Americans for Safe Aerospace welcomes President Trump's announced directive to identify and release government files related to unidentified aerial phenomena (UAP) and unidentified flying objects (UFO).

For years, military aviators and civilian pilots have encountered unexplained phenomena in our airspace. Ryan Graves and his squadron encountered objects off the East Coast remaining stationary in hurricane-force winds before accelerating to supersonic speeds. Pilots report black cube-shaped objects inside clear spheres at flight levels. Commercial airline captains observe large black triangles pacing and merging with their aircraft. Crews encounter objects that are visually confirmed but sometimes show no transponder codes on TCAS or don't appear on radar at all. Military pilots track craft performing maneuvers no known aircraft can achieve. Civilians report craft over large metropolitan areas, near airports, and around sensitive sites.

These encounters happen regularly, documented by professionals with thousands of flight hours and backed by sensor data. Yet pilots face a system that discourages honest reporting.

"Transparency serves both aviation safety and the public interest," said Ryan Graves, Executive Director of Americans for Safe Aerospace. "Our pilots need clear guidance on reporting procedures and assurance that their reports will be taken seriously. The public deserves to understand what is operating in our skies. Release of government information could help establish the baseline knowledge necessary for proper safety protocols, research into the origin and behavior of these craft, and informed public awareness."

FAA regulation 14 CFR §67 creates fear among pilots that their UAP reports could be used as evidence threatening their medical certificates and careers. This keeps an estimated 90 to 95 percent of encounters unreported.

ASA has built infrastructure to address this gap. Our database contains over 1,100 documented encounters from ATP-rated captains, military aviators, flight instructors, commercial pilots operating under Part 121 and Part 135, airport employees, aerospace professionals, and civilian ground observers. These reports include radar data, TCAS alerts, and witness testimony from multiple crew members and ground personnel.

Our community has grown to over 31,000 members, including military and civilian pilots, air traffic controllers, aerospace professionals, and supporters of aviation safety and awareness of what operates in our National Airspace System.

File release is not an endpoint. It begins the work of understanding what operates in our airspace, assessing risks, and developing protocols.

Significant unknowns will remain even after government files are released. The aviation community will continue encountering phenomena requiring investigation and response. ASA is prepared to serve as infrastructure for this ongoing work.

Work with government agencies and aviation authorities to establish standard reporting formats, classification frameworks, and risk assessment protocols that bring precision to pilot observations.

Develop practical training programs for pilots, air crews, the flying public, and civilians on the ground on recognition, documentation, what to do if they have a sighting, cockpit procedures, and crew resource management during anomalous encounters.

Expand our database to integrate with FAA reporting systems, airline operators, and sensor networks to centralize encounter data and enable pattern recognition across the National Airspace System.

Serve as liaison between frontline pilots and government investigators, providing pilot expertise to inform FAA guidance while protecting reporter confidentiality and careers.

Continue rigorous investigation of unexplained encounters using scientific methods, longitudinal studies, and collaboration with research institutions, universities, and research groups.

ASA bridges the pilot community, government agencies, and aviation industry. We have the infrastructure, community trust, and sustained commitment this work requires.

Whatever the U.S. government releases, gaps in understanding will remain. ASA stands ready to help fill those gaps and continue investigating what operates in our airspace.

 Your reports provide critical data on sighting locations and phenomena behavior that contributes to our collective understanding.

 continue reporting what you encounter. Document what you can. Your observations matter, deserve professional treatment, and contribute to research and actions based on data.

 ASA is ready to collaborate, providing pilot expertise and data to support investigation.

 ASA can provide the pilot perspective essential for developing practical procedures.

The aerospace community and public deserve better than a system that penalizes honesty. We will continue collecting data, supporting pilots, and advocating for aviation safety regardless of how many questions remain unanswered.

ASA Welcomes Presidential Directive to Release Government UAP Files