General Info

Florida Tech's College of Aeronautics began as the Aerospace Technical Institute (ATI) in 1968. Unable to secure space at either John Kennedy Memorial Airport (now Melbourne Airport) or near Valkaria Airport, Florida Tech purchased Campbell Aviation, a company with an existing facility on Melbourne Airport, on July 26, 1968. When ATI was integrated as part of the university in 1972, rather than a separate entity, it was divided between the School of Aeronautics for academics F.I.T. Aviation, Inc to handle flight training and to operate a for-profit FBO separate from the university. On June 12, 1972, Jerry Lauderbaugh became the first President of FIT Aviation and Dean of the School of Aeronautics. Welcome to FIT Aviation Since our beginning in 1968, we have excelled in all phases of aviation training. We are a wholly owned subsidiary of Florida Institute of Technology and are located at the Melbourne International Airport on Florida's Space Coast. Florida Tech is one of the elite few to offer a dual degree programs with flight options through the College of Aeronautics and we are proud to be part of this exciting program. You will find our graduates in nearly every airline as well as in airport management and administration all over the world. From the latest technology in flight training with a state-of-the-art new facility to a brand-new fleet of glass-cockpit Piper airplanes, F.I.T. Aviation offers the very best in aviation education. Our fleet also includes Cessna, Cirrus, Citabria, and Liberty XL2 aircraft and we are a Cirrus Pilot Training Center as well. F.I.T. Aviation provides training for pilots from Private through ATP, Flight Instructor - Instrument and Multiengine. We also offer unique courses such as Conventional Gear, Aerobatics, Air Taxi, Complex Instruments, and more. Our staff is highly motivated to not only give students the best training possible, but also to instill the same love of flying they experience. In addition to training Florida Tech students, we have a General Aviation Flight Services Division which provides flight training to the general public - offering courses from beginning through advanced. Our experienced instructors are well qualified to give instruction in all phases of flight training. We are able to accommodate busy schedules by providing ground training and flight instruction in the evenings and on weekends. Our full-service Maintenance Department is top-notch and the staff of certified A & P mechanics are highly trained in the maintenance of single and light twin-engine aircraft. We also have a full-service Pilot Shop for customer convenience in finding aviation supplies, clothing, and gifts. We invite you to visit FIT Aviation in person to experience the excellence we bring to flight training.