American businessman and private pilot. His June 24, 1947 sighting of nine objects 'flying like a saucer would' over Mt. Rainier coined the term 'flying saucer' and is generally considered the start of the modern UAP era.
Kenneth Arnold was an American businessman and civilian pilot whose 1947 sighting catalyzed the modern UFO era. While flying near Mount Rainier, he observed nine brightly flashing objects flying in formation at speeds he calculated to be far beyond the capabilities of known aircraft. Arnold's key contribution was his description of the objects moving like a saucer skipping across the water, which the press quickly popularized as the term 'flying saucer.' His highly credible, straightforward report generated a massive wave of public interest and military concern regarding anomalous aerospace incursions. The event is universally recognized as the genesis of modern UAP phenomenology.