APCIC - Special Issue - No Date

Magazine Overview

This issue of the AERIAL PHENOMENON CLIPPING INFORMATION CENTER NEWS BULLETIN, dated May 5th, 1977, focuses on a dramatic UFO encounter experienced by a Colombian pilot. The cover headline announces "COLOMBIAN PILOT BLINDED BY A UFO," and the issue includes a detailed account of the event and a transcript of the pilot's communication with air traffic control.

Colombian Pilot Blinded by a UFO

The main article, authored by Joseph M. Brill, recounts the harrowing experience of Manuel Jose Lopez Ojeda, a young and inexperienced flying student from Bogota, Colombia. On May 5th, 1977, while flying a Cessna 150 light aircraft, Ojeda encountered an unidentified flying object that caused him temporary blindness and rendered his instruments inoperable for approximately fifty-five minutes. The encounter occurred over the plains of Bogota.

Ojeda was guided to the Eldorado Airport by radio communication and the escort of four other airplanes from the Aeroclub of Colombia and Aeroandes, piloted by expert instructors. He nearly crashed into the control tower on two occasions while attempting to land on the central runway. The entire event, lasting over thirty minutes, was broadcast live, keeping airport personnel and thousands of radio listeners in suspense.

At 9:15 a.m., Ojeda began his landing exercises at Guaymaral Airport, practicing maneuvers in a designated zone north of Bogota. During a tight turn, his aircraft began to vibrate intensely, and his tachometer, air speed indicator, and all other instruments showed zero. He then observed an oval object, described as the color of a dark cloud, surrounded by yellowish and red phosphorescent lights.

The pilot reported feeling a strong pressure in his ears and head, and experiencing itching. He stated that the UFO, initially to the side of the aircraft, moved below the landing gear. The plane continued to fly in a circle at the same altitude, with the controls unresponsive and instruments showing zero. He lost radio contact with the tower for several minutes.

Ojeda estimated the UFO's diameter to be approximately 15 to 20 meters and described it as an "aluminum mass." He noted that it moved under the landing gear for about thirty to forty seconds without making direct contact.

Later, the UFO moved to the front of the plane, causing Ojeda to lose his sight, perceiving everything as cloudy. He described flying over a mountainous zone in a circle before the object disappeared and he was left blind.

Two training planes were dispatched from Guaymaral to assist Ojeda. They were joined by two more aircraft, forming an operation named "Lazarillo." Air traffic authorities and Ojeda's companions experienced panic at Eldorado and Guaymaral airports. All flight operations at Eldorado were suspended.

The aerial rescue began at 10,500 feet. Instructors attempted to orient Ojeda, who appeared disoriented and spoke as if in a drunken stupor. Several landing attempts were made at Eldorado, with the light plane veering off course each time, narrowly missing the control tower on two occasions. The instructors focused on maintaining altitude and guiding the plane.

Eventually, Ojeda regained partial sight, enabling him to execute a perfect landing. He was found frozen to the controls and was attended by Dr. Silva Moreno from the Airport Health Clinic, who administered a tranquilizer. Ojeda stated that the affliction was caused by a UFO.

Dr. Silva Moreno confirmed the pilot's satisfactory physical condition. The UFO was not detected by airport radar, which the article attributes to the terrain and the UFO's small reflective surface. The article notes that UFOs are usually oval-shaped.

Other UFO Sightings and Commentary

The article includes an account from Danilo Zambrano, an Air Traffic Controller at Eldorado, who claims to have seen UFOs on five previous occasions. He described seeing a UFO on April 16th, 1977, moving in a zig-zag trajectory, which was also observed by the pilot and crew of a jumbo jet airliner. He estimated its altitude at about 20,000 feet.

Zambrano also reported seeing a luminosity moving at high speed from north to south approximately a month and a half prior to the main incident. He mentioned that on one occasion, a UFO was registered on radar as a blip, indicating the presence of a machine, and disappeared at high speed towards Girardot.

The author expresses surprise that major international news agencies like UPI and AP did not report on this incident, despite it being a front-page story in Bogota. The article questions the definition of "news" if such an event is not covered.

Dialogue of Lopez With The Tower

A significant portion of the bulletin is dedicated to the transcription of the dialogue between pilot Manuel Jose Lopez Ojeda, his instructors, and the control tower during the May 5th, 1977 incident. The transcript captures the pilot's fear and confusion, the calm instructions from the control tower and instructors, and the critical moments of the landing attempt. The dialogue highlights the pilot's repeated pleas for clearer instructions and his disorientation, contrasted with the persistent guidance from the instructors.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are UFO sightings, pilot experiences with unexplained aerial phenomena, the challenges of air traffic control during emergencies, and the perceived lack of mainstream media coverage for significant UFO events. The editorial stance appears to be one of highlighting unexplained phenomena and questioning the established narrative or media priorities regarding such events, advocating for greater attention to UFO reports.

This document, comprising pages 5 and 6 of a publication, appears to be a transcript of a flight training session. The primary content is a dialogue between a pilot, an instructor, and a control tower. The publication is from the "Aerial Phenomenon Clipping & Information Center" and is part of their "TOTAL PRESS COVERAGE MONTHLY" service.

Flight Training Session Transcript

The transcript details a highly interactive flight training exercise. The instructor provides precise instructions to the pilot, referred to as 'Luis' and later 'Alberto', focusing on maintaining control of the aircraft, particularly the nose and wings.

Maneuvers and Instrument Readings

The pilot is guided to adjust the plane's nose and maintain a specific course. The instructor checks the pilot's ability to see flight instruments with greater clarity and asks if they can see another airplane in front of them. The pilot confirms seeing instruments with better clarity and expresses a desire to land quickly, stating, "Practically. I cann't see the ground but yes I can see with some clarity in front of me. I want to land quickly. I don't want to kill myself."

The instructor reassures the pilot, "Just take it easy. Don't worry. Take it easy. Nothing. Absolutely nothing is going to happen to you. Nothing. Nothing at all, We are going to try to land, Don't worry and take it easy."

Following a 'Shadow'

A significant portion of the dialogue involves the instructor parking the aircraft in front of the pilot to be followed. The pilot initially describes seeing a "shadow which is passing in front of me." The instructor then directs the pilot to "Follow it. Follow it. Follow it, Turn toward your left. To your right. To your right and follow the shadow. Follow the Shadow." The pilot confirms, "Yes. I am going to be closer to you. You are going to follow the shadow in all its movements until it leaves you on the runway. On the airstrip O.K.?"

On page 6, the pilot confirms seeing the shadow with greater clarity. The instructor continues to guide the pilot, "Follow the shadow. I am turning toward the right. Follow the shadow. Follow the shadow, Follow it. Follow turning to the right."

Loss of Sight and Landing Procedure

Eventually, the pilot reports losing sight of the shadow: "Yes. Yes, I am seeing it a bit above me. It is getting away from me. I have lost sight of it." The instructor calmly advises, "Take it easy. Take it easy. Continue turning so as you were going. very well."

The final instructions involve shutting down the aircraft's motor completely: "Now cut the motor completely. (Cut the motor off. Cut it. Cut it. Cut it. That's it. That's it. Cut it (ut it. (ut the mixture Cut the mixture. You're on the ground."

Conclusion of Communication

The end of the radio communication is noted as occurring after "Lopez had made a safe landing at Eldorado Airport in Bogota, Colombia."

Compliments and Center Information

The document is presented with compliments from Joseph M. Brill. The publisher is identified as the "Aerial Phenomenon Clipping & Information Center," with a P. O. Box in Ohio and an assistant editor, S. McWilliams, also based in Cleveland, Ohio.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The primary theme is the detailed transcription of a flight training exercise, focusing on pilot-instructor communication and aircraft control. The mention of a "shadow" that the pilot is instructed to follow, and the context of an "Aerial Phenomenon Clipping & Information Center," suggests an underlying interest in unusual aerial observations, though the transcript itself is presented as a technical training scenario. The editorial stance appears to be one of documentation and information dissemination regarding aerial phenomena and related events, as indicated by the publication's name and tagline.