Vero Beach, FL, August 12, 2024 – Piper Aircraft, Inc. is proud to announce the recent delivery of four additional Piper Pilot 100i aircraft to Florida Institute of Technology (Florida Tech) in Melbourne, Florida. These aircraft mark the second installment of Pilot 100i deliveries this year, bringing their fleet total to eight (8) aircraft. With an estimated 80% growth in enrollment over the past three years, including a projected 36% increase in flight operations volume, Florida Tech Aviation looks forward to furthering their growth via the Pilot 100i’s well-known operational efficiency throughout the flight training community. Florida Tech currently utilizes a fleet of nearly fifty aircraft, including Archers, Seminoles, Warriors, and now the Pilot 100i.
“At Florida Tech, our students learn by doing, and we are eager to get them into the flight deck of these cutting-edge Piper Pilot 100is to start learning with our amazing flight instructors,” said Dr. John Nicklow, President of Florida Tech. “What makes all of this even more meaningful is that many of our alumni working at Piper helped design, build and test these aircraft. It’s a high-flying example of the power of a Florida Tech education in action.”
During their recent delivery, 17 Florida Tech alumni currently employed at Piper Aircraft joined the Florida Tech staff to celebrate their fleet expansion with a commemorative photo (below). Among the alumni, Piper representatives in attendance were those from engineering, project management, technical marketing, production flight test, and more—a powerful snapshot of the depth and versatility a Florida Tech education provides.
Following the delivery, the university hosted an exciting event at Florida Tech Aviation, its Melbourne, Florida-based flight school, to celebrate the addition of the new aircraft and recent growth throughout their aviation education programs. Numerous Florida Tech alumni currently working at Piper Aircraft attended, in addition to members of Piper’s fleet sales team and executive leadership.
“It’s an honor to continue supplying planes to our long-term Flight School Alliance member, Florida Tech. Their program is one of the best, and we know from firsthand experience as we have multiple Florida Tech graduates working at the Piper factory,” stated Marc Ouellet , Piper’s VP of Engineering and Manufacturing. “We are proud that Piper trainers are known for their ease of use and reliability, and we know that is what makes us the top choice for flight schools’ training needs, in addition to our outstanding customer support.”
About Piper Aircraft, Inc.
Piper Aircraft Inc., headquartered in Vero Beach, Fl., offers aviators throughout the world efficient and reliable single and twin-engine aircraft and is the first general aviation aircraft manufacturer in the world to certify Garmin Autoland. The single-engine M-Class series – the M700 FURY, M500, and M350 – offers businesses and individuals elegant performance, value and a superior ownership experience. The Personal Class, Archer LX and Archer DLX balance proven performance, efficiency, and simplicity in a piston-powered aircraft. The Trainer Class Pilot 100i, Archer TX, Archer DX, and Seminole aircraft form the most complete technically advanced line of pilot training aircraft in the world. Piper is a member of the General Aviation Manufacturers Association. To learn more about Piper Aircraft, visit the company’s website at www.piper.com.