“Optics” is a relatively recent business buzz-word that refers to how things look to certain stakeholders.  In the aviation world, it often is used to bring attention to how the ownership or use of an airplane will be viewed by share holders, customers, the government, employees, or even society-at-large.  In this era of over-analyzing everything we do -- or want to do -- optics has become a scapegoat for many who don’t understand the value of private aviation. 

There used to be a time when decisions could be made by one person, or at most, two.  Now, with the advent of super-connectivity via our mobile phones, e-mail, and the Internet, we have slid into a society that has to have approval from multiple sources before even the most insignificant decision can be made.  There also used to be a time when the person making the decision knew that accountability for the decision rested solely with them.  Now, it’s much easier to involve multiple parties so that the blame will never rest with just one person.  Harry Truman used to say “the buck stops here.”  In the 21^st century, I challenge you to define exactly where “here” is. 

I was recently listening to a corporate flight department manager and chief pilot tell me about his lack of discretionary spending authority.  While he technically had the approval to spend up to $50,000 for the operation of his department, it was well known that any expenditure above $500 required higher approval.  Five hundred dollars??  Gosh, you can hardly get the pump going before the fuel truck will rack up $500 in gas.  To compound the misery, the manager he reported to refused to make a decision and always passed the buck to the next level.  Peak efficiency of this department is hamstrung by optics.  Predictably, and because this department operates with a clear efficiency deficit, the same deficit will probably be used to justify further department cuts.

Okay, so what’s my point?  It’s that “optics” makes the assumption – the grossly incorrect assumption – that others actually know what’s best.  I’m flabbergasted that we’re putting the decision making process into the hands of the misinformed masses.  Clearly, this isn’t limited to aviation – it permeates all facets of business and society, including family life.  We’re allowing “how things look” or “what will they think” to determine our courses of action.  We’re allowing all opinions to carry the same weight when clearly there are many opinions that are built on thin air.  There’s a quote that’s been occasionally attributed to Mark Twain that says “The trouble with people is not that they don't know, but that they know so much that ain't so.”  This is the problem with optics.  We’re allowing too many people who “know so much that ain’t so” to play a role.

Connectivity, the Internet, and the information-age are less of a “great equalizer” than they are a forum for the intellectually lazy to voice their positions and to influence decisions.  Those decisions should be left to those who have studied the subject and choose a course of action based on what’s best for the company and it’s people, and have the integrity to accept responsibility for their decisions.

If you’re part of an optics-based organization that utilizes private aviation then you already know you have your work cut out for you.  If you’re contemplating a business or personal aircraft and are concerned about how such an acquisition will look, may I suggest it’s time to study the issue a little further, start crunching the numbers, and listing out the numerous intangible benefits you’ll gain before dropping the idea altogether.  You may find that this is not the right time for such a purchase.  You may also find that time savings, productivity increases, privacy, security, and quality-of-life easily outweigh the cost of ownership.  Either way, make the decision based on facts, not on what the vocal misinformed may think they know.