employment.
Working closely together in an open, proactive SMS organization, we can achieve our goal of always operating at the highest possible levels of safety and quality.