Within Bipartisan
Within the politics of UAP (Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena) transparency, aviation safety has become one of the few arguments that attracts support across party lines.
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Why stigma affects aviation reporting
Aviation safety systems depend on voluntary reporting. Pilots routinely report weather hazards, equipment failures, near misses, and unusual operational events because investigators can only address risks they know about. UAP reporting has historically been different.
For decades, many pilots avoided discussing unexplained sightings because of concerns about ridicule, career consequences, or assumptions that such reports would be associated with sensational UFO claims. NASA’s independent UAP study specifically identified stigma as a barrier to collecting useful information and recommended efforts to normalise reporting through existing aviation safety channels. The study also highlighted the potential value of making greater use of NASA’s Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS), a long-established confidential reporting programme used throughout commercial aviation. [NASA Science]science.nasa.govScience Independent Study Team ReportNASA ScienceIndependent Study Team ReportSeptember 13, 2023 — Lastly, we recommend that the Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) for c… [Wikisource]en.wikisource.orgPage:UAP Independent Study TeamPage:UAP Independent Study Team - Final Report.pdf/2912 Nov 2023 — NASA could play an important role in destigmatizing the UAP…
This concern is not limited to civilian aviation. Military aviators have testified before Congress that unexplained objects or sensor contacts are sometimes left underreported because personnel may worry about professional repercussions or sceptical reactions from superiors. Witnesses at congressional hearings have repeatedly argued that a standardised reporting culture is necessary whether incidents are eventually explained or remain unresolved. [Vanity Fair]vanityfair.comThe hearing featured testimonies from former Navy pilots Ryan Graves and David Fravor, as well as whistleblower and former intelligence o…
The aviation-safety argument therefore focuses less on proving extraordinary claims and more on creating conditions where unusual observations can be documented without social or professional penalties. From a safety-management perspective, underreporting is itself a problem because it reduces the quality of available data. [AIAA]aiaa.orgShaping the future of aerospaceADDRESSING THE UNKNOWN:This opinion paper uses existing aviation safety principles to present a fra… - Shaping the future of aerospace
How safety claims differ from origin claims
One reason pilot safety has become a bipartisan bridge is that it separates two questions that are often conflated.
The first question is operational: did a pilot observe something that could affect flight safety, airspace management, or military readiness?
The second question is explanatory: what was the object?
Aviation safety programmes generally care about the first question before the second. An unidentified object near an aircraft can be relevant even if it later turns out to be a drone, balloon, atmospheric phenomenon, sensor artefact, or reporting error. The immediate concern is whether the event posed a hazard and whether the aviation system captured enough information to evaluate it. [Fliegerfaust]fliegerfaust.comUAP UFO aviation safety: what pilots and ATC need in 202628 Dec 2025 — Aviation safety does not require the object to be extr…
This distinction has allowed lawmakers with very different views on UFO claims to support similar reforms. A sceptical legislator may believe most UAP reports will eventually receive conventional explanations while still supporting better reporting procedures. A believer in more extraordinary possibilities may support the same reporting system for different reasons. Both can agree that pilots should be able to report unidentified objects safely and that agencies should analyse the resulting data. [NASA Science]science.nasa.govScience Independent Study Team ReportNASA ScienceIndependent Study Team ReportSeptember 13, 2023 — Lastly, we recommend that the Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) for c…
NASA’s 2023 UAP study exemplified this approach. The report found no evidence that reported UAP necessarily represented extraterrestrial technology, yet it still argued that better data collection, improved reporting practices, and reduced stigma were worthwhile scientific and operational goals. [Space]space.comnasa ufo uap study team first results revealedNASA UFO report finds no evidence of 'extraterrestrial…14 Sept 2023 — NASA's UFO study team released its long-awaited first repor…
How reporting systems are being adapted
The practical outcome of the safety-first approach has been growing interest in integrating UAP observations into existing aviation reporting structures rather than creating entirely separate UFO-focused systems.
NASA’s ASRS already provides a confidential mechanism through which aviation personnel can report safety-related events. NASA’s study recommended leveraging this system more effectively for commercial pilot UAP reporting because it already has credibility within the aviation community. [NASA Science]science.nasa.govScience Independent Study Team ReportNASA ScienceIndependent Study Team ReportSeptember 13, 2023 — Lastly, we recommend that the Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) for c…
Federal agencies have also begun formalising procedures. FAA guidance now contains specific references to UAP reporting, instructing air traffic personnel on how to handle reports and observations of unidentified anomalous phenomena. In recent years, the FAA has updated terminology and reporting procedures, replacing older “UFO” language with UAP terminology and integrating reports into established safety and operational channels. [Federal Aviation Administration]faa.govFederal Aviation Administration Section 8Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP…GENERAL. Inform the operations supervisor/CIC of any reported or observed unidentified anomalous… [Federal Aviation Administration]faa.govFederal Aviation Administration Section 8Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP…GENERAL. Inform the operations supervisor/CIC of any reported or observed unidentified anomalous…
At the defence level, the Pentagon’s All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) receives aviation-related reports through established government channels. AARO notes that civilian pilots are encouraged to report sightings to air traffic control and that pilot reports are transmitted through FAA processes. [AARO]aaro.milSubmit A ReportAARO receives UAP-related Pilot Reports (PIREPs) from the Federal Aviation Administration. AARO will announce when a r…
These developments illustrate an important implementation principle: policymakers do not need to create a special belief system around UAP. They can instead expand existing reporting frameworks designed to capture unusual safety-relevant events.
Where pilot testimony fits in oversight
Pilot testimony occupies a distinctive place in congressional oversight because it combines eyewitness accounts with professional expertise. Legislators may disagree about how much weight to give individual sightings, but trained aviators are generally viewed as credible observers of airspace conditions.
Former military pilots who testified before Congress have often framed their concerns in safety terms rather than in terms of extraterrestrial conclusions. Ryan Graves, for example, argued that recurring encounters with unidentified objects in military training areas represented a reporting and safety challenge that deserved systematic investigation. The emphasis was on airspace awareness, pilot protection, and data collection rather than proving a particular explanation. [Vanity Fair]vanityfair.comThe hearing featured testimonies from former Navy pilots Ryan Graves and David Fravor, as well as whistleblower and former intelligence o…
This framing matters politically. Congress routinely exercises oversight over military readiness, airspace security, and accident prevention. Hearing from pilots about unidentified objects near training ranges, airports, or flight corridors therefore places the issue within familiar oversight territory. Legislators can ask whether reporting channels work properly, whether incidents are analysed, and whether agencies share information effectively without taking a position on extraordinary interpretations. [U.S. Department of War]war.govdod examining unidentified anomalous phenomenaDepartment of WarDOD Examining Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena14 Nov 2024 — This report covers UAP from May 1, 2023, to June 1, 2024, an…
The same logic applies when incidents later receive conventional explanations. If a sighting reveals a drone intrusion, sensor limitation, or airspace-management problem, the reporting system has still served its purpose by identifying a real operational issue. [Fliegerfaust]fliegerfaust.comUAP UFO aviation safety: what pilots and ATC need in 202628 Dec 2025 — Aviation safety does not require the object to be extr…
Why aviation safety remains the strongest bipartisan frame
Among the many arguments used within the broader UAP disclosure movement, aviation safety remains one of the least polarising because it focuses on process rather than conclusions.
Lawmakers do not have to agree on whether any particular UAP case is extraordinary. They only need to agree that pilots should be able to report unusual events, that agencies should evaluate those reports professionally, and that Congress should understand how the system works. That consensus is easier to build than agreement about the ultimate nature of unresolved cases.
As a result, aviation safety has become a durable bridge between sceptics, believers, military officials, transparency advocates, and oversight-minded legislators. It grounds the UAP debate in a practical question familiar to every aviation system: when something unusual appears in the sky, is the reporting process good enough to capture what happened and learn from it? The answer to that question matters regardless of whether the object turns out to be a drone, a balloon, a sensor anomaly, a misidentification, or something that remains unexplained. [NASA Science]science.nasa.govScience Independent Study Team ReportNASA ScienceIndependent Study Team ReportSeptember 13, 2023 — Lastly, we recommend that the Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) for c… [AIAA - Shaping the future of aerospace]aiaa.orgShaping the future of aerospaceADDRESSING THE UNKNOWN:This opinion paper uses existing aviation safety principles to present a fra…
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Endnotes
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Source: science.nasa.gov
Title: Science Independent Study Team Report
Link: https://science.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/uap-independent-study-team-final-report.pdfSource snippet
NASA ScienceIndependent Study Team ReportSeptember 13, 2023 — Lastly, we recommend that the Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) for c...
Published: September 13, 2023
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Source: science.nasa.gov
Link: https://science.nasa.gov/uap/Source snippet
NASA ScienceUAP9 Jun 2022 — A study team to examine unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAPs) – that is, observations of events in the sky...
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Source: en.wikisource.org
Title: Page:UAP Independent Study Team
Link: https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Page%3AUAP_Independent_Study_Team_-_Final_Report.pdf/29Source snippet
Page:UAP Independent Study Team - Final Report.pdf/2912 Nov 2023 — NASA could play an important role in destigmatizing the UAP...
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Source: aiaa.org
Link: https://aiaa.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/AIAA-UAPIOC-Opinion-Paper-UAP-Occupational-Safety-Reporting_ForPublication_kb.pdfSource snippet
Shaping the future of aerospaceADDRESSING THE UNKNOWN:This opinion paper uses existing aviation safety principles to present a fra...
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Source: fliegerfaust.com
Link: https://www.fliegerfaust.com/uap-ufo-aviation-safety-pilot-reporting-data/Source snippet
UAP UFO aviation safety: what pilots and ATC need in 202628 Dec 2025 — Aviation safety does not require the object to be extr...
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Source: asrs.arc.nasa.gov
Link: https://asrs.arc.nasa.gov/uassafety.htmlSource snippet
Safety Reporting | NASA ASRSAnyone involved in Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) / Drone operations can file a NASA ASRS report to describe...
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Source: space.com
Title: nasa ufo uap study team first results revealed
Link: https://www.space.com/nasa-ufo-uap-study-team-first-results-revealedSource snippet
NASA UFO report finds no evidence of 'extraterrestrial...14 Sept 2023 — NASA's UFO study team released its long-awaited first repor...
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Source: faa.gov
Title: Federal Aviation Administration Section 8
Link: https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/atpubs/atc_html/chap9_section_8.htmlSource snippet
Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP...GENERAL. Inform the operations supervisor/CIC of any reported or observed unidentified anomalous...
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Source: faa.gov
Title: document ID
Link: https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/orders_notices/index.cfm/go/document.information/documentID/1044303Source snippet
Federal Aviation AdministrationNotice JO 7110.800 - Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena...26 Sept 2025 — Type: Notice; Number: JO 7110.800...
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Source: aaro.mil
Link: https://www.aaro.mil/Submit-A-Report/Source snippet
Submit A ReportAARO receives UAP-related Pilot Reports (PIREPs) from the Federal Aviation Administration. AARO will announce when a r...
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Source: war.gov
Title: dod examining unidentified anomalous phenomena
Link: https://www.war.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/3965403/dod-examining-unidentified-anomalous-phenomena/Source snippet
Department of WarDOD Examining Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena14 Nov 2024 — This report covers UAP from May 1, 2023, to June 1, 2024, an...
Published: May 1, 2023
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Source: war.gov
Title: dr jon kosloski director aaro [media]({{ ‘media/’ | relative_url }}) roundtable on the fy24 consolidated annual
Link: https://www.war.gov/News/Transcripts/Transcript/Article/3965734/dr-jon-kosloski-director-aaro-media-roundtable-on-the-fy24-consolidated-annual/Source snippet
Department of WarDr. Jon Kosloski, Director, AARO, Media Roundtable on the...14 Nov 2024 — This week, the department delivered its Fisca...
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Source: faa.gov
Title: chap7 section 7
Link: https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/atpubs/aim_html/chap7_section_7.htmlSource snippet
Section 7. Safety, Accident, and Hazard ReportsThe operator must file a report on NTSB Form 6120.1 or 6120.2, available from NTSB Field O...
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Source: faa.gov
Title: document ID
Link: https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/orders_notices/index.cfm/go/document.information/documentID/1044304Source snippet
Notice JO 7210.970 - Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena...26 Sept 2025 — This notice reflects the change from the previously known term, u...
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Source: aaro.mil
Link: https://www.aaro.mil/UAP-Cases/Official-UAP-Imagery/Source snippet
UAP ImageryThe United States European Command submitted a report of an unidentified anomalous phenomenon to the All-domain Anomaly Resolu...
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Source: aaro.mil
Link: https://www.aaro.mil/Source snippet
AARO HomeAARO receives UAP-related Pilot Reports (PIREPs) from the Federal Aviation Administration. AARO will announce when a reporting m...
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Source: en.wikisource.org
Link: https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/NASA_Unidentified_Anomalous_Phenomena%3A_Independent_Study_Team_Report/Executive_SummarySource snippet
Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena14 Oct 2023 — The study of Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAP) presents a unique scientific opportunit...
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Source: vanityfair.com
Link: https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2023/07/ufo-hearing-congressSource snippet
The hearing featured testimonies from former Navy pilots Ryan Graves and David Fravor, as well as whistleblower and former intelligence o...
Additional References
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Source: safeaerospace.org
Link: https://www.safeaerospace.org/Source snippet
Americans for Safe AerospaceU.S. government expands UFO investigations as new group forms to help pilots spot them. The U.S. government i...
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Source: researchgate.net
Link: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/377871814_Exploring_Unidentified_Aerospace_Phenomena_through_Instrumented_Field_Studies_Historical_Insights_Current_Challenges_and_Future_DirectionsSource snippet
Historical Insights, Current Challenges, and Future DirectionsThe study of Unidentified Aerospace Phenomena (UAP) requires a shift from a...
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Source: reddit.com
Link: https://www.reddit.com/r/space/comments/16ij6ui/nasa_shares_unidentified_anomalous_phenomena/Source snippet
NASA Shares Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena...I read the report. To summarize: we should reduce stigma for reporting this stuff. we nee...
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Source: nypost.com
Link: https://nypost.com/2025/05/18/us-news/ufo-striking-fighter-jet-is-among-swarm-of-mystery-objects-spotted-near-us-[military-sitesSource snippet
military sites in Arizona, including a notable case in January 2023 when a U.S. F-16 Viper fighter jet was struck midair by an "orange-wh...
Published: January 2023
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Source: instagram.com
Link: https://www.instagram.com/p/DXmDezHjLMM/Source snippet
PILOTS DO REPORT “UNIDENTIFIED” OBJECTS...Commercial crews sometimes report sightings of objects they can't immediately identify — and t...
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Source: safeaerospace.org
Link: https://www.safeaerospace.org/news/uaps-and-the-normalization-of-deviance-a-lingering-threat-to-aviation-safetySource snippet
UAPs and the Normalization of Deviance: A Lingering Threat to...Bipartisan legislation has been introduced to create a national reportin...
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Source: rev.com
Link: https://www.rev.com/transcripts/unidentified-anomalous-phenomena-independent-study-report-from-nasa-transcriptSource snippet
UAP Independent Study Report from NASAIn June of last year, NASA commissioned an independent study team to examine unidentified anomal...
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Source: pbs.org
Link: https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/watch-nasa-report-says-more-science-and-less-stigma-are-needed-to-understand-ufo-sightingsSource snippet
WATCH: NASA report says more science and less stigma are...An independent team commissioned by NASA cautions that the negative perceptio...
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Source: time.com
Link: https://time.com/6298287/congress-ufo-hearing/Source snippet
intelligence official, testified before Congress, alleging that the U.S. government has been concealing a longstanding program focused on...
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Source: linkedin.com
Link: https://www.linkedin.com/posts/americans-for-safe-aerospace_americans-for-safe-aerospace-activity-7392610594706796544-SaxMSource snippet
FAA adds UAP reporting to air traffic control procedures7 Nov 2025 — UAP (Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena) reporting is formally include...
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