PRAAPS – Pilot Reports of Anomalous Aerial Phenomena Service

PRAAPS is a service that facilitates the discrete and anonymous reporting by pilots (and other members of the air or cabin crew), of anomalous aerial phenomena. Founded in 2023 by Ben Lovegrove, this service is designed to provide pilots with the means to share sightings and experiences, whether they are recent events or stories from years ago, without having to identify themselves or their employers.

Background

Ever since the reports by military air crews of foo fighters during World War II, the sighting by private pilot Kenneth Arnold in 1947, the testimonies of airline pilots throughout the years, and the recent encounters by US Navy F/A-18 pilots, aviators have been at the forefront of the UFO/UAP story.

Whether a private pilot flying at 3,000 ft over familiar landmarks close to the home airfield, an airline pilot at 36,000 ft at night over the Pacific Ocean, or a military pilot flying an aircraft equipped with the most sophisticated radar and cameras, pilots have a unique perspective on what goes on in the air and the upper atmosphere.

In addition to their position at various altitudes during the day or night, the more experienced pilots who have logged thousands of hours in the air have the distinct advantage of being familiar with all types of aerial phenomena. They are familiar with all cloud types and meteorlogical anomalies, they have seen meteors decend into the amosphere, and they know the difference between stars, planets, satellites, and space junk because they’ve seen all of these from altitudes that are unaffected by the distractions the terrestrial lighting of cities and urban areas.

However, they have also had to confront the dilemma of whether or not to report a sighting. For years, the stigma associated with this subject has forced aviatiors to keep silent. For a civilian pilot in the employee of an airline, the pilot risks being grounded or losing their position altogether, and perhaps never being able to fly again. For a military pilot, the repercussions could, until recently, be equally severe, but thanks to advances in technology that have backed up visual sightings with radar and FLIR data, UAP are now regarded as a reality, even if the stigma and the ridicule continue to linger.

Example of Pilot Testimony

Merged is a podcast hosted by former F/A-18F pilot Ryan Graves who served in the US Navy from 2009-2014. He and his fellow aviators frequently saw UAP during their aerial exercises. He is an advocate for deeper investigation of the phenomena in the interest of aerial safety.

In this episode of his podcast, a pilot called Chris Van Voorhis tells Ryan about his sightings. As you will hear, Chris Van Voorhis’ testimony is sober and compelling.

• At age 14 started flying with the Civil Air Patrol
• Domestic and international commercial pilot with over 30,000 flight hours
• Military contracted pilot for Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm
• Airbus 330 Flight instructor
• Former Police Officer

Use PRAAPS to report your sighting

If you are (or were) a pilot or any member of the air or cabin crew, you are invited to report any sightings of anomalous aerial phenomena using this form.

PRAAPS Assurance of discretion & anonymity

Discretion is assured. The aim is to collect the data about the sighting, not to identify anyone who doesn’t want to be identified. The form is designed to collect the salient points about the sighting, not to idenfity the witness(es). If you wish to include some means of contacting you for any reason you are free to do so. If you do add any contact information, those details will be kept securely and will not be passed on to any third parties.

More Examples of UAP Sightings by Air Crew

There have been numerous reports of anomalous aerial phenomena by aviators of all types over many decades. Here are just a few examples from the 21st Century:

1. USS Nimitz encounter (2004): In 2004, the USS Nimitz, a US Navy aircraft carrier, was involved in a high-profile encounter with several UAP. Two US Navy F/A-18F fighter jets were scrambled to investigate radar anomalies and observed a “tic-tac” shaped object that displayed advanced maneuvering capabilities. The incident was documented in the 2019 History Channel series “Unidentified: Inside America’s UFO Investigation.”
2. USS Theodore Roosevelt encounters (2015): The USS Theodore Roosevelt, another US Navy aircraft carrier, had multiple encounters with UAP in 2015. The incidents were documented in a classified report that was leaked to the public in 2020. The report detailed several sightings by Navy pilots of UAP that appeared to defy the laws of physics.
3. Japan Airlines Flight 1628 sighting (2017): In 2017, a Japan Airlines flight en route from Paris to Tokyo reported a sighting of a “cylindrical object” that was flying near the aircraft. The sighting was reported to air traffic control and investigated by the French aviation authority. The incident was featured in a 2020 documentary series called “The Phenomenon.”
4. American Airlines Flight 2292 sighting (2021): In February 2021, an American Airlines pilot reported a sighting of a “long cylindrical object” that was flying at high speed over New Mexico. The incident was investigated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the FBI, but no explanation has been provided yet.
5. United Airlines Flight 446 sighting (2018): In 2018, a United Airlines flight from New York to San Francisco reported a sighting of a “metallic saucer-shaped object” that was hovering over the plane. The sighting was reported to air traffic control and investigated by the FAA, but no explanation has been provided.