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Navy Pilot’s 2004 UFO: Comedy of Errors 83

Navy Pilot’s 2004 UFO: A

Comedy of Errors

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Either the first or second object in question, if
seen only on a video screen, might well have
been a drone or distant airplane. Even if it were
too far away to be visible, its heat signature
could have been viewed by infrared. Another
possibility was given by Fravor himself.
Interestingly, before the planes were sent to the
site, the controller had made sure they were not
weaponized. After the encounter, Fravor had
“initially thought that perhaps this was an
unannounced, classified missile test by a U.S.
Navy submarine,” but he now concludes, “There
is no way any aircraft or missile that I know of
could conduct maneuvers like what we saw that
day” (“Pilot report” 2017). Nevertheless, there is
confusion over just what occurred. Fravor wisdom in taking his claims about Conspiracy Theory: Secret
insists, “I know what I saw” (quoted in Finucane extraterrestrial encounters at face value. (Wise
2018), while just as surely admitting, “I have no 2017) Societies Control the
idea what I saw” (quoted in Cooper et al. To recap, we suggest that several things World
2017b). We have observed this many times: A were going on during what was, after all, a
person has mistaken perceptions, or he training mission of the USS Nimitz carrier strike
experiences something that seems unusual, and group. We believe the churning water Fravor
soon is insisting that he knows what he saw, ego first saw was caused by a submerging sub; that
becoming involved. In fact, he only knows what the sightings of a UFO above the water
he thinks he saw, and that can change over time. (variously reported)—which hovered, then came
In any event, this brings us to the video toward one pilot—could have been those of a
in question, which shows an object’s rapid reconnaissance drone; that there may have been
acceleration to the left and disappearance from confusion (then and later) over the object or
the video screen. What we see on the video is objects caused by the admixture of visual
probably a trick of optics, according to Major sightings with infrared video viewing; and,
McGaha. He believes the sudden leftward- finally, that one video image showing an object
zooming of the object resulted from the camera suddenly zooming off screen was likely caused
having momentarily reached the limit of its by the plane’s banking while the camera was
panning ability, at which time the F-18 was stopped at the end of its sweep.
banking. This created the onscreen illusion that If UFO proponents claim inconsistencies
the object suddenly shot away. As corroboration, in our scenario, we shall point out confusion and If you were really a member of the global élite,
McGaha notes that the angle of the object’s incompleteness in the reports. Apparently not you'd know this already: the world is ruled by a
moving off the screen is correlated to the bank only had the incident not been considered powerful, secretive few. Many of the rest of us
angle of the F-18. What was no longer viewed serious enough to have warranted a debriefing of peons have heard that in 2004 both candidates
was presumed to have disappeared at a Fravor—let alone of the several other pilots and for the White House were members of Yale
tremendous speed. radar operator—but most of the carrier group’s University's secretive Skull and Bones society,
As it happened, this was Fravor’s “first personnel at the time regarded Fravor’s response many of whose members have risen to powerful
military assignment as a pilot for the U.S. as laughable. Major McGaha and I regard the positions. But Skull and Bones is small potatoes
Navy’s F-18 Super Hornet.” It obviously rattled entire incident not as evidence of an compared with the mysterious cabals that
him. As he was stung by being made fun of on extraterrestrial encounter but as a comedy of occupy virtually every seat of power, from the
returning to the Nimitz, he “made detailed errors involving the pilots. corridors of government to the boardrooms of
written notes of the incident” that he mailed to Wall Street.
an aunt, noting, “Keep this because this is About Joe Nickell: Take the Illuminati, a sect said to have
important stuff about some real X-Files shit” originated in 18th century Germany and which
(“Pilot report” 2017). No one was going to tell is allegedly responsible for the pyramid-and-eye
him he could have been mistaken about his symbol adorning the $1 bill: they intend to
experience—which, after all, appears to have foment world wars to strengthen the argument
been a series of misunderstandings and for the creation of a worldwide government
misperceptions. (which would, of course, be Satanic in nature).
Or consider the Freemasons, who tout their
Conclusions Joe Nickell, Ph.D., is Senior Research Fellow of group as the "oldest and largest worldwide
the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry (CSI) and fraternity" and boast alumni like George
"Investigative Files" Columnist for Skeptical Washington. Some think that despite donating
New York magazine summed up the retired
Inquirer. A former stage magician, private heaps of cash to charity, they're secretly plotting
Fravor’s current celebrity status:
investigator, and teacher, he is author of your undoing at Masonic temples across the
It seems that To the Stars is trying to
numerous books, including Inquest on the world. Or maybe, some theorize, the guys
shroud Fravor’s account in a spooky fog of faux
Shroud of Turin (1998), Pen, Ink and Evidence
top secrecy. This is a dicey strategy given pulling the strings aren't concealed in shadow at
(2003), Unsolved History (2005) and all. They might be the intelligentsia on the
Fravor’s prominence in online UFO circles, and
Adventures in Paranormal Investigation (2007). Council on Foreign Relations, a cadre of policy
gives the impression that Elizondo’s company is
He has appeared in many television wonks who allegedly count their aims as
repackaging timeworn tales from the internet as
documentaries and has been profiled in The publishing an erudite bimonthly journal and
freshly revealed government X-files. And, by
New Yorker and on NBC's Today Show. His establishing a unified world government — not
extension, (it) calls into question the Times’
personal website is at joenickell.com. necessarily in that order. []