Melbourne-based Florida Institute of Technology (Florida Tech) has doubled its fleet of Piper Pilot 100i aircraft. Four more have just been delivered, bringing the total to eight. Florida Tech has nearly 50 Piper trainer aircraft in total, including Archers, Warriors, Seminole Twins and now the Pilot 100i.
The flight training facility announced the delivery yesterday (Aug. 12), adding that enrollment has increased 80% over the past three years, with flight operations expected to grow 36%. Dr. John Nicklow, president of Florida Tech, said, “At Florida Tech, our students learn by doing, and we can’t wait to get them in the cockpit of these state-of-the-art Piper Pilot 100is so they can start learning with our amazing flight instructors. What makes this even more meaningful is that many of our alumni who work at Piper helped design, build and test these aircraft. It’s an outstanding example of the power of a Florida Tech education in action.”
Marc Ouellet, Piper’s Vice President of Engineering and Manufacturing, said, “It is an honor to continue supplying aircraft to our long-time Flight School Alliance member, Florida Tech. Their program is one of the best, and we know this first-hand, as several Florida Tech graduates work in the Piper factory. We are proud that Piper training equipment is known for its ease of use and reliability, and we know that, in addition to our outstanding customer service, makes us the first choice for flight schools’ training needs.”
