AFU Newsletter - No 39 - 1995

Magazine Overview

Title: AFU Newsletter
Issue: 39
Date: September 1995
Publisher: Archives for UFO Research (AFU)
Country: Sweden
Language: English
ISSN: 0283-6378

This issue of the AFU Newsletter, published in September 1995, focuses on Scandinavian UFO cases and related topics. It features reports on sightings, investigations by UFO organizations, and critical commentary on certain aspects of the UFO community.

Small triangular object with a jet-like sound

This article by Steve Sandström details an incident experienced by Martell Åström in June 1994 near Floda, Sweden. While fishing on a lake, Åström observed a small, black, arrow-head shaped object flying at low altitude with a sound resembling a jet fighter. He estimated the object to be about two meters long and was convinced it was not a conventional aircraft due to its distinct appearance and flight characteristics. The object disappeared towards the shore. The author notes the difficulty in definitively ruling out a military jet, especially given the lack of a precise date for verification, but leans towards the sincerity of the witness's description. The article also references a similar case published in a previous issue concerning a miniature stealth-like plane over Lake Vättern. Steve Sandström is identified as the chairman of UFO-Sweden and editor of "UFO-Norr".

The light that stopped a car

Written by Clas Svahn and Jörgen Granlie, this piece recounts an incident involving Kerstin Hellman on February 15, 1994, near Enköping, Sweden. While driving home on a clear winter night, Hellman observed a bright yellow, oblong light with "spikes" over a group of trees. Simultaneously, her Volvo 245 began to malfunction; its lights dimmed, and the engine seemed to lose power, eventually stopping completely. After the light disappeared, her husband was able to start the car easily. Subsequent checks of the car's electrical system and battery revealed no faults. UFO-Sweden investigated possible explanations, including checking local airports and helicopter activity, but found no matches. Hellman remains convinced of a connection between the light and the car failure. The article also mentions a similar incident experienced by Steve Sandström involving a car's electrical system failure without a visible light phenomenon, which was attributed to a loose generator contact. However, this explanation is deemed inapplicable to Hellman's case due to the car's recent operation and battery power.

Wan't to become an ambassador for Sirius?

This section criticizes Anders B. Johansson, described as a "New Age" promoter selling "ambassador titles" for extraterrestrials from Sirius, who were allegedly expected to land on Earth by the summer of 1996. Johansson reportedly charged 5,000 SEK for these titles and offered New Age courses and healing treatments. UFO-Sweden investigated Johansson's claims and considered his activities "confidence tricks." Negative publicity from UFO-Sweden led to an article in the Stockholm newspaper "Metro," reportedly causing Johansson to relocate his "Tri Orion-Sirius Center." The article notes that Johansson is registered as an emigrant to the United States and pays no Swedish income taxes, with income transferred through a tax-exempt foundation. It also mentions his 1992 invitation to American ufologist Wendelle Stevens to speak in Sweden and a subsequent interview with a woman hypnotically regressed by Stevens, who recalled the experience as stressful and frightening.

UFO-Sweden's 25 year anniversary

This section commemorates the 25th anniversary of UFO-Sweden, celebrated on September 2, 1970, at the Lersäter training center. The event was attended by three former chairmen: Clas Svahn, Christer Nordin, and Bevan Berthelsen. The article highlights the organization's tradition of holding autumn training weekends for field investigators and report assessment groups, featuring lectures on misidentifications, witness psychology, and the history of religion. A prominent discussion topic was the Roswell autopsy film. Håkan Blomqvist reviewed UFO-Sweden's history, noting its evolution from early ET beliefs to a more scientific approach to UFO research. The article emphasizes that UFO-Sweden has matured into a well-established group.

Wingless object near Norwegian airplane

This report details an incident on July 11, 1995, involving a Dash-8 passenger plane from Widerøe company flying from Fornebu to Brønnøysund, Norway. The co-pilot spotted a strange object to the right of the plane. Captain Erik P. Risan described it as having neither wings nor tail-fins. The object was observed at 15,000 feet in clear weather. It slowed down and disappeared within a minute. The crew reported the sighting to the Værnes tower. Military radar at Gråkallen near Trondheim had coverage but detected no return from the object, and no military planes were in the area. The object was classified as unidentified by military forces. The incident was also witnessed by 11-year-old Roy Arne Hallem from his home in Inndalen, who described the object as polished and almost as large as the airplane, disappearing straight up at great speed. A similar silvery, polished object was reportedly spotted three hours later by 75-year-old Bjarne Lein.

More Scandinavian cases...

This brief section encourages readers interested in Scandinavian UFO cases to subscribe to "Trans-UFO," a newsletter published by Eileen Fletcher in the UK.

AFU Newsletter Information

This section provides contact and subscription details for the AFU Newsletter. It is published quarterly by Archives for UFO Research (AFU) in Norrköping, Sweden. AFU was founded in 1973, and the newsletter began in 1975. Copyright is not claimed unless explicitly stated, and reproduction is encouraged if AFU Newsletter is cited as the source. AFU is a non-profit foundation aiming to build a library and archive, support research, and foster critical discussion on UFOs. The editor is Anders Liljegren. Membership is 120 SEK per year for Swedish/Scandinavian members.

AFU Sponsornytt sept 1995

This section contains several short updates:

• Donations from Brage Jansson's family: The family of the late Stockholm ufologist Brage Jansson has donated a collection of books, magazines, and other literature to AFU. Some surplus literature is available for sale.
• New Acquisitions: Willy Wegner from Denmark has donated a manuscript for an international UFO bibliography. From the USA, the book "Alien Discussions" about a 1992 MIT conference has been acquired. Richard Haynes and Wild Flower Press have sent free books.
• Report Archive: UFO-Sundsvall has contributed report material from the 1970s to the AFU report archive. The process of handling these reports is time-consuming.
• ScanCat: AFU staff Jessica Larsson and Ann-Britt Eriksson have coded reports from 1993-1994 and retro-active events, totaling over 400 cases. Additionally, about 180 observations of "ghost flyers" from the 1930s, registered by Susanna Lindmark, have been added. Ann-Britt, Susanna, and Jessica have left AFU, but Jessica continues to work voluntarily.
• Lists from ScanCat: Initial extractions from the database have been made, including "county lists" for journalists and UFO-Sweden field investigators. A small fee is charged for these lists. The database is still being refined for statistical accuracy.
• Submarine Project: Wolfgang Randisek has been granted an additional six-month internship at AFU in Nyköping to systematically analyze the submarine report archive. He will attempt to identify trends and potential links to UFO phenomena.
• History of UFO-Sweden: Håkan Blomqvist has written a detailed history of UFO-Sweden for its 25th anniversary, to be published in "UFO-Aktuellt." The article mentions Gideon Johansson's presentation at the first national meeting in Motala in 1970.
• Lersäter: The 25th anniversary celebration also included an annual course for field investigators at Lersäter. The event featured presentations and discussions with a focus on academic quality. Attendees included former chairmen and AFU staff.
• Visits: The archive received visits from Mikael Nilsson (a new field investigator), representatives from the company Idéfilm to discuss a planned CD-ROM production, and three individuals from the Immigration Board interested in UFOs. Jenny Arnesson, a high school student, also visited to work on a special project.
• Mass Media: The Roswell film broadcast on TV4 generated media interest. Håkan Blomqvist discussed the AFU archive on TV-Ost and Radio Östergötland.
• Planning Conference at AFU: Another planning conference with UFO-Sweden is scheduled for November 11 at Ljuraknuten/the archive.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The AFU Newsletter consistently promotes a critical and scientific approach to the study of UFOs and related phenomena. The publication actively investigates and reports on sightings, while also scrutinizing claims and debunking what it considers to be hoaxes or misinterpretations, as seen in the critique of Anders B. Johansson. The organization emphasizes building a comprehensive archive and fostering serious research. There is a clear stance against sensationalism and a preference for evidence-based analysis. The newsletter also highlights the history and development of UFO research organizations in Sweden, such as UFO-Sweden, and their efforts to professionalize the field.