TUFOIC Newsletter - No 071 - 1994

Magazine Overview

Title: TASMANIAN UFO Report
Issue: 1994 (Publication Number - 71)
Publisher: TUFOIC (Tasmanian Unidentified Flying Objects Investigation Centre)
Date: 1994

This issue of the Tasmanian UFO Report provides a comprehensive overview of UFO activity and related information for the year 1994, with a particular focus on events and data from 1993 and historical trends.

1993 In Review

The editorial notes that 1993 was a quieter year for UFO phenomena in Tasmania compared to 1992, which had featured visits from Colin Andrews of Crop Circle Fame, TV documentaries, and a spate of sightings. While international news mentioned a sighting increase in the United States and tales from Puerto Rico and Mexico, these did not register significantly in the media. Crop Circles were assumed to still be occurring, but the phenomena had dropped out of the limelight. Australian sightings, as per the annual listing, returned to pre-1992 levels, with a noted fall in Tasmania. The report highlights that while reports to TUFOIC remained at a satisfactory level, the total number of UFO cases was extremely low. However, some interesting investigations occurred, including a series of sightings of orange lights in Launceston. These were described as orange lights or 'LITS' moving slowly towards the south, seen from the Ravenswood, East Launceston, City, or Invermay areas. Media coverage from 'The Examiner' suggested the possibility of hot air devices being released from the Mowbray/Invermay area.

Membership of TUFOIC remained stable, with good attendance at quarterly meetings. The September meeting featured an excellent talk on Astronomy by Martin George, Curator of the Planetarium at the Queen Victoria Museum, Launceston.

News Flash! The European Community Can No Longer Entertain The Notion That UFOs Do Not Exist

This section reports on the European Community's decision to enlist Tullio Regge, Commissioner of Energy, Research and Technology, to investigate the UFO phenomena. This initiative was spurred by extraordinary events in Belgium and the former Soviet Union between 1983 and 1991. Russia pledged full cooperation. Italian UFO Researcher Alfredo Lissoni emphasized the importance of a serious and scientific approach to the investigation. The report notes that over 1200 sightings were reported in Belgium alone in the two-year period of 1989-91. A specific case mentioned is that of military pilot Michael Bougard, whose F16 jet was scrambled due to a UFO reported by air traffic control. Bougard visually confirmed a triangular craft with bright lights that accelerated from 280 kph to 1800 kph and dropped in altitude rapidly. The announcement also included the revelation of Soviet cosmonaut Genndye Strekalov sighting an unidentified object from the Mir space station above Canada, described as lit up like a Christmas tree and approaching the station. The source for this news is Australian International UFO Flying Saucer Research, May 1993.

Sightings in 1993

This section details several specific sightings from 1993:

• January 11th, early morning: A witness reported a very bright, shiny yellow light above the tree line, rocking back and forth, appearing too large to be a star on a heavily clouded night. The light disappeared by 2:20 PM.
• January 12th, 9:50 PM: Near Evandale, a witness observed a bright light that resolved into three spinning lights on a bright round shape, appearing cylindrical and drifting towards the northeast, losing elevation over distant hills.
• May 10th, 6:40 PM: At Redbill Beach, a light visible over the sea changed from white to red then blue, performed erratic movements including spiraling down and figure-eight maneuvers, before fading out. The incident lasted about 10 minutes.
• May 29th, early hours: In Launceston city centre, two orange lights were observed at a high elevation. They appeared too far apart to be a plane and turned in unison over the city before heading south, eventually gaining elevation and disappearing into low cloud. The lights were visible for about 20 minutes.

"Martians Over Evandale"

This refers to a newspaper article from the Launceston Examiner on January 15th, detailing a sighting near Evandale. The witness observed a bright light that appeared to be three spinning lights on a round shape, possibly cylindrical, which drifted northeast and lost elevation over hills. No sound was heard, and there was no air traffic.

Multiple Sightings on Farm

This section details a series of sightings experienced by Mr. G and his family on their farm located about 55K north of Hobart between 1985 and 1986.

• July 1985: While possum shooting, Mr. G and his son saw a bright blue object reflecting light, which approached to about 200m away. It emitted seven to eleven blue lights from its top, then landed silently. The object was described as a huge bullet-type shape, tall with a rounded top, about 20-25m tall and 6-7m wide, surrounded by a blue glow. A strange singing noise was heard as the object departed. Mr. G's singlet sustained a 15cm burnt hole.
• Summer 1986 (January to March): A second UFO, nicknamed "Charlie," visited the farm for about three months, appearing a couple of times each week. It was seen at varying distances, sometimes as a distant bright light, other times as a defined round shape with lights around the edge. Mr. G often saw it when feeding the dogs.
• January evening, 1986: Mr. G and his daughter saw a bright light growing in size and heading towards them. It passed overhead, described as an oval shape with numerous white lights around its edge, estimated to be 200-150m across. The object passed over their car and then swung away.
• March, 10:30 PM: Mr. G witnessed the UFO appear from a gully, swinging around a shed about 100m from the house. It emitted darts of light downwards as it swept past. The object was described as big, roundish, and lit up, illuminating everything.

After the last sighting in March, Mr. G and his family never saw "Charlie" again. Mr. G recalled that the object always had the same appearance: a distant bright white light, or a roundish, flattened shape with bright lights. He noted that the top often looked like a dome shape.

UFO Flap Over Canada

This section reports on a significant UFO flap in the Kamloops area, Canada, between January 14 and February 2, 1993. It began with a teenage girl seeing an object that flashed back when she flashed her torch. On January 20, hundreds reported seeing a large fireball with a bluish-green aura and two smaller balls of light. A piece of the object reportedly broke off. Two ground-level 'near landings' were also reported. The UFO Research Institute of Canada had a team in the area attempting to capture the phenomena on video.

A Cautionary Tale

By David Keyworth, this article draws parallels between modern alien encounters and older folklore, particularly fairy encounters. Vallee's theory that earlier alien encounters were described and interpreted according to the belief systems of those times is discussed. Examples include the Hopkinsville aliens (likened to goblins) and the Sidhe (likened to tall, blonde Venusians). The author notes similarities in behavior between fairies and aliens, such as flying, stealing babies, and 'missing time'. However, he distinguishes between the 'interstellar New-Age guru aliens' and the more traditional 'baddies' like reptilians and Greys. Keyworth suggests that modern aliens might be fairies in disguise, fulfilling modern expectations. He contrasts this with the medieval Christian interpretation of encounters as either angelic or demonic. The article also points out that only about 10% of UFO sightings fall into the 'unidentified' category, with most having mundane explanations. It cautions against believing all reported encounters are real, suggesting many falter under scrutiny, and warns against 'UFO cultist propaganda'.

Australian UFO Sightings 1992/93

This is a detailed log of UFO sightings across Australia from late 1992 to mid-1993, categorized by date, time, state, type (NL - Normal Light, CE1 - Circular Object, CE2 - Circular Object, CE3 - Circular Object, DD - Disc/Dome), location, and a brief description of the object's characteristics and behavior. The list includes numerous entries with descriptions such as 'erratic lights', 'moving stop together', 'blue sphere', 'zig-zagging balls of light', 'triangle shape', 'circle', 'org lit', 'oval shape', 'cigar obj', and 'silver obj'.

Statistics - TUFOIC v. RAAF

This section analyzes UFO reporting trends in Australia by comparing data from TUFOIC (Tasmanian UFO reports since 1965) with RAAF (Royal Australian Air Force) figures from the early 1960s to 1980. The article notes that the two databases show few similarities in peak years. TUFOIC's data is confined to Tasmania, while RAAF data covers Australia. The author suggests that puzzling cases were more likely to attract the attention of UFO groups than the Air Force. Tasmania experienced a prolonged series of 'flaps' in the mid-seventies, while mainland Australia had lower activity. The RAAF figures for the early years show very low percentages of unexplained reports, which the author suggests might indicate an 'explanation at any cost' policy. Excluding the 1960s, the unexplained percentage for RAAF is 11.4%, and for TUFOIC, it is 19.7%. Detailed tables show the number of reports and unexplained cases for both TUFOIC and RAAF from 1965 to 1993.

Are They Back? UFOs Reported in County

This article reports on recent UFO sightings in Dekalb County, USA. Residents heard a humming noise and saw a large craft described as a 'triangular formation' of white and red lights. Sergeant Ron Ogletree of the Alabama State troopers investigated a report from a young man who saw a bright light, about 300 feet above power lines, which appeared as a triangular formation moving west to east at approximately 100 miles per hour, with no sound. The man's dogs, which do not bark at airplanes, barked at this object. The sightings occurred nearly four years after similar sightings in Lookout Mountain, which preceded numerous sightings around the town of Fyffe.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue include the analysis of UFO sighting data, historical comparisons of reporting trends, and the investigation of specific cases. There is a focus on the perceived decrease in UFO activity in Tasmania during 1993 compared to previous years, while also acknowledging ongoing international interest and activity. The editorial stance, particularly in David Keyworth's article, is cautious, emphasizing critical analysis and skepticism towards all reported encounters, while acknowledging the personal belief in the existence of aliens and abductions. The publication promotes open-mindedness but warns against gullibility and 'cultist propaganda'. The inclusion of international news and historical statistics suggests a commitment to a broad and evidence-based approach to the UFO phenomenon.

This issue of UFOlogist, dated May 1993, presents a statistical analysis of unexplained UFO reports in Australia from 1965 to 1993, alongside several witness accounts of recent sightings and a personal narrative of a purported alien encounter.

Statistical Analysis of UFO Reports

The magazine features four graphs illustrating UFO report data:

• Percentage of Unexplained Reports: This graph shows the percentage of unexplained reports for both the RAAF (Royal Australian Air Force) and TUFOIC (Tasmanian UFO Investigation Centre) from 1965 to 1993. The RAAF percentage remained relatively low, generally below 20%, while TUFOIC's percentage fluctuated significantly, peaking in the mid-1970s and again in the early 1980s.
• Number of Unexplained Reports Each Year: This graph displays the absolute number of unexplained reports for RAAF and TUFOIC. The RAAF numbers were consistently low, while TUFOIC experienced a substantial peak in unexplained reports around 1973-1974, with another smaller peak in the early 1980s.
• Number of Sighting Reports Received Each Year: This graph shows the total number of sighting reports received by RAAF and TUFOIC annually. Both organizations saw fluctuating numbers, with TUFOIC generally receiving more reports than the RAAF, particularly in the 1970s and early 1980s.
• TUFOIC Sighting Reports v. Unexplained: This graph directly compares TUFOIC's total sighting reports against its unexplained reports. It highlights periods where a high proportion of reported sightings were classified as unexplained, notably in the mid-1970s.

Witness Accounts and Sightings

Mystery Sky Show Over Adelaide

On March 28, 1993, police in Adelaide received several calls about a boomerang-shaped light that streaked across the sky for approximately three seconds. Ms. Lyn Whiteway described the object as being shaped like a flock of birds in a V-formation, moving silently and spectacularly. Local UFO researcher Colin Norris suggested the phenomenon might have been 'space junk' from a re-entering satellite.

Spate of South Burnett Sightings

Several reports from the South Burnett area in April 1993 are detailed:

• April 19, 1993: John Dickfos of Cooverty Creek reported a very bright star-like object with orange, green, and red lights visible through binoculars. It moved up and down and sideways.
• Week prior to April 19: Peter Caley of Nanango reported a green light that moved unlike any aircraft. This sighting was corroborated by other residents.
• April 25, 1993: A family in Goomeri observed a bright yellow star-like object that revealed pulsating red and green lights when viewed through binoculars.
• April 27, 1993: Two individuals in Coolabunia saw what they initially thought was a bright star. Binocular observation revealed two red lights at the bottom and a green or blue light on top, appearing high and to the West, directly over Kingaroy.
• April 28, 1993: Gary Baine of Maidenwell witnessed a bright orange light moving quickly from left to right across the sky.

An Amberly RAAF spokesman attributed the red and green lights to landing lights of commercial aircraft, but admitted that darting lights moving up and down and sideways were a 'problem' for which they had no explanation.

Early Morning Encounter

On January 21, 1993, at 3:00 AM, a teacher awoke to a soft humming noise and saw two glowing white figures with indistinct features in her bedroom. The figures moved in a rocking motion for about two minutes. Her husband also perceived something but found nothing upon investigation. The teacher reported feeling agitated and uncomfortable.

Nighttime Visitor That Haunts Her Still

This section details the experience of 'Leslie', a 35-year-old woman from Southern Maryland. She recounts seeing strange, moving lights and an 'electrical light' the size of a grapefruit in her bedroom. She also describes a recurring dream of grabbing a spaceship holding one of her children captive. Leslie struggles to rationalize these experiences, fearing for her sanity but compelled to maintain a sense of reality for her children and business. She shares that her children have also described seeing small beings with large heads and eyes and undergoing examinations by aliens, mirroring her own experiences and dreams. Leslie expresses profound questions about existence and the nature of reality, feeling that humanity is in its infancy regarding understanding such phenomena.

TUFOIC Membership and Publications

TUFOIC Membership

The magazine outlines the objectives of TUFOIC as investigating UFO reports scientifically and objectively, making reliable information available, and maintaining contact with other organizations in Australia and overseas. Membership is open to those seriously interested in the UFO subject. Subscription rates are provided for full membership, publications only, and student/pensioner rates within Australia, as well as air and surface mail rates for overseas.

TUFOIC Publications

A list of available TUFOIC publications is provided, including:

• Tasmanian UFO Sightings Catalogue - TASCAT 1991: A register of over 500 Tasmanian unidentified cases.
• TASCAT Category Printouts: Extracted data from TASCAT based on user search parameters.
• Tasmanian UFO Landings Catalogue - Second Edition: A compilation of UFOs seen on or near ground level in Tasmania.
• Cressy Document: Details a significant UFO sighting in Cressy, Tasmania.
• Maatsuyker Island Document: Reports from Maatsuyker Island.
• North-East Tasmania 1974 Document: Information on a large UFO flap in North-East Tasmania in 1974.
• TUFOIC Annual Report: A full set from 1978 to 1993 (15 issues) is available, with single editions also offered.

All prices include return postage within Australia, with overseas air mail rates available upon request.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around the statistical analysis of UFO phenomena in Australia, the reporting of specific sightings by credible witnesses, and the personal impact of unexplained encounters. The editorial stance appears to be one of serious investigation and data collection, as exemplified by TUFOIC's mission statement, while also acknowledging the profound and often unsettling nature of the subject matter, particularly in the personal narrative of 'Leslie'. The magazine aims to provide a platform for sharing information and fostering a deeper understanding of UFO phenomena.