L3Harris Flight Academy
Orlando Flight School
Our Orlando Flight School, located at Sanford International Airport, offers pilot training programs delivered by experienced Instructors in purpose-built facilities, providing an unparalleled learning experience.
Take to the skies and kickstart your Florida aviation career training in Orlando at L3Harris Airline Academy!
Learn to Fly At L3Harris’ Flight School in Florida
Our cadets train to become commercial airline pilots or private pilots at our Orlando Flight School, located in central Florida. Our campus will become your home away from home, regardless of which pilot development program you’re completing.
As one of the top flight schools in Florida, we support you to train, help you achieve the required flying hours and ensure that you gain valuable experience to start a successful pilot career. Whether you aspire to become a commercial airline pilot, or wish to complete your Private Pilot License (PPL) training in Florida, we’re here to help!
We also have career pathways with multiple airlines across the US - some of which offer up to $15,000 in tuition reimbursement!
If you’re concerned about the cost of flight training in Florida or supporting yourself financially through pilot school, we have you covered. We have partnered with Stratus Financial and Sallie Mae to offer financing options to help fund up to 100% of the cost of pilot training in Florida.
Orlando Flight School Aircraft Fleet
We are at the cutting-edge of flight training in Florida. We have a fleet of over 100 airplanes, consisting of both single and multi-engine aircraft with steam gauge and all-glass cockpits.
All our Orlando Flight School aircraft are instrument flight rules (IFR) certified and are maintained and inspected to the highest safety standards by our dedicated team of onsite Mechanics. We're committed to giving all our cadets the best and safest flying experience. Our fleet you can expect to see when you join our pilot training in Orlando, Florida, includes Cirrus SR20, Cessna 172P, Piper Archer PA28 and Piper Seminole PA44.
Orlando Flight Training Facilities
Our Flight School in Florida benefits from excellent flying weather for more than 300 days a year. As part of our pilot development programs cadets have access to purpose-built facilities such as:
- Advanced Flight Training Devices (FTDs)
- High-intensity runway lighting
- Automated Weather Observing System (AWOS) weather reporting system
- Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) control tower
- Pre-and-post flight briefing areas
- Dispatch center
- Affiliations with airlines for exclusive career opportunities
As a cadet at our Orlando, Florida Flight School, you’ll train alongside like-minded people and create lifelong friendships. No matter your flying experience or aspirations, L3Harris Flight Academy has a pilot training course or program to suit.
Orlando Flight School Flight Training Devices (FTDs)
At our Florida Flight School, we provide cadets with access to a range of Flight Training Devices (FTDs) which are designed to emulate real-life flying experiences. We want to provide them with an authentic flying experience and the confidence that they can take to the skies in our fleet.
FTDs are full-size replicas of aircraft instruments, panels, and controls that you will see onboard an aircraft enabling cadets to:
- Continue flight training when it is not safe or practical to train in adverse conditions
- Practice advanced maneuvers
Our range of FTDs at our pilot school in Florida include:
- A Level 6 FAA-approved Cirrus SR20 FTD
- A Level 4 FAA-approved Piper PA44 FTD
- A line of AviatorTM Cirrus SR20 Advanced Aviation Training Devices (AATD)
- Two Frasca International Inc. TruFlite AATDs
- One Piper PA44
- One Cessna 172SP
- A Redbird MCX AATD that can be configured as a Cessna 172SP
- A Piper PA44 round dial with 2 Garmin 430 GPS receivers
- A PA44 all-glass Garmin G1000
What’s It Like to Train at L3Harris Flight Academy?
Tomas Klimas captures a day in the life of a Certified Flight Instructor (CFI) cadet at our Orlando Flight School in Florida.
Learn more about student life at our Orlando Flight School.
Living in Florida During Pilot Training
Pilot training in Florida is so much more than just the aircraft you train in, the flying lessons you undergo and those who instruct you. It’s the whole experience; the life-long friendships you make and the place you call home for the duration of your pilot development program.
Whilst Florida is renowned as one of the best places to complete your pilot training in the world, it’s also known as a tropical paradise with plenty of opportunities to explore, enjoy and relax.
You’ll have the world’s most well-known theme parks, Disney World and Universal Studios, at your fingertips - perfect if you love a thrill and seek an adrenaline rush!
Whether you like to relax and soak up the sun or want to catch some waves, the famous Cocoa Beach and Daytona Beach are within reach to do either, or both!
Last, but definitely not least, Florida provides the perfect opportunity to attend a game, match or race! From basketball and football - to soccer, baseball and NASCAR racing, you can watch it all while living in Florida. Find out more about the top things to do in Florida during your Orlando flight training.
How to Get Here
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By air Getting to our Orlando Flight School by air is easy. Florida has several major airports such as Miami, Orlando, Tampa, Fort Lauderdale, West Palm Beach and Jacksonville which are all served by major U.S. carriers. If you’re traveling to our Orlando flight training center from European countries, Miami and Orlando are served by European carriers such as British Airways and Virgin Atlantic Airways. -
By car Traveling to our Orlando Flight School via car is also relatively easy if you’re traveling within the U.S. Three interstate highlights lead to Florida; the I-10 from the west and the I-75 and I-95 from the north. -
By train Traveling to our Orlando Flight School via train is relatively easy for those traveling within the U.S. Amtrak is the rail service provider for Florida and runs daily from locations such as New York City, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington DC, Charleston and Savannah to Jacksonville, Sanford, Orlando and Miami.
Florida Flight School FAQs
What training programs do you offer at your Flight School?
- First In Flight: Private Pilot Certificate
- Edge: Commercial Pilot Certificate
- Elite: CFI/CFII Certificate
- ATP CTP
- International Pilot Program
For more information about courses at our Florida flight school, please visit our FAA pilot training courses page.
Which aircraft are in the L3Harris Flight Academy fleet?
The L3Harris Flight Academy fleet consists of over 100 airplanes, with a combination of five different single and multi-engine options, with steam gauge and all-glass cockpits.
Our single-engine aircraft fleet:
Cirrus SR20 - The Cirrus SR20 has an optimized workspace with more room than any other four-seater training aircraft, providing an ideal environment to learn. Uncompromising safety, the Cirrus SR20 includes innovative systems and features such as:
- Tricycle landing gear for easier touchdown regardless of conditions
- Cirrus Airframe Parachute System® (CAPS®)
- 6-cylinder engine
- Cuffed wing
- Avidyne glass cockpit suite
- Four point airbag seatbelts
- Fuel injected engine
Cessna 172P & 172SP - The Cessna Skyhawk is considered the most popular single-engine aircraft with simplistic flight characteristics, enhanced visibility, and increased automation and protection features to help build the next generation of world-class pilots. Features include:
- Tricycle landing gear for easier touchdown regardless of conditions
- Four-cylinder, fuel-injected engine
- Garmin G1000 avionics suite (only on the 172SP)
- High-wing design for more stable flying characteristics
Piper Archer PA28 - The Piper Archer offers durability, reliability, comfort, and technology creating the ideal training environment for cadets. Features include:
- GFC700 Autopilot
- Tricycle landing gear for easier touchdown regardless of conditions
- Garmin G1000 avionics suite
- Low-wing design
- Four-cylinder engine
Our multi-engine aircraft fleet:
Piper Seminole PA44 - The Piper Seminole has been built for reliability and durability; considered to be the best multi-engine trainer available today. The Piper Seminole allows students and trainers alike to perform advanced maneuvers and procedures both skilfully and safely. Features include:
- Garmin G1000 avionics suite
- LED wing tip recognition and tail strobe lights
- Counter rotating propellers for increased stability during engine-out training.
- Four-cylinder engine
What should I consider when looking for a flight school?
Each flight school has something different to offer prospective pilots. Some of the key things to consider when researching aviation schools include:
- Courses: You have the choice between programs and courses. Some programs offer a direct route to becoming a commercial pilot. While certificates, ratings and courses, are approved by the FAA under 14 CFR Part 141
- Funding: Funding availability and financial support can also play a huge role. You could consider aviation scholarships or flight school loans such as Stratus Financial or Sallie Mae as a means of funding your pilot training
- Location: Where your flight school is located can matter. Our Flight Academy in Sanford, Florida, offers wonderful flying weather for over 300 days of the year. Therefore, our cadets can spend more time up in the aircraft
- Career opportunities: Some flight schools will offer direct routes into employment or will have strong connections with airlines, giving cadets excellent employment opportunities. L3Harris has affiliations with airlines that visit campus regularly to interview for First Officer positions
What is the cost of training at your Florida Flight School?
The cost of flight school training is a common concern for prospective students. Pilot training costs will vary depending on the program.
- Edge: Commercial Pilot Certificate = $84,025
- First In Flight: Private Pilot Certificate = $28,650
- Elite: CFI/CFII Certificate = $28,700
- Airline Transport Pilot Certification Training Program (ATP CTP) cost = $3,995
Prospective pilots may be able to qualify for Stratus Financial or Sallie Mae flight school student loans, state or private loans or scholarships. For more information, please visit our guide to pilot training costs.
Do you have ground school training facilities at your Florida Flight School?
At our Florida Flight School, we intertwine ground school training with in-flight training. Our cadets will go through ground school to learn the theory behind aircraft flight, weather, and other aviation topics to operate an aircraft safely. Once proficient, our cadets will apply their skills in the aircraft with in-flight training.
Ground school training takes place within our dedicated Academic Building, complete with eight multimedia-equipped classrooms, a Learning Resource Centre (LCR) open every day of the week, a study hall, and a testing center with 10 computerized testing stations and a proctor station.
A Certified Flight Instructor is available to all our flight school cadets during normal business hours, and we supply additional resources including books, magazines, and aircraft parts to supplement studies.
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