What is an Aviation Human Factors and Safety Degree with Flight?

Human Factors can be described as the field of study that examines the science behind the human element in human–machine interactions. Students pursuing a human factors degree are truly interdisciplinary, studying aspects of psychology, engineering, science, and design, particularly as it applies to aviation safety.

Students seeking a human factors and safety degree in aviation may choose to add the flight option to their major, and receive training to become professional pilots at FIT Aviation. Located just a few minutes from the Florida Tech campus at the Melbourne Orlando International Airport, FIT Aviation manages a fleet of over 40 aircraft. The diverse training fleet includes Piper Archer TX aircraft featuring Garmin G1000 avionics as well as the multi-engine Seminole and the complex Arrow. Adventurous flight students can add aerobatics training as an elective.

Florida Tech’s College of Aeronautics has been consistently recognized as home to the best university-based aviation programs in the country for more than 45 years. A BS in human factors and safety in aviation with the flight option provides a comprehensive background in aviation studies, management, and business, preparing students for careers in areas such as that of a professional pilot or airport consultant, and working in airline management, aircraft manufacturing and more. The degree develops a strong background in aviation with experience in modern aeronautical technology and flight operations.

Hit the Ground Running

You’ll get specialized, major-related courses start from day one, including the basics of aviation, science, math, and weather. Not only do Human Factors and Safety students start taking program-specific classes in their first year, but students are also given the opportunity to take part in hands-on projects and research—even redesigning an aircraft cockpit!

Specialization

While this program focuses on the business side of aeronautics, students taking the flight option can choose a variety of options to enhance their degree including airline pilot, air traffic control, FAA Dispatch, and/or Certified Flight Instructor (CFI).

• Air Traffic Control (ATC)—The ATC specialization meets the requirements of the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) Air Traffic-Collegiate Training Initiative (AT-CTI) program and is FAA-approved. Graduates of the program may be eligible to bypass the Air Traffic Basics Course at the FAA Academy.
• FAA Dispatch—Flight-option majors can obtain an FAA Dispatcher Certificate and work as an airline or corporate dispatcher.
• Flight Instructor—Flight instructor ground and flight courses can be taken as electives. FIT Aviation hires students and recent graduates who have their CFI certificates as flight instructors, giving them the opportunity to gain professional experience and build flight-time hours—an important piece of becoming a pilot.

Florida Institute of Technology is a research university that offers the benefits of a large school while maintaining the diverse yet close-knit academic community that remains first and foremost world-class, and united in the relentless pursuit of greatness

Learn from Human Factors Experts

Florida Tech’s faculty are accomplished researchers, aviators, and engineers—experts in all aspects of human factors and safety. The College of Aeronautics boasts faculty who are experts in at least one other area such as law, avionics, environmental science, aviation management or air traffic control. Students studying for a human factors degree benefit from learning from educators with backgrounds as diverse as the study of human factors itself. Our classrooms and flight line are staffed with faculty who have years of experience within the industry, including experienced pilots and experts in areas such as airline consulting, airport consulting, design, operation management, and aviation human factors.

High-Tech Labs and State-of-the-Art Facilities

The university's expertise in engineering, science, and aeronautics provides students with an exciting variety of high-tech tools and facilities for research. This includes wind tunnels and air quality monitoring systems, high-tech modeling software programs and other technology from our colleges of science and engineering. The Emil Buehler Center for Aviation Training and Research is home to more than 40 aircraft, including a brand-new fleet of Piper Archer TX aircraft equipped with the Garmin G1000 avionics system. These aircraft and the research center serve as vessels for applied human factors research for students looking to go beyond simulations and labs.

Located in the Heart of Florida’s High-tech Corridor

Florida Tech is the perfect place for a BS in Human Factors and Safety in Aviation with Flight. The 130-acre campus is located on the Space Coast (so named because of the presence of NASA and the Kennedy Space Center on Cape Canaveral just north of us), minutes away from the Indian River Lagoon, the most diverse estuary in North America. Florida Tech's prime location on Florida's Space Coast has perfect weather conditions for flying year-round.

The area has the fifth largest high-tech workforce in the country, with more than 5,000 high-tech corporations and government and military organizations located nearby. This workforce also provides an abundance of internship and employment opportunities.

Florida Tech is just over the causeway from the Atlantic Ocean with its 72 miles of beautiful beaches, and a short trip to the Florida Keys or the Orlando theme parks. We also have a rich campus life that includes a wide range of intramural and collegiate sports, clubs, and social activities.

Build Lasting Professional Relationships through Campus Organizations

Beyond the classroom, human factors and safety in aviation with flight degree majors build leadership and professional experience through participation in academic organizations like Collegiate Aviation Business Executives, the Human Factors Professional Association, the Falcons Intercollegiate Flight Team, Women in Aviation, student government, and over 100 other campus-wide student organizations.

The Human Factors Professional Association gives students the opportunity to network with local human factors companies, visit labs, identify, and explore human factors internships, and learn about technologies through human factors guest speakers and vendor demonstrations.

The Collegiate Aviation Business Club (CABE) focuses on aviation jobs outside of the cockpit, helping students grow by facilitating a networking relationship with students and the aviation business world. Members of CABE have the unique opportunity to travel to many events including professional conferences, seminars, airport tours, networking events, and airshows.

A human factors and safety degree in aviation from Florida Tech prepares you for a career, not just a test. The College of Aeronautics’ approach to the human factors and safety degree-focuses not only on understanding the theories behind the discipline but how to apply them to various careers in human factors and safety. Throughout their career at Florida Tech human factors and safety students can take part in human factors research and hands on projects that exercise concepts from the classroom to build a portfolio of real-world-applicable experience. Seniors will complete advanced coursework in airport management, aviation security, advanced aircraft systems, and aviation law. You’ll also get the opportunity to meet recruiters from major airlines, airports, and industry-related companies at university career fairs. Students can build an expanded professional network and impressive résumé before donning that cap and gown; many even receive pre-graduation employment offers.

Peerless Study and Internship Opportunities

The students of Human factors and safety in aviation degree students have a world of opportunity to choose from. Human factors internships abound in many different industries, students who are interested in human factors in aviation may find opportunity right here in Melbourne with Avidyne Corporation. Students may also find opportunities for human factors internships with organizations such as the US Department of Labor, JetBlue Airways, and Garmin.

Stunning Undergraduate Research Opportunities

Florida Tech gives students extensive opportunities for research and field study: it is at the core of every degree at Florida Tech, giving students real-world, hands-on experience. The College of Aeronautics participates as part of the Partnership to Enhance General Aviation Safety, Accessibility, and Sustainability, more commonly known as PEGASAS. The ten-year grant-funded nationwide program involves work in a variety of areas. Current human factors research through PEGASAS focuses on the exploring the effects of installing an angle-of-attack instrument in fixed wing aircraft as well as studying flight data management systems in rotorcraft.

The study of human factors and safety in aviation has gained momentum in recent years and there are no indicators of a slowdown. As technologies advance and change, the importance of human factors is only made more apparent. Today human factors is recognized as an indispensable component of system design and evaluation, product development, accident investigation and prevention, simulation, training, user experience design, procedures development, and system performance testing.

Get Recruited Upon Graduation

Employers regularly seek out graduates who have a Human Factors with Flight degree from Florida Tech. Airport consulting firms, government organizations, industry-related businesses, airports, and airlines who have offered jobs to Florida Tech grads include:

• Air Force Human Resources Laboratory
• American Airlines
• American Eagle
• Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson Airport
• Delta
• Department of Homeland Security
• ExpressJet
• FAA
• Flight Safety International
• Fort Lauderdale International Airport
• JetBlue Airways
• Lufthansa
• NASA
• National Transportation Safety Board
• Philadelphia International Airport
• SkyWest
• Southwest
• United Airlines
• US Army Human Engineering Laboratory
• Various federal and state agencies

Career Outlook

The study of human factors and safety in aviation has gained momentum in recent years and there are no indicators of a slowdown. As technologies advance and change, the importance of human factors is only made more apparent. Today human factors is recognized as an indispensable component of system design and evaluation, product development, accident investigation and prevention, simulation, training, user experience design, procedures development, and system performance testing.

Other Career Options

Human factors and safety jobs might include:

• Product development team lead
• Integration specialist
• Ergonomist
• Technical specialist
• Human factors research scientist
• Usability expert
• Potential human factors and safety employers

Graduate and Doctoral Programs

After receiving their Human Factors and Safety in Aviation with Flight degree , many of our students go to graduate school (often at Florida Tech) for advanced degrees in aviation human factors, airport development and management, human-centered design, applied aviation safety, aviation management, aviation sciences, Ph.D., and many more.