Pilots

Are COVID-19 PCR tests "linked to human cloning"? No, that's not true. There is no evidence confirming that human cloning ever occurred. A study cited in a video making the claim never discussed PCR tests used during the pandemic because the study was published years before the world learned about COVID-19. The story originated from an episode of the Stew…

Do astronauts only train in swimming pools, and not vacuum chambers, because space is not a vacuum and "Outer Space is a hoax"? No, that's not true: A spokesperson at NASA told Lead Stories that its astronauts have "limited training" in vacuum chambers, which NASA has used for decades to test materials that go into space. Astronauts also train in…

Does the fact that planes can take off and land prove that the Earth is flat? No, that's not true: The claim ignores Newton's first and second laws of motion that explain how both happen on the constantly spinning Earth. The claim appeared in an Instagram post on October 23, 2022. It opened: FLAT EARTH FACT PLANES LANDING ON A…

Was the crew of a P-8 Poseidon aircraft arrested in connection with the Nord Stream pipeline explosion? No, that's not true: There is no evidence from reliable media outlets that this has occurred. Real Raw News, the website that originated the claim, has a disclaimer saying their articles are "humor, parody, and satire." The claim appeared in a Real Raw…

Are complications from COVID-19 vaccinations causing U.S. military pilots to crash, resulting in the U.S. Navy and U.S Marine Corps grounding all aircraft after crashes in California killed six people in September 2022? No, that's not true: According to a U.S. Navy Spokesperson, the entire claim is "untrue." There are also no such reports in reputable news sources of any…

Do any of the COVID-19 vaccines approved for use in the United States contain graphene oxide? No, that's not true: Graphene oxide is not listed as an ingredient in any of the four COVID-19 vaccines available in the U.S. There is no publicly available credible evidence demonstrating graphene oxide is in any of the vaccines. The claim that graphene oxide…

Are airlines banning travelers who are vaccinated against the coronavirus from flying because the shot elevates their risk for blood clotting? No, that's not true: This rumor has recently resurfaced on social media after being thoroughly debunked when it first emerged in 2021. No publicly available evidence supports the claim airlines were banning the vaccinated as of this writing. This…

Did a "whistleblower" physician provide evidence of chemtrails being sprayed from military airplanes? No, that's not true: While Dr. Bill Deagle called himself a "whistleblower on the inside," nothing ever came of his outlandish claims and he never presented any evidence to back them. Experts from several fields agree that there is no secret large-scale atmospheric program spraying "chemtrails." Contrails,…

Are Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) weather cameras offline along the entire coastline of the lower 48 states? No, that's not true: In an email to Lead Stories, the FAA said it has no weather camera systems in those areas. Hundreds of sites are operational as part of the agency's weather camera program. More than 200 cameras are being used in…

Did the world's first female F-35 pilot crash a plane on its first flight? No, that's not true: According to Lt. Col. (retired) Christine Mau, she has "never crashed any airplane." A public affairs officer with the U.S. Air Force (USAF) confirmed that the woman pictured is Mau. According to Air Force public affairs, she was the first female pilot…