You say a quiet "Thank You" to no one in particular as you strain to catch the last glimpse of something so unique, you may never see it again in your lifetime. You then follow it with a very real prayer that such a creation be used only as needed by the wisest of decision makers to control a threat more palpable than an aspirin factory.
Don't really care what that says about my own little utopian vision.

Old Tom Clancy thing, I think the Admiral Greer character said this: "The number of people who know about a secret is the square of the number of people who have been told about that secret."

Your granddad survived Big Mistake Number Two on the concept of "Loose Lips Sink Ships." It is Ancient Naval Wisdom that holds true to this day.

I keep my trap shut.

1962.
One Francis G. Powers is shot down in a "spyplane" over the U.S.S.R..
When we find out the aircraft is mid-50's technology, my wise Father asks, "if the U-2 is that old, what do we have NOW?"

In 1969 I saw photos of the YF-12.
My old man's question ran through my head.

Aviation Week and Space Technology is a wonderful resource. Pumpkin seed shaped aircraft that make a weird noise, leave smoke ring contrails, and are gone so fast that you cannot see them are being reported.
If I ever saw one, I'd have to modify the old question:
"So what ELSE do we have now?"
In today's environment, with too many idiots aiding and abetting the enemy, I'd smile, then keep the information to myself.

Mr. Martin, thank you for slyly revealing that the 21st century's greatest disappointment is about to end. Finally, we are all going to get the flying cars we've been promised all these years! The secret NTHSA testing program has been exposed, however inadvertently.

Depending on what I saw I'd share it. It's one of those "wow I'm excited, must tell someone now" Of course, if I saw something that off the charts then who'll believe me anyway?

Me, I'm with Greybeard. When I heard that the SR-71 was being retired because satellites could do the job, I kept thinking that there had to be a new plane, because someone would always want pictures "NOW!". And, watching Futureweapons, I wonder the same thing: "What ELSE do they have, that we aren't seeing?"

Pumpking seed shaped, eh? Lifting body, maybe blended wing body?

Oh, in answer to the question, speculate to myself, maybe tell a couple of friends in the aerospace industry who understand the ramifications.

"damn, I gotta keep the camera ready"

Without pictures, you are just telling a UFO tale.
With pictures, you are 'proving' UFO's exist.

Marvin:
I'm convinced UFOs exist. But I'm not about to say that *all* UFOs* *must* be of extraterrestrial origin. Or any of 'em for that matter. It boils down to "I saw a flying object, and I don't know what it is." Which speaks to my ignorance, not to what the object might be.

Camera would have been good in this hypothetical situation. The folks at Boeing could discuss it more intelligently, and yeah, I'd look less like someone making up an interesting story.

> Why would you ever tell anyone what you saw?

Because you're the friggin' New York Times and any opportunity to rat on the USA is a Real Good Idea in your vile mindset?

> 1962.
One Francis G. Powers is shot down in a "spyplane" over the U.S.S.R.. When we find out the aircraft is mid-50's technology, my wise Father asks, "if the U-2 is that old, what do we have NOW?"

Actually, Robert Heinlein made a point of mentioning this (in an essay in "Expanded Universe) -- he was in the USSR travelling at the time -- They had whole sections of the aircraft. He pointed out the likelihood of that happening if it was shot down from 100,000 feet as claimed. He offered the idea that it was actually subject to some mechanical problems which caused Powers to have to abruptly "de-plane" and then augured in in one piece.

I live in San Antonio, so there IS someone I could tell...I'd drive down to my neighborhood AF Base and ask the good folks in the security office to debrief me. This way, the pilot might eventually be reminded to stay over the stinking range, and not buzz national parks and such!

Speaking of buzzing national parks, I was on a boat on Lake Powell near the UT-AZ border a few years ago and heard a noise. Looked up and saw a B-52 with bomb bay doors open approaching about 250 feet above the water. I figure they were at the tail end of a practice nuke run: approach low, open bay doors and then pop up and drop the BIG ONE. It was a strange sight, to say the least.