Aeronautical Systems Reviews

Pros

to achieve something great in this career

Cons

there is not enough people to make us learn

Advice to Senior Management

no opinion

Pros

Good benefit package, yearly bonuses for some, challenging industry and programs, quick company growth, over all a good place to work in this down economy.

Cons

Lack of management, some do not see the big picture, this is a corporation not a small aircraft shop. Regardless of how good you are and how much work you do, if you do not rub the right shoulders your chance to advance or be recognized is null and frustration/disappointing could be part of your daily life. At the end of the day if you are okay with all this, this is the place to be.

Advice to Senior Management

Upper mangament let the subordinates to evaluate their management and their practices, and learn from their comments to fix the problems that are being kept in the dark by some people.

Pros

Good benefits, fast growing company, very stable.

Cons

Private company that limits and thinks too 1 dimensional in their Human Resources Department. Most other areas are great.

Advice to Senior Management

Revamp HR

Pros

The most diverse technical challenges you will find. Name one other company that makes its own computers, actuators, airframes, landing gear, SW, etc, etc. Engineers are given as much technical responsibility as they can handle. There are still great mentors for those who are eager to learn.

Cons

The company has been overrun by politicians. The core technical capabilities that made the company great have been subjugated to political aspirations of mediocre peter principle graduates. There is little to no management structure to guide engineering process resulting in a squeeky wheel, firefighting atmosphere with little delegation of responsibility but plenty of blame to go around.

Advice to Senior Management

You cannot rest on your laurels. You have to look at how effective the current atmosphere is, and why. The lack of responsibility and accountability in middle management (VP Eng makes all decisions) breeds contempt and apathy.

Pros

salary benefits seem competitive. GA might have had a good legacy when it was a different company focusing on the nuclear power industry. The RSG is a very different group.

Cons

Focusing on the RSG group: It's a poorly managed team roiled with power struggles and inefficiencies. It is top heavy; a project might have up to 8,9 project management personnels and one software engineer.

Advice to Senior Management

start over. it's important to recognize that GA-RSG owes it to its customer-the US Defense industry- to perform at its most efficient manner. The RSG group does not exemplify this model

Pros

The company provides great opportunities to those who are capable of creating relationships with the small community of people who do the work. There is no shortage of challenging, rewarding work to do and the people (who do the work) you get to work with are top notch. Transfers between groups are easy but if you want to "climb the ladder" look elsewhere. The senior management positions are for life and to get promoted someone has to retire or pass away. On the upside you can be rewarded for your hard work with out of cycle pay raises and a nice bonus around Christmas time. The 9-80 work schedule is really nice too. The culture in my group encourages a strong work life balance and you are not disturbed on your time off.

Cons

There is a lack of accountability at all levels of the organization which make it very difficult to maintain a schedule or adhere to a budget. This, in turn, creates a culture in which to slide is normal and there is no sense of urgency to any program or project.

Advice to Senior Management

COMMUNICATION!!!
Please communicate with your direct reports. To often there is "operating in the dark" on the part of your subordinates. A little direction/information would go a long way.

Groom your employees. Trial by fire works but when using this method, feedback is crucial. Teach us how to be better. We will listen.

Pros

By GOD, We helped get Ben Lauden. I started as an undegreed tech and worked my way to Electrical Engineer 4 in 4 years. This place gave me the freedom to excel in my chosen field. There were no limits and no glass ceiling for undegreed engineers. I have carried this experience forward to fuel cell controls, nuclear reactor robotics, and wind turbine controls. GA-ASI was my springboard.

Cons

San Diego commutes are a real pain. Some days you cannot make it to work if you live in certain areas. No other negative comments.

Advice to Senior Management

Keep up the good work. Your role in the world is being rewarded. You provide the tools to make our country a much safer place in this insane world.

Pros

GA-ASI is a growing, solid company that offers good benefits including a pension plan. Nice work environment and room for growth. Compensation is decent. One of the best benefits is the 9/80 schedule (work 9 hours everyday and get every other Friday off).

Cons

Lots of politics and favoritism. There is some hostility between the different GA divisons and power struggles. The company is growing fast and growing pains are obvious.

Advice to Senior Management

Communitcation is poor and there are some big ego's at the higher levels. Encourage and develop collaboration and cooperation amongst management and between the different divisions.

Pros

The benefit package was fair compared to the competition in the marked place. After several years in the job you can come and go as you please, in most cases.

Cons

Management lacks formal college educations which hurts the overall growth of the company and ability for those they manage to be mentored. If you hold a higher education then a manager you will be forced out or held down from growth. Management is protected from ethical wrongdoing and scapegoats are made in employees who did nothing wrong.The company also holds a mentality to want to play like a Northrop, but cannot overcome the mom and pop mentality of running things. Competition will not put this place out of business, those working inside it will. After many years of working here the best thing I ever did was get out.

Advice to Senior Management

Clean house from the top down. Hire based on ability not seniority. The treatment of employees in the recession will come back to haunt you as competitors hire and your workforce leaves you high and dry. People are not happy and that is made very clear throughout the workplace. Just take a minute to open your eyes to it and really listen.

Pros

good benefits, great location. I really can't say much more. See the 'Cons' Section for information about why it's not a great place to work.

Cons

For some reason, the managerial culture is very intent on making people feel like idiots. There is no training, guidance, development, or mentorship. Everyone is basically treated like an idiot with few acceptions.

Advice to Senior Management

stop treating employees like children. Out of everyone I knew there, virtually nobody was ever shown any sort of respect.