Have any of you seen UFOs?

[Plumbob]

I know this question could leave me open to ridicule but have any of you ever seen a UFO while flying or even around an airport or airbase?

Serious answers only, please!

[meadowbank]

In 25 years of military & civil flying, I've never seen a UFO in the way you mean (ie potential 'little green men carrier'). I've also had access to a military file on UFO's, which contained only a few letters reporting sightings and none of the 'conspiracy' stuff that the X-files TV show likes to allude to.

As food for thought, why would the US Government cover up the existence of UFOs? They're always asking their people for greater funding for the Defence Dept and for NASA - what better way to do it than to reveal the existence of extra-terrestrial beings with the capability to visit the Earth? Total panic and a breakdown into anarchy? I don't think so.

[Avman]

I thought I did this morning, but it was the wife doing circuits on the new broom I bought her for Christmas :) Sorry about that, but did you honestly expect serious answers only at this time of the year??!!

[ 29 December 2001: Message edited by: Avman ]</p>

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

I was closely involved with two very scary incidents in Africa in the late 60s; other ATC units and pilots were also involved. Whilst working at Heathrow I recall only one or two UFO incidents, both of which were very interesting. I have been interested in the subject for over 50 years UFOs but am extremely dubious of ever finding out what they are! I'll just say that once you become involved in a UFO incident which cannot be rationally explained you're never the same again.

[Pen it off!]

Seen a flying pig at BHX! <img src="tongue.gif" border="0">

[chiglet]

Donkeys ago, flying from Luton to Liverpool, The pilot said.. "Can you see what I can see?" to which I replied "YES".
A bright light in our 12 oclock...tracked 90deg Left in 15 sec and vanished,,,I kid you not
we aim to please, it keeps the cleaners happy

[Ringwayman]

Were the Heathrow incidents 1966 and 1978?

There is also alleged to have been a sighting at Gatwick in 1978.

There have been a fair few reports from aircraft inbound Manchester - the latest one I have details of was in 1995.

[Bus429]

Plum - no reason for anyone to ridicule you. I have an open mind on the subject and there are many reports from credible witnesses. Doctors and pilots have reported sightings and even contacts. Unfortunately, there are a few cranks who spoil it for the rest. A guy called George Adamski claimed that he was in regular contact with aliens during the Fifties and even claimed to have visited Venus(!!??)and the Moon (where he saw vegetation (!!??) . As time went on, however, his claims became even more outrageous and even his followers deserted him. There are, however, reports from those who may have had no preconception of UFOs etc claiming sightings and contacts. Evidence they supply, from different parts of the world, seems to correlate in many respects.
A review of the web will reveal thousands of sights related to the subject. Again, a few cranks have hijacked the topic. Some pictures submitted are clearly aircraft taken on time lapse. Red, green and white lights juxtaposed as they should be confirms this. Having said that, some photographs have never been fully explained or analysed conclusively. Apparently, the USAF claim 95% of all sightings have a rational, conventional explanation. Of the other 5%...

[polzin]

I remember years ago a story of ATC and law enforcement personel and hundreds of citizens seeing a UFO somewhere in Belgium. F-16's were scrambled and the pilots saw the object but could not get close to it. It was originally seen very close to the ground. Anyone remember this ?


I am now Y2 compliant!

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

polzin - yes.

[Speedbird252]

Well my Captain took this photo and you wont belive what we saw whn it came back from processing!!

c:\my documents\julian\flying\julian

[polzin]

Heathrow Director.............. May you expound? The article I read said that there was one NATO country that believed there were UFO's. That was Belgium. As I remember, the object was seen from a airport tower at the height of the tower. Police were called and they got almost under it and observed three pulsating lights of different colors. This is the type that is often reported. Anything to add? Ive talked to a few hermits and mining types just west of area 51 who say they see much fewer objects in the sky. When an place such as area 51 gets so much attention you had better believe that things get scattered around out west. I suspect in at least one case onto private property. Remember a UFO is just that , unidentified, it doesnt mean that it is from outerspace.

[Chimbu chuckles]

I have a mate who is ex RAAF fast jets. He reckons they used to play UFO on night low level training flights. If they spotted car headlights on a lonely outback road they'd scoot up behind at low level with all available lights on then flash overhead select AB and head straight up.

Sounds like a shedload of fun to me :)

Chuck.

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

Polzin. I believe the Belgian story is well covered in UFO books, etc and I cannot recall all the detail - even though there was a prog on the TV over here about it not too long ago. The whole thing centered on a triangular shaped flying machine which was observed in other places as well as Belgium.... it's just that the Belgian authorities went public on it. The TV prog had film from the F-16 gun cameras, etc and it was a well-presented documentary. I'm sure there must be plenty of webs ites covering the matter too..

I agree that they may not necessarily be driven by little green men but just who is driving them?

[GroundBound]

Can't remember the date of the Belgian incident (could be '95). It was around Liege (Eastern Belgium). There were a lot of reports from witnesses on the ground and I believe some film footage (3 lights in a triangle).

I spoke with one of the Belgian Air Force officers involved in the subsequent investigation - they found nothing on the recordings of any of the multiple radars which cover that area. As far as I remember, there was no valid explanation given for what was (thought to be) seen - it wasn't a UFO but it wasn't anything else either - which would make it a UFO wouldn't it :-).

[Greg Baddeley]

Chimbu - I heard the RAF here in UK used to do it too, with Hawks over Wales at night; dive over a town with the engine idling and nav lights off, then spool up, pull out and turn everything back on, gone before you know it just leaving a loud whoosh and lights vanishing into the distance.....

Not to say there's no intelligent life out there, how on earth (!) would we know. If there are LGM somewhere in the cosmos, they must be smart enough to look at us without us seeing them!

[cwatters]

There was a hilarious program on TV a year or so back. An interviewer went out with a group of UFO hunters for a night's spotting. After seeing nothing many hours some red green and white flashing lights appear on the horizon decending slowly towards a nearby city.....

UFO Hunter: Look! look!

&lt;at this point several people start trying to
'communicate' with the 'UFO' by flashing their torches at it and by holding up signs saying 'welcome'&gt;

Interviewer: Oh come on! Thats just an aircraft.

UFO Hunter deadly serious: Oh no, it's a UFO pretending to be an aircraft. They do that now you know.

I haven't laughed so much in ages.