Ufology News - No 17 - July August 2013

Magazine Overview

Title: НОВОСТИ УФОЛОГИИ (Ufology News)
Issue: #17
Date: July-August 2013
Type: Magazine

This issue of "Ufology News" features an in-depth interview with Xavier Passot, a representative of GEIPAN (Group for the Study and Information of Aerospace Phenomena), the French agency tasked with investigating Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP).

Interview with Xavier Passot

The interview begins by tracing the origins of GEIPAN, initially conceived as GEPAN in 1977 by Claude Pöry and Allen Hynek. It evolved into SEPRA in 1988 and finally became GEIPAN in 2005, with an expanded mandate to include public information dissemination. Passot explains GEIPAN's current structure, including key personnel like D. Patenet, J. Blank, and K. Passot.

Case Reporting and Expertise

Passot details the process by which witnesses can report sightings via phone or email. After an initial assessment, a special questionnaire is filled out. If a phenomenon is easily explainable (e.g., meteor, balloon), and the witness agrees, the information is filed without publication. For more unusual cases, GEIPAN requests data from meteorological services, civil aviation, and air forces to attempt identification. This often involves creating astronomical charts, weather summaries, and trajectory analyses of known objects. The team also conducts on-site investigations.

ABCD Classification System

GEIPAN classifies cases using the ABCD system: A for easily identified phenomena, B for probable known phenomena with insufficient data, C for cases with insufficient data for expertise, and D for unidentified phenomena with good quantitative and qualitative data. The D category is further divided into D1 (average strangeness) and D2 (high strangeness), based on the quality of evidence and number of independent witnesses.

Interesting Cases and Subjectivity

While specific recent cases are not detailed in the interview, links are provided for further reading. Passot addresses the issue of subjective interpretation by witnesses, highlighting how factors like distance, lighting, and individual perception can distort observations. He notes that even common objects like Venus or aircraft can be misidentified. The interview stresses that while genuine unexplained phenomena exist, subjective factors must be carefully considered, making the witness the least reliable source of information.

UAP vs. UFO

Passot clarifies the distinction between UFO (Unidentified Flying Object) and UAP (Unidentified Aerial Phenomenon). While UFO is a general term for an object that couldn't be identified by the witness, UAP is a more scientific term for a phenomenon that remains unexplained after expert analysis, supported by substantial data.

Anonymity and Data Handling

GEIPAN maintains strict anonymity for witnesses by manually redacting personal information from reports before publication to protect privacy. The agency receives approximately 10-20 phone calls and 50 mail/email messages per month, processing about 20-40 cases. Not all reports are published; only those that are sufficiently detailed and not easily explainable are considered.

Delays in Publication

Publication delays are attributed to limited human resources, with the team prioritizing either very simple or very complex cases. The agency aims to publish reports as they are processed.

COMETA and Extraterrestrial Hypothesis

Regarding the COMETA report, which did not rule out the extraterrestrial hypothesis for UFOs, GEIPAN states it does not focus on any single hypothesis. Their primary goal is to collect facts for scientific research. GEIPAN emphasizes that there is currently no definitive proof for or against extraterrestrial life. They focus on identifying cases that defy conventional explanation (Category D), which could potentially include extraterrestrial origins, but do not claim to be a pro-alien organization.

Collaboration and Resources

GEIPAN participates in programs searching for extraterrestrial life, including the CoRoT satellite mission. They collaborate with the French National Defence, including the Air Force and National Gendarmerie, who provide input and assist in investigations. GEIPAN can request radar data from the Air Force. The agency also works with regional investigators across France.

GEIPAN's Tools and Software

GEIPAN utilizes various software and resources for its investigations, including geoportals for mapping, Google Earth for 3D reconstructions, meteorological data from meteociel.fr and infoclimat.fr, image analysis tools like XnView and ExifTool, video editing software, and specialized analysis tools like IPACO for assessing angles and distances. They also use tools for satellite tracking (space-track.org, calsky.com) and astronomical reconstructions (winstars.net, stellarium.org).

International Cooperation

GEIPAN is a small service primarily focused on cases within France and its overseas territories. They cannot physically process cases from other countries like Ukraine but are open to methodological cooperation and welcome assistance from international scientific organizations with expertise in UAP research.

UFOCapture Software

The magazine also features an article on UFOCapture, a software program designed for registering aerospace phenomena, including meteors, sprites, elves, blue jets, and UFOs. UFOCapture automates the detection of unusual aerial events and can be used in conjunction with UFOAnalyzer and UFOOrbit for classification and analysis. A free version, UFOCaptureFree, is available for download. Examples of its use are provided, including fireball sightings over Kyiv and meteor events.

"Pyramid Not Giant, Not in Zone 51"

This section debunks a viral claim about a "giant pyramid" found in "Zone 51" using Google Maps. The article explains that the object is actually part of the Big Explosives Experimental Facility (BEEF) project, a relatively small structure located in Zone 4 of the Nevada National Security Site, not Zone 51.

Project 1794

This section briefly mentions the declassification of documents related to Project 1794, involving AvroAircraftLimited's work for the US Air Force on disc-shaped aircraft.

EIBC Meeting Protocols

The issue includes published protocols from EIBC (Extraterrestrial Intellectual Biological Creatures) meetings, specifically EIBC's Expeditionary-Search Group No. 3 (EПГЗ №29) in Kharkiv, Ukraine, and EIBC's Expeditionary-Search Group No. 1 (EПГ1 №27). These protocols detail observations and investigations, including UAP sightings over Kharkiv and phenomena related to the Chelyabinsk meteor event.

Global UAP Archive

Information is provided about a global archive of UAP identification and AAR (Anomalous Aerial Reports) research, containing 122 GB of data, 25,804 files, and 776 folders across 71 countries.

EIBC Scientific Research Center Meeting

Protocols from a meeting of the EIBC Scientific Research Center (№21) are also published, covering topics such as organizational restructuring, participant registration, and protection of dissertations on Anomalous Aerospace Phenomena.

"UFO: Ordered to Shoot Down"

This historical account details an incident in May 1957 where USAF pilots Milton Torres and David Robertson were tasked with intercepting and shooting down a UFO detected by radar over Kent, England. The article recounts Torres's firsthand description of the encounter, including the object's unusual flight characteristics and evasive maneuvers, and the pilot's difficulty in engaging it due to its speed and evasiveness. The object was described as being the size of an aircraft carrier on radar and moved significantly faster than the F-86D interceptor.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine consistently focuses on UAP investigations, the scientific analysis of sightings, and the role of official agencies like GEIPAN. There is a strong emphasis on distinguishing between subjective witness accounts and objective data. The publication also delves into historical UAP cases and technological aspects related to UAP detection and analysis. The editorial stance appears to be one of scientific inquiry, aiming to demystify UAP phenomena through rigorous investigation and data collection, while acknowledging the limitations of current knowledge and the challenges posed by the subject matter.

This issue of the Daily Star, dated Wednesday, March 20, 1991, features a prominent cover story titled "MY DOGFIGHT WITH A UFO!" by Dick Durham. The article details the account of TOP GUN fighter pilot Milton Torres, who claims to have engaged a massive UFO over British airspace in 1957. The magazine also includes related investigative notes and a request for reader accounts.

Main Article: My Dogfight With A UFO!

The article recounts the experience of Milton Torres, then a 25-year-old ace pilot with the 406th Fighter Interceptor Wing, stationed at RAF Manston, Kent. On the night of May 20, 1957, Torres and his wingman were on alert duty when they were scrambled to intercept an unidentified flying object (UFO) that had been orbiting the East Anglia area and exhibiting unusual flight patterns. The UFO was described as motionless for long intervals and performed strange maneuvers.

Torres, flying an F-86D Sabre jet, was vectored towards the object. He achieved a radar lock-on at approximately 15 miles, describing the blip as having an "incredible intensity" and appearing like a "magnet of light." His radar indicated an overtake speed of around 800 knots, and he was instructed to use maximum power, reaching Mach 0.92, close to the F-86D's maximum speed.

Just as Torres was given the command to fire a full salvo of 24 rockets, the UFO vanished from his radar. He reported the loss of the target, and the mission was declared over. He was vectored back to base and told that he would be contacted by an investigator.

The next day, a civilian, described as an American investigator possibly from the CIA or ANB, debriefed Torres. The investigator stressed that the mission was "highly classified" and threatened Torres with severe penalties for discussing it with anyone, including his commander. Torres was deeply impressed by the "cloak and dagger" nature of the encounter and kept silent about it for many years.

Torres' impression was that the object was traveling at "2 digit mach numbers," suggesting speeds far beyond contemporary aircraft capabilities. He believes it was an extraterrestrial spacecraft, citing its impossible maneuvers and incredible speed, and theorizing that its engines might have controlled gravity.

Corroboration and Investigation

Major David Robertson, Torres' wingman on that night, corroborated the event, stating he was also alerted and had his jet armed with live rockets. He recalls chasing several UFOs but being unable to maintain radar contact long enough to get a lock-on.

This story first came to public attention in 1988 when Torres and Robertson met at a reunion and discussed the 30-year-old incident. British UFOlogist Harry Harris persuaded Torres to document his account. Harris sent the narrative to the Ministry of Defence, which responded that they could not find any documents related to the case. A similar response was received from the U.S. Air Force.

In 1991, the pilots' names became public knowledge through a brief mention in the "Daily Star" newspaper. Since then, Major Torres has given several interviews, generally sticking to his original account, though some details have emerged, such as the alleged order to fire being given before takeoff and the American investigator flashing an ANB agent ID.

Torres' credibility is supported by his subsequent military career, including combat missions in Vietnam, receiving 13 medals, and later serving in the Space Operations Center at Cape Canaveral. After retiring, he pursued higher education and became a professor of industrial engineering.

David Clarke, from Sheffield University, suggested the incident might have been related to a secret CIA project called "Palladium," which aimed to create false radar targets to test enemy reactions. However, Clarke notes that this project began in the 1960s, making it unlikely to have been involved in a 1957 event. He also points out the difficulty of simultaneously deceiving both airborne and ground radar.

Torres, in an interview with Paola Harris, mentioned that the rockets, if fired, would have fallen on Ipswich and its surroundings, highlighting the potential danger.

Additional Materials

The article mentions additional materials available for download: the original testimony of Milton Torres (with surnames redacted) and a brochure by Ron Leitner with a brief description of the incident.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The magazine presents the account of Milton Torres as a credible eyewitness testimony of a UFO encounter. The editorial stance appears to be one of open inquiry into UFO phenomena, highlighting the potential for government cover-ups and the existence of advanced, possibly extraterrestrial, technology. The article encourages readers to share their own close encounters with UFOs, indicating a broader interest in the subject.