Flight Safety

[Chunk]

That's what ya get...

....for listening to gossip!

There are about 80 CFI's and 250-300 students. Some of those CFI's are contract-only (Asiana, RWL, mostly foreign carriers) and I don't think those students are counted in the 250-300. Some guys have 1 or 2 students. Some have 3 or 4. It's not like it was pre-9/11, but it's picking up.

We have 20 new Seminoles, all very busy. All of your instrument is done here in PA-44's. We have about 5 "old" Seminoles that used for getting your Private Multi. It wouldn't do to have the Garmins getting slammed on a guy's first short-field.

There is a hiring pool to CFI here. It's about 9 months or so. During the wait, you are free to instruct elsewhere or stay and get you CFII and MEI at the employee rate.

The pay isn't the highest (I think about 15/hour), BUT! you get full bennies (401K, medical, dental, etc.). Plus, you get your CFII and MEI reimbursed once you pass standardization.

Here's the best thing about instructing here....YOU WILL GET HIRED at an airline or whatever it is your goal is. FlightSafety has a great rep and the networking opportunities here are outstanding. In the 7 months I've been here, I've met the Director of Ops for NetJets Intl., and 4 different chief pilots for corporate and charter companies. A customs pilot came here to do his CFI and must've been impressed because he came back a month later with a recruiter. I personally got to sit jumpseat on a G-IVSP soing practice approaches.

To be frank, I can't imagine going anywhere else. Great atmosphere, great customer service, great training, great facilities and maintenance, new airplanes, spin/acro training, spatial disorientation training, sims, etc. etc. etc. It's not the cheapest, but it isn't the most expensive. I personally think it's the best civilian training available. For example, your weather classes are taught by a retired forcaster/dispatcher from EAL. He was with them for 30 years and has a Masters in metro. The resources here, if you seek them out, are incredible.

It's not for everybody....if you aren't willing to eat, sleep, and drink flying, don't come here. This is, if done properly, graduate level work.

Sorry for the sales pitch, but it's a great place!

Chunk

 

[bobbysamd]

FSI - then and now

I second Chunk's comments. Especially the benefits. FSI offers good health and the 401-K. Pay has gone up, thankfully, in ten years. I know for certain that management has improved. I heard in late 2001 that the place was getting one new Seminole per month. The place did not have the airline upgrade when I was there, but that was then and now is now.

The place has hired from outside. I was hired because the place was seeking so-called "senior" instructors to teach in the foreign airline contract programs. I suspect the place won't be hiring from outside for a long time because of the backlog in its pool.

I can vouch for the facilities. In 1991 the campus was alright, with a main building for administration and classrooms, the dorms, and the bungalows for the Swissair students. The flight line consisted of two buildings: a building that had dispatch, several briefing rooms, the sim lab, and offices for the Center Manager, Chief Pilot and his assistants, and the maintenance hangar. The building was new when I arrived. I was in town for the day two years ago and was surprised to see how much the place had expanded.

As an FSI employee during the years I mentioned I had a mixed experience. But FSI offers great initial training. By the way, don't expect to find a great deal of fun in Vero, or as some people call it, Zero Beach. A few places to eat, a cinema, a couple of places to drink, and the beach are all that I remember. Which may be just as well if you're immersed in such an intense program. You can always go see Mickey in Orlando.