British Airways and Virgin Atlantic reporting UFO over Ireland. IAA investigating.
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British Airways and Virgin Atlantic reporting UFO over Ireland. IAA investigating.
The ATC recording has be found in the story below.
Listen As Multiple Airline Pilots Report Very High-Speed Unidentified Objects Over Ireland - The Drive
Additional reporting from CBS News.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/pilots-...nd-2018-11-12/
Listen As Multiple Airline Pilots Report Very High-Speed Unidentified Objects Over Ireland - The Drive
Additional reporting from CBS News.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/pilots-...nd-2018-11-12/
This may be a tragic misunderstanding - Every week O’Leary burns ‘employee paper work’ with his managers in the backyard of his home (fondly named, Toad Hall) Apparently, its so bright that it can be seen from the International Space Station.
Perhaps thats what the pilots saw ?
Perhaps thats what the pilots saw ?
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Usually, we call them meteors...
I remember about 2 years ago coming out of Nice under Milano radar, seen quite a bright one, was far from the first time seeing them, but apparently Alitalia E-190 crew were more impressed and reported to ATC asking about military activity in the area, no idea why, but we were quite accustomed to seeing meteors and were quite surprised our Italian friends were so impressed, and much less cool about them.
I remember about 2 years ago coming out of Nice under Milano radar, seen quite a bright one, was far from the first time seeing them, but apparently Alitalia E-190 crew were more impressed and reported to ATC asking about military activity in the area, no idea why, but we were quite accustomed to seeing meteors and were quite surprised our Italian friends were so impressed, and much less cool about them.
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Just a slight technical point about this reported sighting. The ATC recording that is linked from the news article is a little misleading as there are 2 separate frequencies being played back. You can clearly hear two separate controllers one male and one female. This is because "Live ATC" website groups frequencies together by recording using a scanner that monitors multiple channels at the same time. This particular group is labelled EINN Shannon Control High #1 and you can hear that one controller is working Shannon West and the other is Cork sector.
The reason I highlight this is that the BA female pilot is talking to the female controller whereas the VS pilot reports the same lights to the male controller on a different frequency. Thus the BA crew would be unaware of the separate chat taking place during the VS report. You can hear at the end of the tape that BA are told that other reports have been made.
Clearly two separate crews made independent reports about unidentified lights over Ireland without being aware of the others..........
The reason I highlight this is that the BA female pilot is talking to the female controller whereas the VS pilot reports the same lights to the male controller on a different frequency. Thus the BA crew would be unaware of the separate chat taking place during the VS report. You can hear at the end of the tape that BA are told that other reports have been made.
Clearly two separate crews made independent reports about unidentified lights over Ireland without being aware of the others..........
According to the BBC (which illustrates its story with a silly graphic of flying saucers) the BA pilot contacted Shannon at 0647 local (= UTC at this time of year) on 9 November (UFOs spotted off Irish coast under investigation).
The annual Leonid meteor shower is taking place, but not due to peak until the coming weekend, and shouldn't have been active in that area at that time last Friday. Perhaps satellite debris?
The annual Leonid meteor shower is taking place, but not due to peak until the coming weekend, and shouldn't have been active in that area at that time last Friday. Perhaps satellite debris?
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from The Guardian (can't use URls, sorry) - I like this bit:
A spokesman for the Irish Aviation Authority told the Irish Times it was investigating the incident and would file a report. “This report will be investigated under the normal confidential occurrence investigation process.”
The spokesman added that it was unlikely to be aliens from another planet.
The spokesman added that it was unlikely to be aliens from another planet.
It’s been a busy few weeks for bright meteors/fireballs not associated with any of the major showers e.g.
https://www.sott.net/article/400398-...-in-the-region
I’d have that sort of object down as favourite, that or “space debris”
https://www.sott.net/article/400398-...-in-the-region
I’d have that sort of object down as favourite, that or “space debris”
I believe that meteors can bounce of the earths atmosphere and that, depending on you relative position, may give the appearance of a sharp turn and climb.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth-grazing_fireball
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1972_G...light_Fireball
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth-...3_October_1990
Last edited by wiggy; 13th Nov 2018 at 15:02.
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Looking at the positions & headings of the two aircraft, you can see that they are broadly on an East/North/East heading. At this time of year the Leonid Meteor shower becomes evident in the constellation of Virgo in the easterly sky shortly before dawn in the UK. I don't know the times of the sightings. in this instance but the meteors are characterised by their bright brief trails (because of the chemical composition of their sand grains- See wikipedia).
I surmise that the crews of those transatlantic flights whose eyesight would have been self adjusted to the low light levels in their respective cockpits were surprised and alarmed in part by the light show.
It never surprises me when the press/media hype up a story to ridiculous proportions. No radar tracks because the meteors don't normally "Squawk" and modern radar relies Synthetic processed displays. They burn up high in the mesosphere 75-100 Km above the earth. The ionisation trails can persist for some time (I wonder if these ionisation trails were visible on primary radars ?)
Edit:[OldLurker is correct] Sorry I missed your ref at first look at the posts. The times of the sightings was in the early morning before dawn. I missed that from the graphic.
CAT III
I surmise that the crews of those transatlantic flights whose eyesight would have been self adjusted to the low light levels in their respective cockpits were surprised and alarmed in part by the light show.
It never surprises me when the press/media hype up a story to ridiculous proportions. No radar tracks because the meteors don't normally "Squawk" and modern radar relies Synthetic processed displays. They burn up high in the mesosphere 75-100 Km above the earth. The ionisation trails can persist for some time (I wonder if these ionisation trails were visible on primary radars ?)
Edit:[OldLurker is correct] Sorry I missed your ref at first look at the posts. The times of the sightings was in the early morning before dawn. I missed that from the graphic.
CAT III
Last edited by Guest 112233; 13th Nov 2018 at 15:12. Reason: old Lurker
https://ares.jsc.nasa.gov/meteorite-...nd-meteorites/
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Wiggy: Thanks. I do seem to remember "Radar" being used to track Meteor ionisation trails - But could not recall all of the details. Because they are electro magnetic wave emitters by nature - "Small",transient and very energetic ones (in the main). Thanks for the links. In the main they vaporise in the mesosphere (Meteors the size of grains of sand) and I would imagine the reception lobes and frequency response characteristics of aeronautical primary radar would not be appropriate to receive the trails emissions. I bet now someone will come forward and prove me wrong. I will look at those links.
Edit: Further details https://www.electronics-notes.com/ar...io-signals.php
CAT III
Edit: Further details https://www.electronics-notes.com/ar...io-signals.php
CAT III
Last edited by Guest 112233; 13th Nov 2018 at 17:11. Reason: Further Details.
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Just a slight technical point about this reported sighting. The ATC recording that is linked from the news article is a little misleading as there are 2 separate frequencies being played back. You can clearly hear two separate controllers one male and one female. This is because "Live ATC" website groups frequencies together by recording using a scanner that monitors multiple channels at the same time. This particular group is labelled EINN Shannon Control High #1 and you can hear that one controller is working Shannon West and the other is Cork sector.
The reason I highlight this is that the BA female pilot is talking to the female controller whereas the VS pilot reports the same lights to the male controller on a different frequency. Thus the BA crew would be unaware of the separate chat taking place during the VS report. You can hear at the end of the tape that BA are told that other reports have been made.
Clearly two separate crews made independent reports about unidentified lights over Ireland without being aware of the others..........
The reason I highlight this is that the BA female pilot is talking to the female controller whereas the VS pilot reports the same lights to the male controller on a different frequency. Thus the BA crew would be unaware of the separate chat taking place during the VS report. You can hear at the end of the tape that BA are told that other reports have been made.
Clearly two separate crews made independent reports about unidentified lights over Ireland without being aware of the others..........
Differing controller voices may be because there is always 2 controllers working the same sector, or a supervisor/shift change swapped in.
probably a US stealth thingy going into its secret scottish base.............
All total speculation, of course. Don't expect this post to last long.... (like UFO sightings?)
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Long term, long haul PAX here, and I can say having fllown on a reguler basis since 1963 man and boy, I have yet to see an unexplainable incident. Many intresting natural ones - Ball lightening and Sprites being the peak, but have yet to see little Green men. I did see some space junk recently at high altitude flashing in the setting sun tracking NNE across the UK when already dark on the ground. It looked quite intresting at first, as a lot higher and brighter than other AC in the sky, and a long slow pattern but very bright when it spun towards the sun light, even Mrs Mac was thoughtful until she got the scope out ! Anyway in the air tonight bound for DXB from MAN so will look out for the little Gren men from the bar but as returning NZ Rugby League team are on board it maybe abit crowded ! Hope they are better behaved than the English Football team I once flew with from HK, glad I was on Swiss passport as it was embarrassing.
Kind regards
Mr Mac
Kind regards
Mr Mac
