About this episode
Sailplane pilot Bob Pett had a close encounter with an unidentified aerial phenomenon (UAP) that exhibited extraordinary speed and maneuverability. Bob shares the experience with John Goglia and Todd Curtis in his first public statement about the encounter. While the first UAP flew in close formation off his left wing during the encounter, two similar UAPs descended from a cloud and joined up with the first. Seeing the next two UAPs approach raised the hair on the back of Bob’s neck. Bob and his passenger documented what they saw on August 9, 2015, including sketches of the event. Richard Haines of the National Aviation Reporting Center on Anomalous Phenomena (NARCAP) later published a detailed report of the encounter. Bob was not identified by name in the report. Several aspects of this encounter, including pilot decision-making under stress, reporting hazardous events to the appropriate authorities, and the lingering effects of experiencing a potentially catastrophic event in the air, are relevant to aviation safety with or without the involvement of a UAP. The aviation industry has not taken the UAP issue seriously. Despite the increased acceptance of the issue at the highest level of government, resistance to discussing the issue remains. UAP-related aviation safety issues should be reported by pilots, mechanics, flight attendants, other aviation professionals, and passengers. NASA's Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) is an excellent and anonymous reporting system that ensures that anyone reporting a UAP event will not be identified. Don’t miss what’s to come from the Flight Safety Detectives - subscribe to the Flight Safety Detectives YouTube channel , listen at your favorite podcast service and visit the Flight Safety Detectives website . Want to go deeper with the Flight Safety Detectives? Join our YouTube Membership program for exclusive perks like members-only live streams and Q&As and early access to episodes. Your membership support directly helps John, Greg and Todd to deliver expert insights into aviation safety. Interested in partnering with us? Sponsorship opportunities are available—brand mentions, episode integrations, and dedicated segments are just a few of the options. Flight Safety Detectives offers a direct connection with an engaged audience passionate about aviation and safety. Reach out to fsdsponsors@gmail.com . Music: “Inspirational Sports” license ASLC-22B89B29-052322DDB8 Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.