Pilot spots mysterious object hovering beside jet — air traffic control responds: ‘Good luck with the aliens’

A pilot flying a private aircraft over Rhode Island reported a strange midair sighting after noticing a small silver cylindrical object near his jet. The encounter, captured in air traffic control audio, resurfaced online weeks later and drew renewed attention because of a light-hearted exchange in which a controller joked, “Good luck with the aliens.” The sighting occurred at about 3,500 feet near a regional airport and prompted routine radio communication rather than any emergency response.

What the pilot reported

In the recording, the pilot said the object appeared to be “standing still” with nothing visibly attached to it. He reported that it briefly flew alongside the aircraft before disappearing from view. The pilot said he could not immediately identify it as a drone, balloon or another aircraft, but he did not report any evasive manoeuvres or loss of control.




Air traffic control told the pilot there were no other reported aircraft or objects in the immediate area. One controller jokingly wished him “good luck with the aliens,” a remark that was clearly informal banter. The conversation quickly returned to standard flight communications, and there was no indication of alarm or escalation.

Where and how it happened

The sighting occurred on October 27, 2025, near Rhode Island T. F. Green International Airport. The aircraft was identified as a Piper PA-32RT-300T Turbo Lance II, a single-engine private plane commonly used for regional flights. The altitude involved is well below commercial cruising levels.

Aviation specialists note that most pilot reports of unidentified objects are later explained. Weather balloons can carry cylindrical payloads and may appear stationary depending on wind and viewing angle. Drones or atmospheric research devices are also possibilities, as are visual effects caused by perspective and motion.

What authorities say

The Federal Aviation Administration says it records reports of unidentified anomalous phenomena when pilots alert controllers. If radar data or other supporting information is available, the FAA shares it with relevant government agencies. No radar confirmation or official finding has been released in this case.

The incident drew wider attention after the aviation-focused channel VASAviation shared the ATC audio online in October. The clip spread quickly on social media, largely because of the pilot’s calm description and the controller’s offhand joke, amid continuing public interest in unexplained aerial sightings.

The object remains unidentified, but there is no evidence it posed a threat or disrupted the flight. Officials stress that such reports are not unusual in aviation and are typically resolved without dramatic conclusions.