ML/NJ
I was told one time by a commercial pilot that yes, they do see such things, they are usually experimental “secret” aircraft and some are truly unexplainable. He also said they don’t report them because the FAA might relieve them of duty pending psychiatric evaluation.
....many airline pilots have had sightings
At approximately 16:15 CST on Tuesday, November 7, 2006, federal authorities at Chicago O’Hare International Airport received a report that a group of twelve airport employees were witnessing a metallic, saucer-shaped craft hovering over Gate C-17.
The object was first spotted by a ramp employee who was pushing back United Airlines Flight 446, which was departing Chicago for Charlotte, North Carolina. The employee apprised
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2006_O%27Hare_International_Airport_UFO_sighting
Flight 446’s crew of the object above their aircraft. It is believed that both the pilot and co-pilot also witnessed the object.
Several independent witnesses outside of the airport also saw the object. One described a “blatant” disc-shaped craft hovering over the airport which was “obviously not clouds.” According to this witness, nearby observers gasped as the object shot through the clouds at high velocity, leaving a clear blue hole in the cloud layer.[1] The hole reportedly seemed to close itself shortly afterward.
“If military planes encounter these things wouldn’t commercial and/or private aircraft encounter them also?”
I’m slowly working on my license. I and many commercial pilots have seen “things”. They are usually far too fast and small to capture with any camera.
Once I roughly timed one and did a rough calculation of how fast it cleared the horizon. The object was moving several times faster than any known aircraft or missile. The ones I’ve seen zoomed very straight and very fast. Other pilots have seen objects that did 90-180 degree turns with no visible radius or change in velocity.
There are many similar stories from commercial pilots over the decades, easy to fin with a google search.
But they also say they’ve been silenced if they want to keep flying.