A brief story I felt inspired to share:
Today, as an Uber driver in Orlando, I picked up a gentleman from the tourist area heading to the airport. Although he had a British accent, I didn’t want to jump to conclusions. I asked where he was traveling from, and he mentioned North Carolina. We chatted casually, and he eventually revealed that he was from England and had served in the British Air Force, but was now in the US Air Force. What an incredible opportunity!
I played it cool, feigning interest while drawing from my own ten years in the army to keep the conversation going. Then, I couldn’t resist: “I’d be remiss if I didn’t ask what you think about all the buzz surrounding UAPs.” He chuckled, clearly a man of experience. Trying to laugh it off, he seemed hesitant, but I pressed on. “So, you’ve never encountered anything unusual up there?”
He paused and shared a story from his deployment in Syria. During a routine patrol with another F-18, they spotted something approaching them at 30,000 feet. It exhibited flight patterns resembling those described in reports of unidentified aerial phenomena—no visible propulsion, and those kinds of things. He admitted no official report was ever filed and added that any seasoned pilot or service member deployed overseas likely has a tale of strange sightings. There’s a significant amount of it out there, yet it remains stigmatized. He speculated that it might be “black” technology that hasn’t been revealed yet.
Not wanting to push further, I took his cue and wrapped up the conversation. It was a rare chance to chat with someone like him, and despite my initial awkwardness, he was a true class act. Cheers! 🍻
Thanks for sharing such an intriguing story! It’s fascinating how brief encounters can lead to unexpected conversations—especially with someone who has such a unique background. The topic of UAP and the experiences of pilots always seem to intrigue people, and it’s interesting to hear from someone who’s actually been in the cockpit. His perspective on the stigmas surrounding these sightings makes a lot of sense, especially given the sensitive nature of military operations. It sounds like you managed to create a comfortable space for him to share his experience without pushing too hard, which isn’t always easy. Stories like this remind us that there’s so much more to people than meets the eye. Thanks again for sharing! 🍻