Pros
Almost all instructors (and other Center employees) are a great mix of highly competent and personable people. The same goes for almost all clients. Working facilities (including simulators and classroom equipment) are top-notch.
Cons
A continual undercurrent of tension pervades the New Castle, Delaware FlightSafety International Learning Center. Management activities (such as monitoring employee activities with a security camera system, unfairly and unequally treating employees to give advantage to management politically-favored employees, and arranging for underqualified management members to attain a quickie aircraft type-rating (such as a GV) to bolster their "value" for promotion within FSI) have resulted in employees regarding management with suspicion and a complete lack of trust. When a "town hall" meeting for employees was arranged at the Center, only 3 of the over 400 employees showed up. Management personnel accomplish their functions through email, not by personal interface. They maintain a, "don't worry, be happy" attitude, as demonstrated by the daily "Care" briefings. These "feel good" sessions, conducted in the client lounge, are regarded by employees and clients alike as a bad joke. Career progression for instructors? There is none. At one time, FlightSafety had a clear career path for instructors, and promotions for center management positions were from the ranks of (usually) long-time instructor personnel. That has changed - key management personnel have little or no real instructional or aircraft experience, and appear to be selected by company headquarters personnel to mirror their own background. Since they lack any background in what makes the company function, they regard instructors as an irritant, unhappily necessary for the company to function as a money-making machine. Pay and benefits are marginal at best. FSI formerly had a defined-benefit pension plan. Woops! Gone - and, place taken by a 401k (have you looked at yours lately?). Pay is static. Going "above and beyond" (in terms of accepting additional responsibilities) doesn't even merit a simple "thank you" from management. In a way, this is understandable since they have no idea (again, no background) of what an instructor (or customer service rep) does. For those looking at FlightSafety International as a potential employer, regard working at FSI as a "bridge" position to better and much more rewarding work elsewhere in aviation.
