Pegasus - 1980 March-April

Magazine Overview

Title: PEGASUS
Issue: MARCH APRIL
Volume: 1980
Publisher: SURREY INVESTIGATION GROUP ON AERIAL PHENOMENA
Date: March/April 1980

This issue of PEGASUS, the journal of the Surrey Investigation Group on Aerial Phenomena (SIGAP), presents a collection of UFO reports and related discussions. The cover features a stylized drawing of a crescent-shaped object and the headline 'Milkman Has A Fright'. The magazine highlights recent activities of SIGAP, including a radio appearance and ongoing investigations.

SIGAP Activities and Contents

The editorial notes a drop in sighting reports due to bad weather but highlights SIGAP's continued activity. They located a Norfolk UFO witness for a researcher in San Diego, USA, investigating a ten-year-old incident. SIGAP was also featured on a Thames Valley Radio 210 'Phone-In' program on UFOs, which generated significant public interest, jamming the switchboard. Omar Fowler and Hilda Downes represented SIGAP, with 'member of the public' Martin Salked also participating. A follow-up broadcast has been requested.

• The contents for this month include:
• Page 2: Milkman Has A Fright At Cove.
• Page 3: Scottish Newsletter (New Feature).
• Page 4-6: Attempted Abduction At Livingston.
• Page 7-8: Aero Mexico Meets A UFO On Flight 251.
• Page 9: Standards In UFO Research: Members Comment.
• Page 10: Identified Space Debris: Tim Childerhouse.

A SIGAP meeting was scheduled for March 26th at the 'Prospect Club', Ash Vale, for an open discussion of current cases, including the 'Norfolk Incident'.

Milkman Has A Fright At Cove

This case (5946), investigated by O. Fowler, details an incident on January 20th involving Mr Fred Smith, a milkman in Middleton Gardens, Cove, near Farnborough, Hants. At approximately 0407, he observed a star-like object approaching from the North. It resolved into a crescent shape, flying at high altitude, and appeared to be growing larger and brighter. Mr Smith described it as having a bluish-white glow around the white crescent and felt uneasy, suspecting it was not man-made. The object slowed, stopped, and hovered, causing the hair on his neck to tingle. It then turned North and accelerated away rapidly.

Later, around 0526, he noticed a moving star again. This time, a Boeing 747 flew overhead, and he observed another object approaching very fast. It circled Farnborough in a 'skidding' motion before stopping and hovering over the town for an estimated 6 to 7 minutes. During this time, Mr Smith sketched the object, which he described as having a bright light behind it in the centre, appearing white within the bluish glow. The object then turned 180 degrees and accelerated rapidly North. There was no sound from the object. Investigations are ongoing, and another witness has been found.

Scottish Newsletter

Introduced by Peter A Hill, Secretary of the Edinburgh Branch of BUFORA and a SIGAP member, this new feature reports on ufology in Scotland. The Edinburgh Branch of BUFORA is a growing society formed from two previous organizations: the Scottish UFO Society and the Edinburgh University UFO Society. In 1976, a small society existed under the latter name, but it was decided to form a BUFORA branch with open membership.

The newsletter highlights a significant event in Livingston New Town, West Lothian, on November 9th, 1979. Mr Bob Taylor, a forestry worker, was confronted by a 'top shaped' object in a clearing. Two ovals emerged and attempted to grab him, causing him to faint. Upon recovery, he was unable to walk and crawled home. His wife reported the incident, and the Livingston Development Corporation Forestry Department was informed. Investigators S. Campbell and Peter A Hill visited the site, took photographs, and interviewed the witness, who was deemed reliable. Police involvement included forensic examination of Mr Taylor's torn clothing, which showed signs of being ripped by a sharp implement. Explanations considered included plasma, ball lightning, or hallucination, but a hoax was deemed remote. A similar case was reported near Paris.

The newsletter also touches upon the 'Surrey Puma' phenomenon, suggesting a similar animal may be present in Scotland, with paw marks not matching native wildcats.

An Attempted Abduction At Livingston?

This section, a further version of the Livingston case reported in NORTHERN UFO NEWS, details the investigation by Martin Keatman and Andy Collins of UFOIN. They spent three days with the witness, Bob Taylor, a 61-year-old forestry worker. Taylor described the object as domed, metallic, about 20 feet high and wide, with flanges and propellors. Two spherical objects, about a foot wide and grey, emerged and bounced towards him, making a sucking noise as they embedded in the wet soil, encircling him. He felt a tugging at his trousers, smelled a foul stench, and passed out. Upon regaining consciousness, he found his trousers ripped at the hip on both sides, with maize starch all over them. The police were called, and the area was cordoned off. The investigators obtained access to the police forensic laboratory in Edinburgh to examine the trousers, which appeared to have been ripped by a pincer of great strength. Traces on site were preserved by snow and later cleared, revealing marks that matched police notes. A circular area and drag marks were evident, along with 20-30 holes matching the spikes of the bouncing objects. One hole was dug up for analysis. The witness suffered scratches on his leg and lost his appetite for several days, as did his dog. The investigators believe this to be a singularly important case. Other strange stories in the neighborhood included an independent sighting and the disappearance of a couple. A frightening local case involved the remains of a dog after it ran towards a landed UFO.

Aero Mexico Meets A UFO On Flight 251

A report from Richard Colborne details an incident on December 28th, 1979, involving an Aero Mexico flight (number 251) between Matamoros and Mexico. Around 2030, a passenger, Elizabeth Gonzalez Rojas, noticed an object ahead and to the right, slightly below the aircraft. She described it as halo-like, dark in colour, with a round central light on the upper surface, emitting a red light that varied in brightness with an irregular pulsing appearance, like flames. The pilot informed passengers that an 'OVNI' was in view, describing it as a red light off the right wing. He also mentioned significant radio interference, suggesting communication attempts, and that the object had been visible since leaving Matamoros. Elizabeth's account was translated from Spanish. The object, when viewed from a distance, appeared as a small star, but closer, its light was brighter and sequenced. The light from the center seemed to shrink and grow. Elizabeth did not see the object depart. A tape cassette of the hour-long observation exists, but the report notes limited additional interesting information. The witness's story is considered factual, though her descriptive abilities are questioned. The aircraft's altitude was 9,000 meters, and about 40 passengers were on board, with one believed to have taken a photo.

Standards In UFO Research

This section reviews a report published by the British UFO Research Association (BUFORA LTD) on working party standards for UFO research. Two SIGAP members, Ron Harman and Bill Fishwick, provide their comments. Ron Harman believes an International Standard Computer Data System with good information exchange is the right direction, potentially allowing for UFO sighting prediction, though financing is a concern. Bill Fishwick finds the standards hold a sensible base but notes a deficiency in coverage of countries like the Far-East, Australia, Japan, China, and India. He worries that computer reports might become jargon-filled and inaccessible, and that effort might shift to data administration rather than study.

What's New?

• This section lists new resources for UFO enthusiasts:
• UFO DIRECTORY of UFO Societies, groups & publications Worldwide: Available for £1 from UFO Network, London.
• THE WORLD ATLAS OF MYSTERIES by Francis Hitching: A book covering unusual phenomena, including UFOs, balls of fire, and spontaneous human combustion.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are UFO sightings, investigations into these phenomena, and the challenges of standardizing research. The magazine adopts a stance of serious inquiry, presenting detailed witness accounts and investigative findings. There is a clear emphasis on documenting and analyzing reported aerial phenomena, with a commitment to exploring potential explanations while acknowledging the unexplained aspects. The inclusion of a 'Scottish Newsletter' and discussions on international research standards suggest a broader scope and a desire to connect with other researchers and organizations in the field.

This document contains a report titled "IDENTIFIED SPACE DEBRIS 1978." by Tim Childerhouse, originally published in the German newspaper "Die Harke" on January 8, 1979. It details an incident that occurred on New Year's Eve 1978 in Bruchhagen, Germany. The magazine is published by the Surrey Investigation Group on Aerial Phenomena (SIGAP) and is intended for its members, published bi-monthly at a cost of 25 pence per copy.

Incident Report: Bruchhagen, Germany (December 31, 1978)

The report begins by referencing the unusual events of New Year's Eve 1978 in Northern Europe. It then focuses on a specific incident in Bruchhagen, where a small, unidentified flying object (UFO) reportedly landed in a field belonging to Friedhelm Schumacher, presenting a puzzle to the police and other authorities.

Hilde and Friedhelm Schumacher were walking to a New Year's Eve party around 8:00 PM when they observed several illuminated objects moving slowly at a great height. Hilde described them as being too high and lasting too long to be fireworks, noting that they followed a gentle curve. She observed one large and one small object, both with yellow bodies and tails, and was concerned they might fall on their house. Fortunately, their trajectory took them well above their roof.

Several days later, Hilde discovered a metal object sticking out of the ground in an open field approximately 200 meters from their house. The object was too large to be moved. The Schumachers initially didn't think much of it until a UFO story appeared in "Die Harke." They then reported their discovery to the local police. Else Schumacher, the mother-in-law, also recalled being awakened by an unusual noise on New Year's Eve, which disturbed her sleep.

The metal object was found buried in the frozen ground. It was described as dark, skittle-shaped, and open at both ends, with scorch marks at the top. Following the report, local police secured the area and requested a nearby Dutch Airforce team to check for radiation levels. The object was found to be non-radioactive.

Despite the fact that there were 25 UFO reports that night, the article concludes that the recovered sections were almost certainly parts of a satellite re-entry.

Surrey Investigation Group on Aerial Phenomena (SIGAP)

The second part of the document describes the Surrey Investigation Group on Aerial Phenomena (SIGAP). Founded in early 1967, SIGAP is a non-profit voluntary organization dedicated to the study of unidentified flying object phenomena. Its primary focus is investigating reports in Surrey and surrounding counties, but it has contributed to studies across many parts of Southern England.

SIGAP receives news of sightings, often through its 'Hot-line' (Farnborough 41012), which triggers a preliminary enquiry procedure designed to eliminate obvious explanations. The group acknowledges that over 80 percent of reports can be explained by natural or man-made phenomena, given the number of such occurrences in the sky.

If a sighting cannot be immediately explained, SIGAP investigators will interview witnesses and, if possible, visit the site. The group then consults its own experts and liaises with similar organizations nationwide, often identifying patterns of activity consistent with other areas.

SIGAP sends its most significant reports to the Center for UFO Studies in Evanston, Illinois, USA, which is run by Dr. J. Allen Hynek, a Professor of Astronomy at Northwestern University and a former consultant to the U.S. Air Force on UFOs.

The document lists the exchange magazines SIGAP receives, including Northern UFOLOGY, BUFORA Journal, Quest (Bristol), UFO Insight (Crewe), SAPRT (Romsey), CEFAI (Portugal), MAPIT (Manchester), UFO Network, UFO News Bulletin (Bristol), and the National UFO Laboratory. It is also supplied with Flying Saucer Review, Radio 210, and Southern T.V.

The magazine is published bi-monthly and is intended for SIGAP members only. Copies can be purchased by non-members for 25 pence.

The Group Secretary is Michael G. Prewett, located at 20 Loman Road, Mytchett, Camberley, Surrey. The Chairman & Investigation Co-ordinator is Omar Fowler, at 149 Mytchett Road, Mytchett, Camberley, Surrey.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The primary theme is the investigation of UFO phenomena, with a strong emphasis on distinguishing between genuine unexplained sightings and conventional explanations such as satellite debris or natural phenomena. The editorial stance appears to be one of cautious inquiry, utilizing scientific methods and expert consultation to analyze reports. There is a clear effort to demystify UFO reports, with SIGAP aiming to explain over 80% of sightings through conventional means. The article on the Bruchhagen incident serves as an example of how an initial UFO report can be ultimately attributed to identified space debris, highlighting the importance of thorough investigation.