My sentiments also.
The FAA boys are under a lot of bureaucratic political correctness pressure when it comes to UFOs.Understandably so, because its their air space and they are supposed to be in control of it, warning aircraft away from hazards and intercept courses with other aircraft. Its their prime responsibility, and thousands of lives hang in the balance at any given moment across the country. They do a magnificent job too.
But on UFOs? They fold.
I know for a fact that an F-16 pilot from the Vermont Air National Guard out of Burlington chased one in 1997, and was left far behind.
As to what they are, I have no idea, but the fact is that we have an unexplained phenomenon, and it won't go away, nor will we ever have a chance to understand it until people stop making fun of those who observe them.
I am more prone to the idea that they might make the ultimate skeet target, using a High Powered rifle.
BTW, the FAA does not use the term UFO, they call them bogies or ghosts. And they also sequester any information they have about any sighting, and airline companies tell their staff not to talk about sightings because it would affect the public 's image of their air safety. The military treats UFO sightings by its personnel as secret intelligence. The FAA would like to know what they are as much as any of us.
The issue here is that since the 60's, the FAA's credibility is starting to fray on this. They treat these things like the parent of a 7-year old explaining away questions they have about Santa.
I think most people, at this point, can surmise that we might not be alone, and that from a technology standpoint, two things are clear:
1. If these aliens wanted us dead, they probably could have taken care of that by now.
2. As such, they have superior technology to our own, and will for the foreseeable future.
At least on that basis, our scientific community can begin to devote well-directed attention on the issue without fear of compromising a life's work in doing so.
Maybe that's the biggest price we are paying at this point, is that we have yet to unleash the best minds available only to maintain a very thin mythology at this point.
I have a classmate who's an astronaut, and she'll tell you most have seen some sort of 'non-ballistic flight characteristics' from unidentified objects in space. That's about as much as you'll get out of any of them on the matter.