UFO Mail - No 215 - 2016

Magazine Overview

Title: Skandinavisk UFO Information
Issue: nr. 215
Date: 21. april 2016
Publisher: Danmarks UFO Forening

This issue of Skandinavisk UFO Information focuses on the retirement of Xavier Passot, the long-time head of GEIPAN, France's official UFO investigation unit. The magazine includes an extensive interview with Passot, an introduction to his successor, and details about a significant UFO-related workshop.

Interview with Xavier Passot: Learning from 'Identified' UFO Reports

The cover story highlights Xavier Passot's departure from his role as head of GEIPAN. The article recounts a visit by the author, Ole Henningsen, to the Cité de l'Espace in Toulouse in 2012, where he unexpectedly encountered an exhibition related to GEIPAN and had a brief meeting with Passot.

Passot's Background and Career

Xavier Passot, a computer scientist engineer by training, joined CNES in 1983. His career at CNES included roles in satellite monitoring systems and the development of the VEGETATION image processing center for Earth observation satellites. He also led the CNES team for the ESA's Gaia project, an astrometric instrument designed to create a 3D map of the galaxy. In July 2011, he took over the leadership of GEIPAN.

Qualifications and Motivation for Leading GEIPAN

Passot felt qualified for the GEIPAN role due to his broad knowledge of space-based systems, his pragmatic approach, and his experience as an amateur astronomer and photographer. He applied for the position himself, having considered it three years earlier but delaying his move to avoid disrupting the Gaia project.

Early Interest in UFOs

Passot's interest in UFOs began in his youth in the 1960s, influenced by his parents' differing views on the subject. His older brother was a witness during the 1954 UFO wave. Initially, Passot believed science would eventually solve the mystery.

Expectations vs. Reality at GEIPAN

Upon taking the role, Passot hoped science would provide clear explanations and that he could contribute to solving the UFO mystery. He expected to find significant evidence in GEIPAN's archives. While science has helped dismiss many cases with simple explanations (like fireballs, planets, or psychological factors), he found that 'secretly stamped' documents often contained mundane reports, sometimes stamped due to Cold War fears of invasion.

Passot's Impact on GEIPAN

• Passot identifies several key contributions during his tenure:
• Treating all reports equally: He ensured that all observations, not just the peculiar ones, were processed, arguing that this provides a more accurate picture of the phenomenon and that analyzing 'identified' cases offers more learning than simply labeling something 'unidentified'.
• Reorganization of GEIPAN: He reduced the team of private investigators to a core group of 20 highly trained 'IPN' (first-class investigators) to ensure reliability and expertise.
• Organizing CAIPAN Workshop: He arranged the CAIPAN workshop in Paris in 2014, which brought together 100 participants, including ufologists, researchers, and representatives from the defense sector.
• Publishing 1954 UFO Wave Reports: He facilitated the publication of reports from the 1954 UFO wave.

Handling of Unidentified Cases

Since 2011, Passot has categorized about 40 reports as unidentified. However, he notes that these are typically single-witness accounts of distant lights in the sky and lack consistency or peculiar characteristics. He mentions the controversial COMETA report, stating that while it analyzed many famous cases, its conclusion favoring an extraterrestrial origin is not scientifically justifiable, given other potential explanations like misjudgments of distance, natural phenomena, or hallucinations.

Personal Views on UFO Origins

Passot considers an extraterrestrial origin a possible hypothesis but not the primary or sole explanation, comparing it to how ancient cultures attributed phenomena to gods. He refrains from speculating on the causes of specific French UFO cases, preferring to leave them as 'unidentified' until concrete evidence emerges.

Openness and Transparency

Passot is known for his openness and transparency at GEIPAN, emphasizing that nothing is secret except the names of observers. He has strived to publish as many documents as possible and encourages collaboration with other researchers.

CAIPAN Workshop and Scientific Approach

Passot invited ufologists to GEIPAN and collaborated with organizations like CISU (Italy) and COBEPS (Belgium) on investigation methods and specific observations. He organized the CAIPAN workshop in Paris (July 8-9, 2014) with CNES. The workshop's goal was to improve the scientific investigation of Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) by collecting reliable, high-quality information. Passot acknowledges that witness testimony is subjective and often inaccurate, while physical data is rare. The workshop aimed to exchange methods and tools for analyzing unusual phenomena, whether natural or artificial, and emphasized a rational approach to ufology, requiring better data collection and analysis. Jacques Vallée described the workshop as a dream come true for enabling interaction between researchers, ufologists, and the defense sector, provided the ET question was set aside.

Future Plans and Advice

Upon retirement at age 62, Passot plans to focus on his hobbies: photography, astronomy, rowing, and nature. He is writing a book titled "Understanding UFO Phenomena," scheduled for release in early 2017. He believes that after this, he will likely cease active engagement with UFOs unless he encounters a specific case. His advice to UFO enthusiasts is to not only study unidentified phenomena but also to analyze 'identified' cases, which he believes enhances the ability to analyze the truly unknown.

He reflects on his time at GEIPAN as a stimulating period, allowing him to engage with diverse fields like astronomy, aviation, psychology, and ornithology, as well as practical areas like drones and lanterns. He regrets that daily administrative tasks limited his ability to investigate famous cases more deeply. Passot expresses relief at no longer having to deal with conspiracy theories and states that his experiences have led him to re-examine the nature of humanity, prompting him to read Greek philosophers to understand human existence.

New Leadership at GEIPAN

The issue introduces Jean Paul Aguttes as the new head of GEIPAN. Aguttes, born in 1956, graduated from Telecom Paris Tech in 1978 and has been with CNES since 1981. He has held significant positions, including Vice Director of the Toulouse Space Center and head of an engineering department specializing in antennas, telecommunications, navigation, and telemetry. He has authored numerous publications and organized international workshops.

Resources and Further Information

The magazine provides links for further information on GEIPAN, CAIPAN, COMETA, and CNES, as well as a call to read UFO reports on www.ufo.dk.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The editorial stance of Skandinavisk UFO Information, as reflected in this issue, is one of promoting a scientific and rational approach to the study of UFO phenomena. The focus is on rigorous investigation, data analysis, and the importance of understanding 'identified' cases to better analyze the 'unidentified'. The magazine champions transparency and collaboration within the field, while cautioning against jumping to conclusions, particularly regarding extraterrestrial hypotheses. The retirement of a key figure like Xavier Passot and the transition to new leadership are presented as opportunities for continued, methodical research.