Jetpack Man LAX Mystery: The 2020–2022 Pilot Sightings Explained
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The Strange Story of Jetpack Man
In late summer 2020, something extraordinary appeared to be happening in the skies around Los Angeles.
Airline pilots approaching Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) began reporting a strange object that looked remarkably like a person wearing a jetpack.
The reports were unusual enough to attract the attention of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and local law-enforcement agencies.
The first major report came on August 30, 2020, when pilots aboard American Airlines Flight 1997 reported seeing what appeared to be a person flying beside their aircraft at approximately 3,000 feet.
Only minutes later, another airline crew reported seeing what appeared to be the same person.
Then, on October 14, a China Airlines crew reported another strange object at roughly 6,000–6,500 feet.
In December, a flight instructor from Sling Pilot Academy recorded a video of an object that appeared to resemble a person carrying a jetpack.
The mystery did not end there.
Additional reports appeared in 2021 and again in 2022.
Yet despite years of investigation, no person was publicly identified as the pilot of a jetpack, and the FAA eventually said that none of the reported sightings had been verified. One official working theory was that pilots could have been seeing balloons.
The story is therefore more complicated than the popular nickname "Jetpack Man" suggests.
Where Did the Jetpack Man Reports Happen?
The main reports occurred around the greater Los Angeles area, particularly near the airspace surrounding LAX.
Some sightings were close to the airport's arrival paths.
Others occurred farther away, including over or near:
Culver City
South Gate
Cudahy
Palos Verdes
Santa Catalina Island
Van Nuys
San Pedro
Santa Fe Springs and Whittier
This is important because not every report occurred in exactly the same location.
The FBI investigation eventually collected reports from different pilots and members of the public, and some of those observations were later associated with the broader "Jetpack Man" investigation even when the witnesses themselves were uncertain about what they had seen.
The First Major Sighting — August 30, 2020
The case became public after a remarkable radio transmission from an American Airlines flight.
On August 30, 2020, American Airlines Flight 1997 was approaching Los Angeles International Airport.
According to the FBI's later records, the aircraft was approximately 10 miles from LAX, around 3,000 feet above the ground, and travelling at approximately 180 knots.
The captain noticed something off the aircraft's left side.
At first, he considered several ordinary possibilities.
It could have been:
A balloon
A drone
A parachute
But as the aircraft approached, the object appeared to remain in roughly the same position relative to the airplane.
The captain eventually concluded that it looked like a person wearing a jetpack.
The famous radio transmission was:
"Tower, American 1997. We just passed a guy in a jet pack."
The tower asked where the object had been.
The pilot replied that it was approximately 300 yards to the left of the aircraft and around the same altitude.
What Did the American Airlines Pilot Actually See?
The FBI interview provides considerably more detail than the original news reports.
According to the pilot's interview, the object appeared vertically oriented.
He described what appeared to be:
Black boots
An orange jumpsuit or jacket
A white aviation-style helmet with a visor
A backpack
The object appeared to have no visible wings or parachute canopy.
The pilot also recalled that its hands appeared to be out in front, as though the person were holding or grasping something.
Most remarkably, he said the apparent figure seemed to be looking toward the aircraft.
He estimated that he observed it for approximately 10 seconds.
The pilot later told investigators that he had difficulty believing what he had seen.
Two colleagues, including the first officer, also reportedly saw something resembling the same object.
Why the First Sighting Was So Serious
This was not a sighting from somebody standing on the ground looking at a distant light.
It occurred near commercial aviation traffic.
The pilot reportedly worried that the person could potentially collide with the aircraft.
He later told investigators that he wondered whether the apparent individual was intentionally trying to ram the airplane.
He described the situation as an unnecessary risk to passengers and crew.
That concern explains why the incident quickly became an aviation-safety matter.
JetBlue Flight 23 Reports the Same Object
The story became even more unusual because another aircraft reportedly saw the object shortly afterward.
According to the FBI case summary, approximately one minute after the American Airlines report, a pilot aboard JetBlue Flight 23, also approaching LAX, potentially saw the same person or object.
Air traffic control subsequently warned aircraft in the area.
The original radio exchanges were later obtained through FAA records.
This second report is one reason the August 30 event received so much attention.
It was not simply one pilot making an isolated observation.
The FBI Opens an Investigation
The FBI was informed of the August 30 incident on September 1, 2020.
An FBI case was opened under the description of a possible person with a jetpack flying near American Airlines Flight 1997 as the aircraft approached LAX.
The later-released FBI file identifies the investigation under case number 164B-LA-3313857.
The FBI interviewed pilots, airport personnel, aviation personnel and other witnesses.
Investigators also obtained material from the FAA, including flight-path information, recordings and other data.
The investigation eventually became much larger than the original August report.
The Investigation Found Something Important About the Pilots' Descriptions
One of the most interesting details appeared in the later FBI interviews.
The pilots did not all necessarily see exactly the same thing.
For example, a China Airlines pilot who initially reported something resembling a jetpack later told investigators that, after reflection, he did not believe the object actually resembled a human in shape and size.
He also said there were no obvious propellers or jet-propulsion devices attached to it.
He explained that he associated it with a jetpack partly because another pilot's recent jetpack report was already in the news.
This is extremely important.
It shows how the label "Jetpack Man" may have influenced later interpretations.
The Second Major Sighting — October 14, 2020
On October 14, 2020, another report came from a completely different airline.
China Airlines Flight 6 was approaching Los Angeles.
At approximately 1:45 p.m., the crew reported seeing what initially appeared to be someone wearing a jetpack.
The FAA said the object was around 6,000 feet above the ground and approximately seven miles northwest of LAX.
The sighting lasted only a very short time.
The FBI later interviewed members of the China Airlines crew.
The China Airlines Crew's Detailed Account
The FBI records provide much more information than the original media reports.
One first officer said the aircraft was descending at approximately 210 knots and around 6,500 feet.
He saw a shiny black object travelling from right to left and slightly upward in front of the aircraft.
The observation lasted no more than approximately one second.
He could not confidently determine what the object was.
However, it was close enough to make him nervous.
Another China Airlines crew member reported seeing a shiny black object moving from right to left.
The aircraft was travelling around 200–210 knots at approximately 6,000–7,000 feet.
Again, the observation lasted only about a second.
The crew reported the object to air traffic control.
The Captain's Later Description Was Different
The China Airlines captain gave investigators a more detailed description.
He said the aircraft was descending toward LAX in clear, sunny weather with little or no wind.
He saw an object approaching from approximately the 11 o'clock position.
It passed quickly across the aircraft's left side.
He estimated that it might have been approximately two metres in size, although he acknowledged that the brief encounter and sunlight glare made precise identification difficult.
Initially, the crew described it as something resembling a flight suit or jetpack.
But after thinking about it more carefully, the captain told investigators that he did not believe the object actually had the shape and size of a human.
He also said he saw no propellers or obvious jet propulsion devices.
This later testimony is one of the strongest reasons not to describe the October sighting as a confirmed jetpack.
An October 20 SkyWest Sighting
The FBI records reveal another report that received considerably less attention from the general public.
On October 20, 2020, a SkyWest Airlines flight was approaching LAX from the direction of the Hollywood area.
The aircraft was descending at approximately 7,200 feet and around 300 mph.
One captain reported seeing what he called a "jet-pack man."
Another person aboard the aircraft did not see the object.
The sighting was subsequently reported to the FAA tower.
The FBI later obtained an audio recording related to this report from the FAA.
The agency's records therefore show that the "Jetpack Man" investigation involved more sightings than the three reports that received the most media attention in 2020.
A September 5 Observation That Is Usually Forgotten
The FBI records contain another interesting case from September 5, 2020.
A pilot flying a Mooney M20J with passengers reported seeing an unusual object while travelling at approximately 11,500 feet.
The object was estimated to be roughly two metres in size.
It appeared black initially, although other observers described reddish or orange colors.
A red light was reportedly visible.
The witnesses did not see a recognizable human body, mannequin, limbs, head or helmet.
One person later described the object as resembling a jet ski, while another compared its appearance to a racing motorcycle without wheels.
The object appeared stable and remained around the same altitude as the aircraft.
The witnesses saw it for approximately four to five seconds.
Importantly, the pilot specifically said he did not believe it was a balloon or drone carrying people.
The FBI also recorded that he had heard about the earlier "Jetman" reports and used that terminology when reporting his own observation.
This is a good example of why individual reports need to be kept separate.
The September observation does not establish that the object was the same thing seen near LAX.
A Potential Warning About an Attack
The FBI investigation also uncovered an unusual anonymous tip.
On October 17, 2020, an anonymous person submitted information to WeTip claiming that the two earlier jetpack incidents at approximately 3,000 and 6,000 feet might have been a "dry run" for an attack on an American airliner around New Year's Eve.
LAX police investigated the tip and notified the FBI.
However, WeTip itself warned that anonymous information submitted through its system was not screened or authenticated.
There was no established evidence in the released records that the jetpack sightings were connected to any planned attack.
This should therefore be treated as an unverified threat tip, not as evidence that the sightings were part of a terrorist plot.
The December 21, 2020 Video
The most important visual evidence appeared on December 21, 2020.
A flight instructor associated with Sling Pilot Academy, a flight school based in Torrance, was flying in the area near the Palos Verdes Peninsula.
The aircraft was around 3,000 feet above the ocean.
The instructor saw an object below or near the aircraft that appeared unusual.
She pulled out her phone and began recording.
The resulting video showed a dark, human-shaped object moving across the sky.
Catalina Island was visible in the background.
The video quickly became the most famous visual evidence associated with the Jetpack Man mystery.
What Was Actually Seen in the Video?
The original video is short and relatively low resolution.
When enlarged, the object can appear vaguely human-like.
It seems to have a central body with darker shapes extending downward.
Because of the distance, camera resolution and lack of a close reference object, however, it is difficult to determine the object's actual size.
The Sling Pilot Academy itself was cautious.
Its published description said that the video appeared to show a jetpack, but also acknowledged that it could have been a drone or another object.
That cautious wording is important.
Even the people who recorded the video did not claim they had definitively captured a human flying a jetpack.
The FBI Interview With the Flight Instructor
The later FBI records provide additional information about the December sighting.
The instructor said she was flying with a student and had extensive experience observing aircraft and balloons.
She explained that the training aircraft had radar equipment but that radar was not always reliable.
She had previously seen many balloons and was familiar with their behavior.
According to her account, the object was seen at approximately 3,000 feet.
It appeared below their altitude and roughly a fraction of a mile away.
At first she thought it might be a plane.
As they got closer, however, it appeared too small to be a normal aircraft.
She said its movement looked more like a balloon than an airplane.
Why Did She Call It Jetpack Man?
The instructor already knew about the previous media reports.
When she saw the strange object, she immediately associated it with the earlier Jetpack Man reports.
She became excited and began recording it with her phone.
She filmed for approximately two minutes, while the aircraft maintained a safe distance and attempted to obtain a better view.
The object continued moving away and eventually disappeared.
This is another important piece of evidence.
The witness did not begin with a completely unidentified object and independently conclude that it was a jetpack.
The Jetpack Man story was already known, which could have influenced interpretation.
That does not mean the observation was false.
It simply means the psychological context should be considered.
The Jack Skellington Balloon
The investigation took an especially strange turn in November 2020.
LAPD helicopter crews encountered a large human-shaped inflatable balloon in the Los Angeles area.
The balloon reportedly resembled Jack Skellington, the character from The Nightmare Before Christmas.
The LAPD provided video and photographs of the balloon to investigators.
This became important because its appearance and movement provided a possible demonstration of how a human-shaped inflatable could look from the air.
Could the Jack Skellington Balloon Explain the Mystery?
The answer is:
Possibly some sightings — but it was never publicly proven to explain all of them.
One of the pilots interviewed by the FBI was shown video of the Jack Skellington balloon.
That pilot said the balloon's flying characteristics appeared identical to the object he had seen.
This was significant because it demonstrated that a human-shaped inflatable could create an appearance remarkably similar to the reported object.
The FBI later publicly described balloons as one working theory.
However, the agency did not announce that it had definitively solved every Jetpack Man sighting.
The Human-Shaped Drone Theory
Another theory became popular after investigators and researchers discovered examples of remote-controlled drones carrying mannequin-like figures.
A human-shaped drone could potentially explain several otherwise strange observations.
It could:
Look like a person from a distance
Remain airborne without a visible conventional aircraft body
Move independently
Operate without a pilot being physically present
Be controlled from the ground
Appear much smaller than a helicopter
The FBI records themselves document that investigators showed witnesses video of a remote-controlled flying mannequin using multiple small rotors.
Some witnesses said the shape looked similar to what they had seen.
This theory is particularly interesting because it provides a technological explanation that does not require a person to actually be wearing a jetpack.
The Real Jetpack Theory
Jetpacks are real.
Companies and engineers have developed functioning personal flight systems capable of carrying human beings.
Therefore, the idea of a real person flying with a jetpack is not physically impossible.
The problem is the environment.
The reported objects appeared around busy commercial-aircraft routes at altitudes of several thousand feet.
That raises difficult questions about:
Fuel endurance
Range
Pilot control
Noise
Visibility
Takeoff and landing
Air-traffic regulations
Collision risk
Where the pilot would launch and land
Experts interviewed during the investigation questioned whether existing jetpacks would realistically be able to perform the reported flights at those altitudes and distances.
Why a Real Jetpack Would Be Difficult to Hide
A conventional jetpack is not a silent device.
It requires powerful propulsion.
Depending on the design, it can produce considerable noise and a visible exhaust signature.
A person flying thousands of feet above Los Angeles would also have to solve the problem of reaching that altitude and returning safely.
There would potentially be:
Launch locations
Fuel requirements
Maintenance
Transport
Landing sites
Witnesses on the ground
Air-traffic records
Video from other aircraft
Radar or transponder information
Yet investigators never publicly identified a person responsible for the reports.
This absence does not prove a jetpack was impossible.
But it makes the theory considerably harder to support.
The Balloon Theory
The FBI's main publicly stated working theory was that pilots might have been seeing balloons.
This explanation has several advantages.
A balloon can:
Travel without visible propulsion
Appear stationary or slowly moving
Move with the wind
Look surprisingly large or small depending on distance
Take on unusual shapes
Appear human-like from a distance
Be difficult to judge against a clear sky
The investigation also produced actual evidence of human-shaped balloons operating around Los Angeles.
The Balloon Theory Is Not Perfect
There are also reasons some pilots rejected the balloon explanation.
Several witnesses said the object appeared solid.
Some believed it moved in ways that did not resemble a balloon.
One pilot specifically said he had experience observing balloons and did not believe the object he saw was a conventional balloon.
Another described the object as maintaining a relatively stable altitude.
These are witness impressions rather than laboratory measurements.
Nevertheless, they explain why the balloon theory did not immediately convince everyone involved.
The Misidentification Theory
Another possibility is that there was never one "Jetpack Man."
Instead, different pilots may have seen completely unrelated objects.
For example:
One pilot could have seen a balloon.
Another could have seen a drone.
Another could have seen a distant aircraft.
Another could have seen a human-shaped inflatable.
Another could have seen an unusual object whose identity remains unknown.
Because the first reports received enormous media attention, later pilots already knew about the Jetpack Man story.
That creates the possibility of expectation-driven identification.
A pilot who sees an unusual object may naturally compare it with the description already circulating in the news.
The FBI records provide an example of this process when the China Airlines captain later explained that he associated the object with a jetpack partly because of the earlier reports.
The Drone Theory
Drones are another strong conventional possibility.
By 2020, consumer and professional drones were widespread.
A drone can be relatively small, difficult to see at a distance and capable of carrying unusual payloads.
A specially designed drone carrying a mannequin or human-shaped inflatable could potentially produce exactly the sort of visual impression described by some witnesses.
There is no public evidence proving that such a drone caused the LAX sightings.
But the FBI investigation considered the possibility seriously enough to show witnesses examples of remote-controlled flying mannequins.
The "Secret Technology" Theory
Some people wondered whether the sightings could involve classified technology.
Los Angeles is home to a significant aerospace and defense industry.
Experimental aircraft and advanced unmanned systems have historically been developed and tested in Southern California.
This theory attracted attention because a highly unusual personal-flight device would potentially be valuable military technology.
However, there is no publicly released evidence establishing that the LAX Jetpack Man sightings involved a classified government aircraft.
It remains speculation.
The Hoax Theory
A deliberate hoax is another possibility.
Someone could theoretically use:
A mannequin
A balloon
A drone
An inflatable
or another remotely controlled device to create the illusion of a flying person.
However, no person has publicly demonstrated that they were responsible for the complete series of sightings.
The FBI records contain numerous tips and theories, but that is very different from finding a confirmed hoaxer.
The UFO Theory
Because the object remained unidentified, some UFO enthusiasts incorporated the story into the broader UAP phenomenon.
The argument is usually based on:
Multiple pilot reports
Unusual apparent maneuvering
Objects at significant altitude
The December video
The lack of a confirmed human pilot
The involvement of the FBI and FAA
But none of these facts establishes extraterrestrial origin.
The FBI's working theory was much more mundane: balloons.
The FAA also said that none of the reported sightings had been verified as actual jetpack flights.
There is no publicly verified evidence of an extraterrestrial craft in this case.
The May 9, 2021 Sighting
The FBI records reveal another interesting report from May 9, 2021.
A flight instructor and student were flying a Cessna 172 from Van Nuys toward Compton.
The aircraft was around 2,400 feet above sea level shortly after takeoff.
The instructor saw something to the left of the aircraft.
The object was visible only briefly at first.
The instructor immediately told the student that it appeared to be a person on a jetpack.
He also contacted air traffic control.
The instructor estimated the aircraft was travelling around 80 mph and thought the object was moving in the opposite direction at approximately 40 mph.
Because of the brief observation, he acknowledged uncertainty about exactly what he had seen.
The Student's Account
The student reportedly had a longer view.
He said he saw what appeared to be a person approximately 400–500 feet away, slightly below the aircraft.
The object appeared to be travelling in the opposite direction.
He described it as being upright, resembling a person but apparently without normal movements.
He recalled black and red clothing.
The student also compared its shape with an earlier image/video associated with the Jetpack Man reports.
This is another example where the object was interpreted as a person, but the available evidence did not establish that it actually was one.
The June 28, 2021 Report
The FBI records also contain a previously underreported report from June 28, 2021.
A Kalitta Air Boeing 747 was approaching LAX at approximately 5,000 feet, around 10–15 miles from the airport.
One pilot reportedly pointed out something that appeared to be Jetpack Man.
The other pilot did not see the object.
Air traffic control was contacted, and other airlines were warned.
According to the FBI record, there were no additional reports of the object from other aircraft in the area at that time.
This is important because it shows that the "Jetpack Man" reports continued even after the December 2020 video.
The July 28, 2021 Sighting
One of the best-documented later incidents occurred on July 28, 2021.
A Kalitta Air Boeing 747 was approaching LAX.
The aircraft was approximately 15 miles east of LAX, around 5,000 feet, and travelling approximately 210 knots.
The captain saw something outside the aircraft.
Initially, he called it an unidentified object.
He then wondered whether it could be a person wearing a jetpack because he already knew about the previous reports.
What Did the 747 Captain See?
The captain told the FBI that the object was:
Larger than a balloon
but
smaller than a helicopter or small airplane.
It appeared to hover or float slightly below the aircraft.
As the aircraft descended, the object appeared to reach approximately the same altitude.
The captain was unsure whether the object itself had climbed or whether the apparent altitude change resulted from the aircraft descending.
He estimated the object was approximately 500 feet off the right side of the aircraft.
He watched it for around seven or eight seconds.
The Object Looked Like a Person
The captain described the object as approximately 5–7 feet tall.
It appeared reddish.
The size was similar to that of a person.
He initially considered the possibility of a jetpack because of the earlier media reports.
However, he did not claim that he had definitively identified it as a human being.
The other pilots in the cockpit did not see the object because they were occupied with other tasks.
This is another reason the sighting remains difficult to independently verify.
Air Traffic Control Called It "Iron Man"
The July 2021 incident produced memorable air-traffic-control audio.
The pilot reported the object.
Controllers warned other aircraft.
At one point, the object was informally referred to as "Iron Man."
Another pilot was asked whether they could see it.
The responding crew said they were looking but did not see the object.
The incident became widely reported because the ATC recordings captured the unusual exchange.
The FAA and FBI Were Still Investigating
The July 2021 report demonstrated that authorities had not simply forgotten the earlier incidents.
The FAA continued to cooperate with the FBI.
FAA records relating to the incident were later released through FOIA.
The released material includes an Air Traffic Mandatory Occurrence Report and ATC recordings.
This makes the July 2021 event particularly useful for researchers because it is supported by actual aviation records rather than only a newspaper retelling.
A Strange August 2021 Tip
The FBI records contain another unusual report from August 2021.
A member of the public contacted authorities after reportedly seeing a man operating an advanced-looking drone in San Pedro.
The person claimed the drone could land on the man's arm.
The witness wondered whether the man might be connected to the Jetpack Man sightings.
The FBI added the information to the existing case for reference but did not determine that the man was connected to the LAX reports.
The assessment recommended no further FBI investigation into that individual.
This should not be presented as evidence that investigators found Jetpack Man.
It was simply an unverified public tip.
The June 2022 Sighting
The story returned to the news in June 2022.
On June 23, 2022, a pilot approaching LAX reported seeing what appeared to be a person operating a jetpack.
The report came at approximately 2:45 p.m.
The pilot was about 15 miles east of LAX and around 4,500 feet.
The pilot told the controller:
"Yeah, we just saw a guy with a jetpack about 4,500 feet."
The FAA confirmed that an airline pilot had reported seeing an object that might have resembled a jetpack.
The agency again emphasized that it had worked with the FBI on previous reports and that none had been verified.
The FAA repeated the working theory that pilots might have been seeing balloons.
Why the 2022 Report Was Important
By this point, the mystery had continued for almost two years.
There had been reports in:
2020
2021
2022
Yet there was still no publicly identified jetpack pilot.
No confirmed takeoff site had been found.
No confirmed landing site had been identified.
No person publicly claimed responsibility.
And no agency announced that it had verified an actual human flying a jetpack near LAX.
The mystery therefore remained unresolved in the public record.
What the FBI Eventually Said
In November 2021, the FBI publicly discussed its investigation.
The agency stated that it had worked closely with the FAA.
Most importantly, the FBI said that none of the reported jetpack sightings had been verified.
The FBI also stated that one working theory was that pilots might have been seeing balloons.
This is the most important official conclusion available to the public.
It does not say:
"The Jetpack Man was a balloon."
It says:
"Balloons were one working theory."
That distinction is extremely important.
What Did the FBI Actually Investigate?
The later FOIA release gives a glimpse into the scale of the investigation.
The FBI reviewed:
Pilot interviews
FAA flight information
ATC recordings
Flight-path information
Videos
Photographs
Local witness reports
Possible balloon evidence
Possible drone explanations
Tips from the public
The FBI also received material from the FAA concerning several potential sightings.
The investigation was therefore not simply based on internet rumors.
There was a genuine federal inquiry.
The 2025 FBI FOIA Release
A particularly important development came in October 2025.
The FBI responded to FOIA request 1502002-001, titled "Investigation of Person Flying a Jetpack."
The FBI's response letter says that it reviewed 250 pages and released 130 pages in the first interim release.
The agency also stated that it had located records originating with or containing information from another government agency and was consulting that agency before making further determinations.
The FBI's own FOIA log confirms that FOIA request 1502002 concerned the investigation of a person flying a jetpack.
This is significant because it means the publicly available FBI material is not necessarily the complete investigative record.
Some pages remain withheld or redacted.
What the Newly Released FBI Records Tell Us
The records make the case more complicated rather than less interesting.
They show that:
Some pilots genuinely believed they saw a person.
Some later became less certain.
Some witnesses thought the object looked like a balloon.
Some witnesses rejected the balloon explanation.
Some sightings involved objects that did not look human at all.
The term "jetpack" was sometimes adopted because of previous media reports.
Investigators examined drone and mannequin possibilities.
Investigators examined actual human-shaped balloons.
FAA flight-path and audio records were obtained.
The investigation included sightings that were never widely reported by the media.
This makes the case considerably more nuanced than the simple story of "pilots repeatedly saw a man with a jetpack."
What Did the Pilots Think?
The pilots' reactions were generally very different from those of internet UFO enthusiasts.
They were primarily concerned about aviation safety.
A commercial pilot seeing an unidentified object near an aircraft does not necessarily think:
"I have seen an alien spacecraft."
The first question is usually:
What is that thing and is it dangerous?
The August 2020 American Airlines captain was concerned about the object's proximity.
The China Airlines crew became nervous when an object crossed near their aircraft.
The July 2021 Kalitta captain first considered whether the object posed a collision risk.
These reactions are consistent with the fact that the sightings occurred in active aviation environments.
What Did the Public Think?
Public reaction was much more dramatic.
Some people believed the sightings were evidence that jetpack technology had secretly advanced far beyond what was publicly known.
Others thought someone was conducting an illegal experiment.
Some believed it was a drone carrying a mannequin.
Others became convinced that the object was a balloon.
And UFO enthusiasts began treating the reports as another example of unexplained aerial phenomena.
The December video significantly increased public interest because it appeared to provide the first visual evidence.
But the video itself remained ambiguous.
Why People Found the Case So Convincing
There were several reasons.
The witnesses included:
Commercial airline pilots
Flight instructors
Multiple crew members
Air-traffic controllers
The objects were reported at surprisingly high altitudes.
The August event apparently involved more than one aircraft.
The December event produced video.
The FBI and FAA became involved.
And the mystery continued across several years.
That combination made the case much more compelling than an ordinary internet UFO story.
Why the Case Is Also Difficult to Prove
The biggest problem is the quality of the visual evidence.
The December video is real, but it is:
Short
Low resolution
Shot from a moving aircraft
Without an exact range measurement
Without an independently measured object size
Without a second camera providing triangulation
This makes it impossible to determine the object's true dimensions or identity from the video alone.
The FBI investigation also found that some witnesses' descriptions changed or became more uncertain when they were interviewed later.
Could the December Video Be a Balloon?
Yes.
In fact, this became one of the strongest conventional explanations.
The FBI interviewed the Sling Pilot Academy instructor and recorded her observation that the object behaved more like a balloon than an airplane.
Investigators also had actual video of a human-shaped balloon, resembling Jack Skellington, that demonstrated how strange such an object could look from the air.
One witness told investigators that the balloon's flight characteristics appeared very similar to what he had observed.
This does not prove the December object was that exact balloon.
It simply demonstrates that a plausible conventional object could produce a very similar visual impression.
Could It Have Been a Drone With a Mannequin?
Also possible.
A drone could carry a lightweight mannequin or human-shaped structure.
At a distance, a person-shaped drone could easily be mistaken for an actual human.
The FBI records show that investigators explicitly presented witnesses with footage of remote-controlled flying mannequins.
Some witnesses said the shape resembled what they had seen.
No publicly released evidence identifies a particular drone operator as responsible for the LAX sightings.
Could It Have Been a Real Jetpack?
It cannot be completely ruled out from the public evidence.
Jetpack technology is real.
But there is no publicly verified evidence that a person actually flew a jetpack through the reported LAX airspace.
The major problems are:
Range
Altitude
Fuel endurance
Noise
Visibility
Airspace restrictions
Takeoff and landing
Lack of an identified operator
The FBI and FAA never publicly verified the existence of a jetpack pilot responsible for the reports.
Could It Have Been a Classified Military Aircraft?
This is one of the more speculative explanations.
Southern California has a long history of aerospace development.
The possibility of experimental technology naturally attracted attention.
However, there is no public evidence showing that the FBI or FAA concluded that the objects were secret military aircraft.
There is also no publicly identified aircraft that matches all of the reported descriptions.
Therefore, this theory remains speculation.
Could Some Reports Have Been Completely Unrelated?
This may actually be one of the most reasonable explanations.
Consider the variety:
One object was described as a human figure.
Another was later described as not really human-shaped.
Another witness described an object resembling a jet ski or racing motorcycle.
Another described a red object.
Another described a person-like object in black and red.
Another video showed something that appeared human-shaped.
These may not have been the same object.
The phrase "Jetpack Man" may have gradually turned a collection of different sightings into one apparent mystery.
The Role of Media Influence
This is one of the most interesting psychological aspects of the case.
After the first sightings became national news, later witnesses already knew about "Jetpack Man."
The FBI's China Airlines interview provides a direct example.
The captain initially reported a strange object, but later explained that he associated it with a jetpack partly because he had heard about previous jetpack sightings.
Likewise, the Sling Pilot Academy instructor already knew about the story when she saw her December object.
This does not mean the witnesses imagined the objects.
It means the name "Jetpack Man" could have influenced how ambiguous objects were interpreted.
The Most Important Evidence
The evidence can be separated into several categories.
Pilot testimony
Multiple trained pilots reported unusual objects.
This is significant, but eyewitness testimony alone cannot establish what an object physically was.
ATC recordings
Some incidents were captured in air-traffic-control communications.
This independently establishes that the reports were made at the time.
FAA records
FAA records include flight-path information and other material associated with some reports.
FBI interviews
The FBI interviewed multiple pilots and other witnesses.
Video evidence
The December 2020 Sling Pilot Academy video is the best-known visual evidence.
Balloon evidence
Investigators obtained evidence of a human-shaped balloon operating around Los Angeles.
No confirmed jetpack
Despite the investigation, no person was publicly confirmed to have flown a jetpack during the reported incidents.
What Is Actually Confirmed?
The following points are well supported:
Multiple pilots reported unusual objects around the Los Angeles area.
The August 30, 2020 American Airlines report is genuine.
Another airline crew reported a similar object shortly afterward.
A China Airlines crew reported an unusual object on October 14, 2020.
A SkyWest captain reported another object on October 20, 2020.
Sling Pilot Academy recorded the December 21, 2020 video.
The FBI investigated the reports.
The FAA investigated and provided records to the FBI.
Additional reports occurred in 2021.
Another report occurred in June 2022.
The FBI publicly stated that none of the reported jetpack sightings had been verified.
The FBI identified balloons as one working theory.
What Has Not Been Proven?
It has not been proven that:
A human actually flew a jetpack near LAX.
All of the sightings involved the same object.
The December video shows a genuine jetpack pilot.
The object was extraterrestrial.
The objects were secret military aircraft.
The objects were Chinese or Russian technology.
The sightings were part of a government experiment.
The sightings were a deliberate hoax.
The Jack Skellington balloon caused every reported sighting.
None of these claims has been established by the publicly available evidence.
Complete Timeline
August 30, 2020
American Airlines Flight 1997 reports an apparent person wearing a jetpack around 3,000 feet, roughly 10 miles from LAX.
A JetBlue flight reports a possible sighting shortly afterward.
September 1, 2020
The FBI is informed and begins investigating the August incident.
September 5, 2020
A Mooney M20J crew reports an unusual object at approximately 11,500 feet. The witnesses do not describe it as clearly human-shaped.
October 14, 2020
China Airlines Flight 6 reports an object resembling a person with a jetpack at approximately 6,000–6,500 feet.
October 17–19, 2020
An anonymous threat tip claims the earlier jetpack incidents could be a "dry run" for an attack. Police and the FBI receive the information, but the tip is not authenticated.
October 20, 2020
A SkyWest captain reports seeing a "jet-pack man" around 7,200 feet near the Hollywood area.
November 2020
LAPD aviation personnel encounter a human-shaped balloon resembling Jack Skellington. Investigators consider whether a similar balloon could explain some pilot reports.
December 21, 2020
A Sling Pilot Academy instructor records the famous human-shaped object near Palos Verdes at approximately 3,000 feet.
May 9, 2021
An instructor and student flying a Cessna 172 near Van Nuys report another person-like object around 2,400 feet.
June 28, 2021
A Kalitta Air 747 crew reports a possible Jetpack Man around 5,000 feet approximately 10–15 miles from LAX.
July 28, 2021
A Kalitta Air 747 captain reports an object resembling a person approximately 15 miles east of LAX at around 5,000 feet. ATC warns other aircraft.
August 2021
A member of the public reports a man operating an unusual drone in San Pedro and speculates that he may be connected to the Jetpack Man reports. The FBI files the information without pursuing further investigation of the individual.
November 2021
The FBI publicly states that none of the reported sightings have been verified and identifies balloons as one working theory.
June 23, 2022
A pilot approaching LAX reports seeing what appears to be a person with a jetpack around 4,500 feet, approximately 15 miles east of LAX. The FAA again says previous sightings have not been verified and mentions balloons as a working theory.
October 2025
The FBI releases an interim FOIA response concerning its "Investigation of Person Flying a Jetpack." The agency says it reviewed 250 pages and released 130 pages, while consultation with another government agency remains ongoing.
Why the Jetpack Man Mystery Remains Famous
The case combines several things that naturally attract attention.
There were multiple pilots.
There were ATC recordings.
There was FBI involvement.
There was FAA involvement.
There was actual video.
There were repeated reports across several years.
And the object appeared to resemble something that should be impossible to encounter casually in commercial airspace.
But the investigation also produced something equally interesting:
uncertainty.
The pilots did not all describe exactly the same thing.
Some later became less certain.
Some thought the object might have been a balloon.
Some saw something that did not look human at all.
And no verified jetpack pilot was ever publicly identified.
Final Assessment
The LAX Jetpack Man mystery is a genuine collection of aviation reports, not simply an internet hoax invented after the fact.
The FBI really investigated it.
The FAA really investigated the reports.
Pilots really made the radio calls.
The December 2020 video is real.
And the later FBI records show that investigators followed up on many of the reports in considerable detail.
But the evidence does not establish that a person repeatedly flew a jetpack around Los Angeles.
The strongest conventional explanation is that different sightings may have involved different objects, with balloons and possibly drones being particularly plausible explanations for at least some reports.
The human-shaped balloon discovered by LAPD is especially interesting because investigators were able to compare its appearance and movement with witness observations.
At the same time, not every sighting can be confidently matched to that balloon.
The December video remains visually ambiguous.
The later FBI records also show that some pilots described objects that did not look like human beings at all.
So the most responsible conclusion is:
Multiple pilots and other witnesses reported unusual objects around the Los Angeles area between 2020 and 2022. The FBI and FAA investigated the reports, but no person using a jetpack was ever publicly verified. Balloons, drones, unusual inflatables and misidentification remain the leading conventional explanations, while the exact identity of every reported object has not been established.
There is no publicly verified evidence that the Jetpack Man was extraterrestrial, and there is also no evidence establishing one single object behind every sighting.
The mystery is therefore best described as an unresolved aviation phenomenon with several plausible conventional explanations, rather than a confirmed UFO or confirmed jetpack pilot.
Best Real Sources for Images, Videos and Further Research
For your website, I would stick primarily to these sources rather than random UFO blogs.
FBI FOIA Records
The FBI's official FOIA log confirms the existence of the "Investigation of Person Flying a Jetpack" request, FOIA number 1502002.
FBI Vault — FOIA Log containing “Investigation of Person Flying a Jetpack”
For the actual released 2025 FBI case documents, this FOIA archive hosts the released material:
FBI Jetpack Investigation — Released FOIA Documents
Best for: FBI reports, interview records, investigative material and newly released documents.
FAA FOIA Records via The Black Vault
The Black Vault has preserved FAA records for individual sightings, including the August 2020, October 2020 and July 2021 incidents. These pages include released documents and ATC recordings.
August 30, 2020 — FAA/ATC Jetpack Records
October 2020 — FAA Jetpack Records
July 28, 2021 — FAA/ATC Jetpack Records
Best for: original-style FAA records, ATC audio and aviation documentation.
Los Angeles Times
The Los Angeles Times covered the original FBI investigation, the December video and the later FBI balloon theory.
Los Angeles Times — Original FBI Jetpack Investigation Report
Los Angeles Times — December 2020 Jetpack Video Report
Los Angeles Times — FBI Balloon Theory
Best for: historical news coverage, photographs and contemporary reporting.
CBS News Los Angeles
CBS covered both the October 2020 sighting and the December 2020 video.
CBS Los Angeles — October 2020 Jetpack Sighting
CBS News — December 2020 Jetpack Video
Best for: contemporary news footage and the December video story.
Sling Pilot Academy
The December 2020 video originated with a flight instructor from Sling Pilot Academy.
The academy is a real Southern California flight school, and its website is useful for establishing the organization involved in the sighting.
Sling Pilot Academy — Official Website
For the actual historical video, prefer an archived/original post or a reputable news report that embeds the original footage rather than downloading and re-uploading somebody else's copy.
NBC Los Angeles
NBC Los Angeles investigated the possible balloon explanation and reported on the LAPD helicopter photographs/video involving the human-shaped inflatable.
NBC Los Angeles — Jetpack Man / Jack Skellington Balloon Investigation
Best for: photographs and reporting about the balloon theory.
FOX 11 Los Angeles
FOX 11 published contemporary coverage of the October 2020 sighting and the December 2020 video.
FOX 11 — December 2020 Jetpack Video Report
FOX 11 — October 2020 Jetpack Sighting
CBS Los Angeles — 2022 Report
For the final major publicly reported sighting:
CBS Los Angeles — June 2022 Jetpack Man Report
This is particularly useful because it includes the FAA's statement that the sightings had not been verified and that balloons were one working theory.
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