SUN 67 (Mar 2001)

Magazine Overview

This issue of the Skeptics UFO Newsletter, dated March 2001, is identified as SUN #67 and published by Philip J. Klass. The newsletter focuses on a skeptical analysis of UFO phenomena, government investigations, and related claims.

Publication Of Firmage's Book "The Truth"--Endorsing UFOs And Cooper/Wood "Majestic 12" Documents--Is "Postponed Indefinitely"

The lead article reports on the indefinite postponement of Joe Firmage's planned 500-page hardcover book, "The Truth," which was to feature documents provided by Tim Cooper and endorse UFOs and the "Majestic 12" documents. Originally slated for publication in fall 1999 by Granite Publishing, the release was first delayed until March 2000. A spokesperson for Granite cited Firmage's desire to add new information. However, a recent status report indicated the postponement was due to Firmage's busy schedule. The article speculates that the sharp decline in the NASDAQ market since spring 1999, which significantly reduced Firmage's wealth, may also be a contributing factor. Firmage had also agreed to fund a conference on UFO abductions and the publication of its proceedings, but recently withdrew this offer.

Scant News From Woods On Authentication Of Cooper Documents

This section notes the lack of recent press releases from The Majestic Documents Website, operated by Robert Wood and his son Ryan. This absence is presented as circumstantial evidence that their efforts to verify the authenticity of Tim Cooper's "Majestic" documents may have failed. Robert Wood had previously reported hiring Speckin Forensic Laboratories to assess the age of ink and paper. While ink dating typically takes only a week, the Woods posted no information about the test results from August until mid-March. In mid-March, they posted several documents of questionable authenticity, which the newsletter intended to investigate.

New Organization To Encourage Investigation Of UFO Reports By Pilots

The newsletter introduces the National Aviation Reporting Center on Anomalous Phenomena (NARCAP), a new organization aiming to improve aviation safety and scientific knowledge by focusing on pilot reports of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP). Executive Director Ted Roe explains that UAP may represent various phenomena, including rare atmospheric events or geomagnetic effects, and can adversely affect aircraft avionics. NARCAP's technical advisors have aviation experience, and its international science advisors span multiple disciplines. The organization will post its findings for open, critical analysis.

Haines Report On His Investigation

NARCAP's initial report, "Aviation Safety in America--A Previously Neglected Factor," by chief scientist Richard Haines, reviewed hundreds of UFO reports from 1950-2000. It summarizes 56 near-miss incidents and 38 cases where aircraft were "paced" by a UAP. The newsletter points out that one of Haines' "near-misses" was identified by the editor as fragments of a meteor-fireball, a prosaic explanation not mentioned in the report. Another report by a pilot at Cedar Rapids, Iowa, describing UFOs flying over the airport runway, is also noted, with the newsletter suggesting the Haines/NARCAP report fails to mention the prosaic explanation of a ground-based advertising balloon.

The report also details a 1973 near-miss incident involving Capt. Coyne, which the editor believes was likely a meteor-fireball, but the NARCAP/Haines report states the vehicle was climbing despite claimed dive configuration, offering no adequate explanation. The editor suggests Coyne instinctively pulled back on the collective pitch stick, a detail he forgot in the excitement. A 1997 Swissair 747 crew sighting near New York City is also discussed, suspected by the newsletter to be a meteor-fireball due to its occurrence during the Perseids meteor shower and lack of corroboration by other aircraft or radar.

Reported UFO Effects On Airliner Avionics

An intriguing incident from the NARCAP/Haines report involved a United Airlines DC-10 in 1977 that experienced an unexpected left turn and compass malfunctions while flying near Albany, NY. The pilot disconnected the autopilot, and the UFO reportedly followed for several minutes before disappearing. The newsletter questions why the airline's maintenance investigation results were not mentioned and, crucially, why the report fails to note that the bright planet Venus was observable at the time, suggesting it as a possible explanation.

UFO Chased By Law Enforcement Officer

This section recounts a report from the Mansfield Ohio News Journal about a sheriff's deputy and a local man who claimed to have seen a UFO. The object was described as a bright light moving east to west, estimated to be about a quarter-mile off the ground and making no noise. The deputy followed the craft for about 10 minutes. However, a subsequent article in the same newspaper identified the bright light as the planet Venus, according to an observatory director, who noted that such calls increase when Venus is close to Earth.

Project Blue Book's Troubled Times Reported By Former Director

Lt. Col. Hector Quintanilla, former head of Project Blue Book, wrote a manuscript about the office's later years. Due to low interest in UFOs in the mid-1970s, his manuscript remained unpublished until NIDS (National Institute for Discovery Science) posted it online. NIDS explicitly states it does not endorse Quintanilla's opinions but allows the public to judge the USAF's investigation. Quintanilla recounts the early history of USAF UFO involvement, including the 1953 CIA-convened Robertson Panel, which concluded there was no credible evidence of extraterrestrial craft or Soviet threats. He criticizes the CIA's reluctance to declassify the panel's report and questions why the Air Force continued UFO investigations, noting that earlier reports (SIGN and GRUDGE) indicated UFOs were not a security threat and not a new phenomenon.

Air Force Regulation 200-2

In 1953, the USAF issued Regulation 200-2, requiring American and Canadian military and airline pilots to report sightings of hostile aircraft, missiles, ships, or unidentified flying objects to supplement air defense radar. The inclusion of "UFOs" in this regulation led some UFOlogists to accuse the USAF of withholding evidence of UFO existence.

Socorro "UFO Landing" Case Puzzles Quintanilla

This article discusses the 1964 UFO landing incident near Socorro, NM, reported by policeman Lonnie Zamora. Quintanilla, then head of Project Blue Book, investigated the case, considering possibilities like a test of the Apollo Lunar Lander. Analysis of soil samples and burned brush revealed no foreign residue or propellant chemicals, and radiation levels were normal. Despite an extensive search, no other witnesses or unusual radar blips were found. Quintanilla labeled the case "Unidentified" but remained unsatisfied, feeling essential intangible elements were missing, suggesting the solution might lie in Zamora's memory. The newsletter editor, based on an on-site investigation, concluded the case was a hoax.

New USAF/Blue Book Critic Emerges: Dr. James E. McDonald

Dr. James E. McDonald, a professor of meteorology at the University of Arizona, became a vocal critic of the USAF's stance on UFOs. He visited Project Blue Book offices in 1966, reviewing case files, including the classified Robertson Panel report. McDonald believed some UFOs were extraterrestrial vehicles. He requested a photocopy of the Robertson Panel report but was told it needed declassification by the CIA, which initially objected. By 1967, McDonald's criticism intensified, with one article quoting him as saying the Air Force had misled the public for 20 years due to incompetence and superficiality, viewing the problem as a "foul-up" rather than a "coverup."

Panel Of Scientists Suggests Changes In UFO Investigations

Following the 1966 Socorro incident and increased congressional interest, a special scientific advisory committee headed by Dr. Brian O'Brien was formed to review Project Blue Book. The committee, including Dr. Carl Sagan and Dr. Richard Porter, concluded that in 19 years of UFO sightings, there was no evidence of a threat to national security. While the Air Force program was deemed well-organized, resources were limited. The committee found no verified, satisfactory evidence clearly outside known science and technology, though new sightings might offer scientific value. They recommended strengthening the program to allow for detailed scientific investigation of selected sightings, proposing contracts with universities and the designation of investigation officers at Air Force bases.

Shortly after the O'Brien committee, a rash of UFO reports in central Michigan led to congressional hearings. The USAF decided to contract out investigations of tough UFO cases to universities. However, most universities were reluctant to get involved, except for McDonald's University of Arizona and Hynek's Northwestern University. Harvard University was also not considered due to the presence of outspoken UFO skeptic Dr. Donald Menzel. In October 1966, the USAF announced the University of Colorado, directed by Dr. Edward U. Condon, would conduct the investigation.

University Of Colorado Controversy

Dr. McDonald was disappointed his university was not selected and covertly suggested UFO cases to Colorado scientists, including Dr. David Saunders, who had prior ties to NICAP. When Dr. Condon's secretary discovered a memo suggesting Condon and his team were ET skeptics before the investigation began, she provided a copy to McDonald. This led to a LOOK magazine story and a NICAP press conference charging the investigation was flawed, prompting Condon to fire Saunders, another scientist, and the secretary.

The Air Force Secretary mandated a review of the Colorado/Condon report by the National Academy of Sciences. Their 1968 report generally endorsed Condon's conclusions, stating that in 21 years of UFO study, no scientific knowledge had been gained, and further extensive study was likely not justified. Condon suggested that scientists who disagreed should pursue specific studies, but implied that UFO phenomena were not a fruitful field for major scientific discoveries.

The newsletter includes a comment noting that 33 years after Condon's assessment and 14 years after Dr. Peter Sturrock's criticism, millions have been spent on UFO research by organizations like FUFOR, NIDS, and GEPAN, which have confirmed Condon's prediction of a lack of scientific advancement.

Short Shrift:

This section provides brief updates: President Bush's campaign promise regarding UFO information is mentioned, with a prediction of a similar outcome to President Carter's in 1976, where Project Blue Book files were declassified but UFOlogists accused Carter of a coverup. Michael Lindemann, who closed down his "CNI News" to work on a new website for Joe Firmage, is now looking for employment due to the Nasdaq crash straining Firmage's finances.

Missing Issue and Editor's Health

The editor apologizes for the missing January/February 2001 issue due to his ongoing health problems following spinal surgery. He explains that his condition continues to deteriorate, making the future of the Skeptics UFO Newsletter uncertain. He hopes to publish quarterly instead of bimonthly and provides new subscription rates. The newsletter expresses a desire to continue publication but will offer refunds if unable to do so.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue are skepticism towards UFO claims, critical analysis of official investigations like Project Blue Book and the Condon Report, and the identification of prosaic explanations for alleged UFO sightings (e.g., Venus, meteor-fireballs). The editorial stance is clearly that of a skeptic, questioning the validity of UFO phenomena and highlighting perceived incompetence or lack of scientific rigor in UFO research and government handling of the subject. The newsletter emphasizes the importance of scientific methodology and evidence-based conclusions, often contrasting them with the claims of UFO enthusiasts.