Eight Piper Archers Join FIT Aviation Fleet

(College of Aeronautics Dean Ken Stackpoole and President Anthony J. Catanese inspect the new delivery of Piper Archers.)

Florida Tech took delivery of eight single-engine Piper Archer TX training airplanes, equipped with the latest Garmin G1000 avionics on May 6. They were flown in from Piper Aircraft Inc.’s Vero Beach headquarters.

In addition to these aircraft, Florida Tech has options on 16 additional trainers, either Archer TXs or twin-engine Seminoles, bringing the total potential new aircraft under the agreement to 24. The new Pipers are among the first Archer TXs equipped with the new avionics suite, just certified in April.

The five-year agreement also includes enhanced career opportunities for students and graduates through Piper internships, scholarships, career interviews and mentoring.