‘Perception Is Reality’ – Why It’s Important to Show Your Dedication to Aviation Safety

“Our industry must not only be safe, it must also be perceived as safe.” That credo, frequently cited by NBAA President and CEO Ed Bolen, has gained added significance in the wake of several high-profile aviation accidents in 2025, some involving business aircraft and many of which have also received extensive media coverage and public scrutiny.

At a moment when safety is not only of paramount importance to aviation stakeholders but also a concern throughout the general public, flight operations must be able to effectively demonstrate their commitment to safe operations to company leaders, passengers and others.

Zach Dunn, safety and security manager and former aircraft maintenance technician at The Procter & Gamble Company, said that begins with ensuring all aircraft and hangars are kept clean, and personnel maintain a professional appearance and atmosphere.

“We strive for professionalism and integrity, always,” Dunn said. “That really goes a long way toward people’s perception that we are a great operation. When passengers see our operation, our hangar, our planes and our people, no question is left unanswered in their minds about our dedication to safety and customer service.

“Our passengers only see a very small piece of the pie, so often they don’t realize all the effort and the safeguards in place to make their customer experience as flawless as possible.”

Presenting a positive safety impression also includes special consideration for passengers who may be nervous about flying. “Most people’s fear of flying comes from a lack of understanding, or the lack of control,” said Jon Potts, CAM, a captain at Procter & Gamble and the company’s previous safety officer.

“Some people are nervous to be passengers, even when in a car,” Potts said. “They can’t grab the wheel, so to speak, if there’s an emergency in flight.”

To counter those concerns, “it really comes back to demonstrating a calm, confident and professional demeanor,” said Potts. “Take a moment to explain the expected conditions for today’s flight, and how we as a crew will mitigate any risks. ‘We’re going to avoid those thunderstorms. We’re not going in there.’”

“You need to read the room,” said Jamie Stember, CAM Fellow and a longtime business aviation pilot and manager who currently flies for Eagle Aircraft and Transportation Management. “It’s important that your passengers see that the crew has the knowledge, experience and – most importantly – a plan to operate safely, today and every day. Ultimately, they wouldn’t board your airplane if they didn’t trust you.”

Company leaders are also kept informed of industry accreditations such as the International Standard for Business Aircraft Operations (IS-BAO), Stember said, as well as certificates of achievement and both internal and external reports on operational safety culture.

“We keep them apprised of what’s going on in our flight department; we don’t keep them in the dark,” said Stember. “That goes back to the need for transparency, which is accomplished through clear communication.”

Related Article: 3 Often Overlooked Factors Impacting Single-Pilot Operations

Company Efforts to Promote Aviation Safety

The perception of safety can help drive best practices and professional attitudes that help foster such operating environments. However, everyone involved must work to ensure that the image of safety doesn’t supplant a flight operation’s actual, and effective, safety culture.

Potts said safety is always on the agenda in meetings between the chief pilot and director of maintenance.

“Meeting topics frequently include safety-related items; it’s not just about the budget,” Potts explained. “They’re genuinely interested in safety, and they know about our FOQA [flight operations quality assurance] program and the results of our internal company culture surveys. They don’t micromanage, but they are involved.”

Company leaders are also invited to internal safety events such as emergency response plan (ERP) drills, department meetings and P&G’s annual Safety Standdown, Potts said, with a safety-related training event geared toward the company leadership under development.

“I think that level of involvement shows that leadership is dedicated to safety,” Dunn added.

Stember also noted his company’s efforts to promote a positive safety culture that is apparent to passengers. “We’re given all the tools we need to make the right decision,” he said. “Because there’s an immense amount of trust pushed down from executive leadership, the folks on the line doing the day’s work feel that they’re empowered to make the right decisions.

“They don’t want to violate that trust,” Stember said, “and, fundamentally, they all want to come back home at the end of the day.”

When it comes to engaging with company executives on safety, “it’s not just about the signature at the bottom of the safety policy,” said Dunn. “Make sure that top-level leadership understands what the SMS [safety management system] is and the importance of it.”

Potts also noted the benefits of being able to trade ideas with Dunn, his successor as company safety officer at P&G, and he shared his experience in that role.

“The best advice is to reach out,” Potts said. “Mentor the next generation and benchmark best practices in other departments. Reach out to your organization’s previous safety officers who have expertise, or those in safety-equivalent positions elsewhere in the company.

“They may not be operating aircraft, but they may deal with heavy equipment and high-pressure lines,” said Potts. “The environments are similar and they’re going to experience similar issues. They may have had more success targeting different [performance indicators]. And they may even have better ideas.”

Related Article: How Business Aviation Pilots Are Staying Safe and Alert

Experience Should Meet Expectations

Effective transparency and communication between the company flight department and the executive team in the C-suites must also go both ways. “It comes down to expectations and experience,” said Stember. “As long as experience meets expectations, there’s no conflict. But you’re going to have issues when that gap starts to widen.

“If you are working for a principal or a company where they’re constantly pushing your safety boundaries, then you’re in the wrong place,” Stember said. “Remember, ‘no’ is always a complete sentence. Go match up your safety tolerances with a more conservative organization that aligns with your expectations, and where you feel the freedom to say ‘no, we can’t do that.’”

“You also must not ever lose that [safety] focus,” Potts said. “The people you put into any role must be well-trained and educated and have the opportunity to gain more and more experience. Zach and I are lucky that our company supports that.”

Stember also highlighted the importance of company support. “I know I have my company’s trust,” he said. “We don’t want for anything the industry has to offer as far as safety, and that allows me to demonstrate that level of professionalism and confidence to our customers.

“Perception is reality,” Stember said. “You can hang all the signs on the wall you like and use all the slogans you want, but at the end of the day, it all comes down to how you execute.”

Dunn likened a company’s safety focus to the Energizer Bunny TV commercials. “We all must keep on beating that safety drum,” he said. “If you’re always promoting participation and continuous improvement, it’s going to happen.”

Review NBAA’s safety resources at nbaa.org/safety.