Pilot issues 'flying saucer' alert after spotting UFO while landing at Gatwick

Pilot issues 'flying saucer' alert after spotting UFO while landing at Gatwick The pilot of a commercial plane coming in to land at Gatwick Airport reported seeing a "flying saucer" which was terrifyingly just feet away from the aircraft A pilot of a passenger plane reported a “flying saucer” flying feet away from the aircraft as it came in to land. The sighting of the suspected drone was highlighted in a report into the incident in April that took place as the plane was preparing to touch down at Gatwick Airport. The report was among disturbing close encounters of objects with commercial aircraft in the UK, amid high profile disturbances made at airports in recent years caused by drones. Crew of another plane told investigators a drone had come so close they could make out markings and see its propellers. In the incident involving the plane coming into Gatwick Airport, investigators at the UK Airprox Board stated: “The A319 pilot reports that descending, turning left, a disc or ‘flying saucer’ type suspected drone was seen flying very close in the opposite direction, at the same level to them, past their right wing. “Approximately 100-300ft from their aircraft wing. The object looked like a disc with darker markings on the rim, a suspected possible drone but not sure. It was very close to the aircraft, but no evasive action was required as they were in a turn already.” Following an assessment of the near-miss, the board concluded that the safety of the jet had been "reduced", according to The Sun. In a separate incident occurring in the same month near Heathrow Airport involved an A321 aircraft whose crew spotted a drone passing dangerously close. Official documents state: "The A321 pilot reports that, whilst in a left turn on to base leg at LHR (over Marlow), a drone was witnessed to fly down the left-hand-side of the aircraft at close enough proximity to see details such as the colour, shape and individual props spinning." Investigating the close call, Airprox officials said: "The board considered that providence had played a major part in the incident and/or a definite risk of collision had existed." The reports follow another striking encounter detailed by the board involving military personnel. Two Royal Air Force pilots operating an air-to-air refuelling mission at 16,000ft over the North Sea off the Norfolk coast spotted an unidentified craft, reported the Daily Star. One pilot inside a Voyager tanker was forced to duck as the object zoomed past at a distance of just 100ft to 150ft. Although the pilot of an accompanying Typhoon fighter also witnessed the object, it failed to show up on radar systems.