On July 28, 2021, an unidentified individual referred to as “Jet Pack Man” was sighted near Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). The sighting occurred at an altitude of approximately 5,000 feet, with the individual reportedly flying alongside commercial planes. Air traffic controllers and pilots both reported the unusual incident, which sparked significant interest and concern within the aviation community.

The “jet pack man” was also referred to as “Iron Man” by the Air Traffic Controllers and some of the pilots.

Authorities, including the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), initiated an investigation to determine the identity of the individual and the technology used. Despite extensive searches, the “Jet Pack Man” remains unidentified, and the incident has fueled speculation and theories regarding advanced personal flight technologies.

The LAX sighting of the “Jet Pack Man” raised questions about the potential risks posed by such devices to commercial air traffic, as well as the need for regulation and oversight in the emerging field of personal flight technology.

Note on the FOIA request case: The original case was filed on August 3, 2021, for the below information. There was no FOIA case number given, and no response was received until April 4, 2023. The Black Vault asked why the response took so long to get a case number, but nothing was received back. That said, responsive material was mailed within two weeks thereafter. It is unclear why it transpired that way.

Also see:

1. Jetpack Man Sighting over Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), October 15, 2020
2. Jetpack Man Sighting over Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), August 30, 2020