>> I'VE GOT A DEFINITE CONTACT
MY 12 O'CLOCK. VERY BRIGHT YELLOW OBJECT.
>> 4,000 FEET ABOVE THE OCEAN, A PILOT AND HIS PASSENGER SEE TWO
ENORMOUS YELLOW OBJECTS. >> THERE IS NO ABSOLUTE
EXPLANATION. >> THE CAPTAIN OF ANOTHER
COMMERCIAL JETLINER WATCHES AN IMPOSSIBLY LARGE DISK FLY UNDER
HIM AND BECOME INVISIBLE. >> THE DIMENSION WAS HUGE,
ABSOLUTELY HUGE. >> NOW PILOTS ARE COMING
FORWARD TO RELIVE THESE INCREDIBLE EVENTS...
>> SO WE'LL BE FLYING REALLY THE EXACT POSITION AND DIRECTION.
>> EXACTLY THE SAME ROUTE. >> AND THEIR COLOSSAL ENCOUNTERS
ARE REVEALED ON TAPE. >> I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IT WAS.
STAY AWAY FROM 17,000. >> ARE UFO SIGHTINGS GROWING TO
EPIC PROPORTIONS? >> THIS CAN TURN OUT TO BE ONE
OF THE MOST CRITICAL UFO SIGHTINGS.
>> THIS IS CASE NUMBER 86206--GIANT UFOs.
>> IT JUST FLEW RIGHT OVER ME. >> APRIL 23, 2007, APPROXIMATELY
3:00 P.M. A PILOT FOR AURIGNY AIRLINES IS FLYING A PEDESTRIAN
ROUTE OVER THE ENGLISH CHANNEL. IN THE DISTANCE, HE SUDDENLY
SEES A BRILLIANT YELLOW LIGHT. HE IMMEDIATELY RADIOS HIS
SIGHTING INTO JERSEY AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL. HE HAS JUST SPOTTED
SOMETHING GIGANTIC, SOMETHING HE CLAIMS IS ALMOST A MILE WIDE.
THESE ARE ACTUAL RADIO COMMUNICATIONS BETWEEN THE
COCKPIT AND AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL. >> DO YOU HAVE ANY TRAFFIC
AT MY 12 O'CLOCK LEVEL? >> NO. NO TRAFFIC AT ALL IN YOUR
12 O'CLOCK. >> ROGER. I'VE GOT AN
EXTREMELY BRIGHT YELLOW ORANGE OBJECT STRAIGHT
AHEAD, VERY FLAT PLATFORM. I'M LOOKING AT IT THROUGH BINOCULARS
AS WE WE SPEAK. >> AFTER INITIALLY SEEING
NOTHING, JERSEY AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL THEN CONFIRMS THE
OBJECT ON RADAR. THEY ALSO RECEIVE VISUAL CONFIRMATION FROM
A SECOND PILOT ON ANOTHER AIRLINE.
SOON AFTER, A SECOND ENORMOUS OBJECT IS SIGHTED BY THE
ORIGINAL PILOT. HE SAYS IT IS SMALLER THAN THE FIRST BUT STILL
THOUSANDS OF FEET ACROSS. >> LOOKING THROUGH BINOCULARS AS
I AM NOW, THERE'S A SECOND ONE JUST APPEARED BEHIND THE FIRST
ONE FROM WHERE I AM. >> NEITHER THE PILOT NOR HIS AIR
TRAFFIC CONTROLLER ARE ABLE TO EXPLAIN WHAT THESE COLOSSAL
OBJECTS ARE... OR WHERE THEY CAME FROM.
>> WE'RE HERE IN THE U.K., AND THESE ARE NOT YOUR EVERYDAY
SIGHTINGS. THESE ARE NOT LITTLE LIGHTS IN THE SKY. WHAT WE HAVE
ARE DESCRIPTIONS OF HUGE DISK-SHAPED CRAFT, STRANGE
OBJECTS THAT THESE PILOTS HAVE NEVER SEEN BEFORE.
I'M A PILOT MYSELF. I'M REALLY INTERESTED TO MEET THESE PILOTS
WHO ARE ACTUALLY FAR MORE EXPERIENCED THAN I AM WHO HAVE
SEEN SOMETHING THAT THEY BELIEVE IS A UFO.
>> YOU'VE GOT HUGE OBJECTS THAT DOMINATE THE LANDSCAPE AROUND
THEM, THAT OVERWHELM THE PLANES THEY'RE FLYING, AND YOU'VE GOT
PROXIMITY. PILOTS FLY CLOSER TO THESE OBJECTS AND SEE THEM
CLOSER THAN ANY OTHER WITNESS. >> WITH THESE SIGHTINGS OF
MASSIVE UFOs REPORTED BY MULTIPLE PILOTS, THE
INVESTIGATION IS FOCUSING ON THESE HIGH-CALIBER WITNESSES.
DR. TED ACWORTH WILL RE-CREATE THE ORIGINAL AURIGNY FLIGHT OVER
THE ENGLISH CHANNEL, WITH THE PILOT AND HIS PASSENGERS.
>> I CAN'T WAIT TO MEET THEM, SIT WITH THEM IN THE COCKPITS OF
THEIR AIRCRAFT, AND KIND OF GET FROM THEIR MOUTHS THEIR STORIES
OF WHAT THEY SAW. >> PAT USKERT WILL SCRUTINIZE
THE PHYSICAL DESCRIPTIONS OF THESE AIRBORNE GIANTS WITH AN
ATMOSPHERIC SCIENTIST. >> I WANT TO GET A COMPLETE
DESCRIPTION OF THE OBJECTS THAT ELIMINATES ATMOSPHERIC
PHENOMENA, BALLOONS, OR ANYTHING ELSE THAT COULD BE IN THE SKY
AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT LEGITIMATE UFOs.
>> AND BILL BIRNES WILL EXAMINE BOTH THE EYEWITNESS TESTIMONY
AND THE FOLLOW-UP REPORTS TO THESE INCREDIBLE INCIDENTS.
>> PILOT ACTIVITY IS FULL OF SCIENCE. IT'S FULL OF
ENGINEERING. IT'S FULL OF ROUTINE. YOU TAKE ALL THAT
SCIENCE AND YOU APPLY IT TO SOMETHING SO UNUSUAL THAT'S
NEVER BEEN BEFORE. NOW YOU HAVE SOMETHING YOU CAN INVESTIGATE.
[BELL RINGING] >> JOINING THE TEAM IS
DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKER JAMES FOX, A RESEARCHER WHO WAS ONE OF THE
FIRST TO SPEAK WITH THE AURIGNY AIRLINES PILOT AFTER HIS
SIGHTING IN 2007. >> I MET WITH CAPTAIN RAY BOWYER
ABOUT TWO MONTHS AFTER HIS ORIGINAL SIGHTING, AND I THINK
IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO GET UP AND RE-CREATE THE FLIGHT PATH
TO GET HIS PERSPECTIVE ON WHAT TOOK PLACE.
>> THOUGH ENCOUNTERS WITH GIANT UFOs ARE RARE IN COMPARISON TO
MOST UFO SIGHTINGS, THEY ARE NOT UNHEARD OF.
IN 2000, A BRITISH HOUSEWIFE IN BONSALL CLAIMS TO WITNESS WHAT
SOME ESTIMATED TO BE A NEARLY 3-MILE-WIDE PINK-AND-WHITE DISK.
IN 1996, OVER A 134-MILE STRETCH OF HIGHWAY IN CANADA'S YUKON
TERRITORY, MORE THAN 30 WITNESSES CONFIRMED SEEING A
SAUCER-SHAPED OBJECT BIGGER THAN A FOOTBALL FIELD.
TRIANGULATION DATA LATER REVEALED THE OBJECT TO BE AT
LEAST HALF A MILE WIDE. AND IN 1986, THE PILOT OF A JAPANESE
AIRLINES FLIGHT TRAVELING BETWEEN ICELAND AND ANCHORAGE,
ALASKA, REPORTED 3 OBJECTS TRAILING HIS 747. TWO OF THE
OBJECTS WERE SMALL, BUT THE CAPTAIN DESCRIBED THE THIRD AS
TWICE THE SIZE OF AN AIRCRAFT CARRIER. THE GIANT OBJECT WAS
TRACKED BY GROUND AND AIRBORNE RADAR, AND THE F.A.A. LOGGED
OVER 60 MINUTES OF DATA CONFIRMING THE ANOMALY.
WHY DO MASSIVE UFOs APPEAR TO BE TRACKING OUR COMMERCIAL
AIRCRAFT? CAPTAIN RAY BOWYER'S ENCOUNTER OCCURS ON APRIL 23 AS
HE CAPTAINS AURIGNY AIRLINES FLIGHT 544 FROM SOUTHAMPTON TO
THE ISLAND OF ALDERNEY, ONE OF SEVERAL SMALL ISLANDS LOCATED IN
THE CHANNEL. HIS AUDIO TRANSMISSIONS FROM THE FLIGHT
SHOW A PILOT FULLY AWARE OF HIS UNUSUAL SITUATION. HE ATTEMPTS
TO GET AS MUCH INFORMATION ABOUT THE OBJECTS AS POSSIBLE.
>> A-LINE 544. ANY MORE INFORMATION ON THAT AIRCRAFT,
PLEASE? >> 544, NEGATIVE. THIS IS THE
PRIMARY CONTACT THAT WE SOMETIMES GET ANAPROP ON THE
RADAR. THERE IS SOMETHING POSSIBLY YOUR LEFT 10 O'CLOCK AT
A RANGE OF THREE MILES THIS TIME.
>> I'VE GOT A DEFINITE CONTACT MY 12 O'CLOCK. VERY
BRIGHT YELLOW OBJECT LOOKING, WELL, LIKE A CIGAR.
>> HIS SIGHTING EXPANDS TO INCLUDE A SECOND MASSIVE OBJECT,
AND HE IS NOT THE ONLY ONE ABLE TO SEE SOMETHING.
>> ROGER, 544. JUST CONFIRMING THAT ALL THE PASSENGERS CAN SEE
THIS AIRCRAFT. IT'S DEAD AHEAD. CAN'T SAY HOW FAR. PROBABLY FIVE
MILES, BUT IT'S STAYING THE SAME SIZE. LOOKS TO BE OFF THE
NORTH, NORTHWEST COAST OF ALDERNEY.
>> BUT THE FLIGHT IS SHORT, AND BOWYER SOON FINDS HIMSELF SAFELY
LANDING THE AIRCRAFT ON ALDERNEY. AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL ON
THE NEARBY ISLAND OF JERSEY ALERTS SEVERAL OTHER PILOTS
COMING INTO THE AIRSPACE ABOUT BOWYER'S SIGHTING.
>> IF YOU COULD KEEP A GOOD LOOKOUT AS YOU PASS DOWN THE
SIDE OF ALDERNEY. WE'VE CROSS REFERENCED THERE'S SOME TRAFFIC
INBOUND TO JERSEY FROM THE SOUTH WHICH SAW THE OBJECTS FROM THE
VICINITY OF SARK TOWARDS ALDERNEY AT THE SAME LEVEL.
>> GOLF ROMEO. COPIED ALL THAT. KEEPING A GOOD LOOKOUT
CERTAINLY. >> THANK YOU.
>> BUT WHEN THEY ARRIVE, THEY SEE NOTHING. THE OBJECTS ARE
GONE. ONCE ON THE GROUND, CAPTAIN BOWYER MAKES A FEW QUICK
DIAGRAMS OF WHAT HE SEES AND SENDS HIS LOGS TO OPERATIONS.
THE REACTION TO THE EVENT IS THOROUGH, AND BILL AND PAT ARE
HOPING THAT BOWYER'S IMMEDIATE ACTIONS FOLLOWING THE ENCOUNTER
MIGHT REVEAL MORE INFORMATION. >> WHAT MADE YOU COME FORWARD?
>> THE LAW. IT'S WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO. IT'S THE BRITISH SYSTEM.
IF YOU SEE AN OBJECT OR OTHER AIRCRAFT THAT SHOULDN'T BE WHERE
IT IS, THEN YOU HAVE TO MAKE A REPORT.
>> SO THIS IS A STANDARD REPORT THAT PILOTS HAVE TO FILL OUT
WHEN THEY SEE A UFO, AND THEY'RE ENCOURAGED TO.
>> IT'S NOT NECESSARILY JUST FOR UFOs. IT'S FOR SOMETHING USUAL
IN CONTROLLED AIRSPACE. COULD BE ANOTHER AIRCRAFT WHICH SHOULDN'T
BE THERE. MAYBE IT HASN'T BEEN PICKED UP BY RADAR, AND IF YOU
SEE IT, THEN YOU'VE GOT TO REPORT THAT. THAT'S THE RULES.
>> ACCORDING TO THE UNITED KINGDOM CIVIL AVIATION
AUTHORITY, QUOTE, "A REPORTABLE OCCURRENCE IN RELATION TO
AIRCRAFT MEANS ANY INCIDENT WHICH ENDANGERS OR WHICH IF NOT
CORRECTED WOULD ENDANGER AN AIRCRAFT, ITS OCCUPANTS, OR ANY
OTHER PERSON." >> WHAT IS THE STANDARD REACTION
WHEN A PILOT SEES SOMETHING IN AIRSPACE?
>> IN BRITISH AIRSPACE, ALL I CAN SAY IS IT'S JUST
WHAT'S DONE. IN AMERICAN AIRSPACE, I UNDERSTAND
THAT THERE'S COMPANIES OUT THERE THAT DON'T WANT THIS SORT OF
THING TALKED ABOUT, AND I'VE HEARD THAT SOME PILOTS HAVE BEEN
THREATENED THAT IF THEY DO TALK ABOUT THIS SORT OF THING,
THEY'LL BE FIRED. >> THOUGH HE ISN'T RIDICULED OR
THREATENED, BOWYER'S ACCOUNT IS MET WITH LITTLE INTEREST. THE
BRITISH GOVERNMENT DECLARES THE INCIDENT UNWORTHY OF ANY
FOLLOW-UP INVESTIGATION. >> THE BRITISH MINISTRY DID NOT
COME BACK WITH ANY RESPONSE IMMEDIATELY, ALTHOUGH IT DID
ISSUE, A FEW DAYS LATER, A STATEMENT STATING THAT AS THE
SIGHTING WASN'T OF ANY THREAT TO U.K. AIRSPACE, THEN THEY WEREN'T
GONNA INVESTIGATE ANY FURTHER AND THAT PERHAPS THE FRENCH
MIGHT LIKE TO DO THAT. THE FRENCH CAME BACK WITH A RESPONSE
SAYING THAT IF THE BRITISH MILITARY WERE INTERESTED IN
OPERATING SOME SYSTEM OVER THIS MATTER, THEN THEY SHOULD DO SO,
BUT NEITHER HAVE COME BACK WITH ANYTHING.
>> ALDERNEY, JERSEY, AND THE OTHER SURROUNDING ISLANDS ARE
DEPENDENCIES OF THE UNITED KINGDOM BUT ARE IN CLOSE
PROXIMITY TO FRENCH AIRSPACE. BOWYER FINDS IT SURPRISING THAT
NEITHER COUNTRY IS INTERESTED IN THE EVENT, DESPITE CORROBORATING
RADAR HITS AND THE AUDIO CONFIRMATION OF A SECOND PILOT
FROM BLUE ISLAND AIRLINES. >> JERSEY BLUE ISLAND 8-3-2.
ZONE ASKED US TO LOOK IF WE COULD SEE AN OBJECT WHICH IS
BEING SEEN BY A-LINE AT THE MOMENT. I'VE GOT SOMETHING ABOUT
8 O'CLOCK RESEMBLING THE DESCRIPTION.
>> BLUE ISLAND 832. ROGER. WHAT RANGE WOULD YOU ESTIMATE
THAT TARGET? >> AROUND ABOUT A SIMILAR RANGE
TO ALDERNEY FROM US NOW. >> HAVE YOU TALKED TO THAT
PILOT? >> YEAH, I'VE HAD A CHAT WITH
HIM. UNFORTUNATELY, HIS COMPANY DON'T WANT HIM TO COME FORWARD.
HE'S ALSO WANTING TO STAY AWAY FROM THE LIMELIGHT.
>> WHAT DID HE TELL YOU? >> HE SAW IT FROM ABOUT 20 MILES
AWAY AND DESCRIBED THE OBJECT PRETTY MUCH SIMILAR TO MYSELF.
>> THIS IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE BEST, MOST CORROBORATED, MOST
CREDIBLE UFO SIGHTINGS WE'VE EVER ENCOUNTERED, AND THAT'S
MAINLY BECAUSE OF THE WAY RAY BOWYER TOOK EXTRA CARE TO MAKE
SURE HIS WITNESSES WERE WITH HIM IN THAT SIGHTING.
>> THE BLUE ISLAND PILOT REMAINS SILENT TO THIS DAY--A KEY
EYEWITNESS UNWILLING OR UNABLE TO DISCUSS WHAT HE SAW. BUT
OTHER WITNESSES ABOARD AURIGNY FLIGHT 544 ARE WILLING TO COME
FORWARD TO DISCUSS THE STRANGE EVENTS THEY WITNESSED ABOVE THE
ENGLISH CHANNEL. THEY, ALONG WITH CAPTAIN BOWYER, ARE ABOUT
TO RELIVE THE SAME FLIGHT FROM APRIL 23, 2007. AND ANOTHER
SIGHTING SHOWS MASSIVE SIZE ISN'T THE ONLY SURPRISING
CHARACTERISTIC OF THESE CRAFT. >> IT BECAME TRANSPARENT AND
DISAPPEARED! >> ALMOST LIKE IT
DEMATERIALIZED. >> ON APRIL 23, 2007, AN AURIGNY
AIRLINES PILOT AND HIS PASSENGERS CLAIM TO SEE TWO
GIANT YELLOW ORANGE OBJECTS DURING A ROUTINE FLIGHT OVER THE
ENGLISH CHANNEL. THE PILOT, CAPTAIN RAY BOWYER, CLAIMS THE
OBJECTS ARE A MILE WIDE AND POSSIBLY LARGER.
TED AND DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKER JAMES FOX ARE PREPPING A FLIGHT
ABOARD THE SAME AIRCRAFT, FLYING THE IDENTICAL ROUTE FROM 2007.
>> HE NEEDED TO FOLLOW A PRECONCEIVED FLIGHT PLAN. HE WAS
IN COMMUNICATION WITH AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL. HE WAS FLYING
UNDER INSTRUMENT FLIGHT RULES. YOU REALLY HAVE TO FOLLOW THE
PROCEDURE THERE. SO WOULD YOU JUST DESCRIBE THE
PARAMETERS FOR THE FLIGHT? >> SURE. IT'S A TRISLANDER
AIRCRAFT, 18-SEATER. WE'LL BE HEADING, AS YOU SAID, SOUTH
SOUTHWEST, CLIMBING INITIALLY TO 2,000 FEET.
>> SO WE'LL BE FLYING REALLY OVER THE EXACT POSITION AND
DIRECTION. >> EXACTLY THE SAME ROUTE, SAME
HEIGHT--ALTITUDE-- AND VERY SIMILAR WEATHER
CONDITIONS TODAY. >> JOINING THE JOURNEY ARE KATE
AND JOHN RUSSELL, TWO PASSENGERS ABOARD THE APRIL 23 FLIGHT. THEY
ALSO WITNESSED THE GIGANTIC YELLOW ORANGE OBJECTS IN THE
SKY. THE PLANE IS A BRITTEN- NORMAN TRISLANDER, A SMALL-RANGE
AIRCRAFT USED PRIMARILY FOR SHORT-DISTANCE FLIGHTS. IT IS 49
FEET, 3 INCHES LONG. THE ALLEGED UFOs ARE DESCRIBED AS BEING OVER
A MILE LONG, MORE THAN 100 TIMES THE SIZE OF THESE AIRCRAFT.
>> IT WAS ABOUT 3:00 IN THE AFTERNOON. GOOD VISIBILITY, VERY
SIMILAR TO WHAT WE HAVE HERE TODAY. AT AN ALTITUDE OF 4,000
FEET, I COULD SEE THE OBJECTS--THE ONE OBJECT TO START
WITH, AND THEN THE SECOND OBJECT QUITE CLEARLY WITH THE ISLANDS
BEHIND. AND THAT WAS THEN WHEN I GOT OUT
THE BINOCULARS AND HAD A GOOD LOOK, AND I COULD SEE THIS
PERFECT SHAPE OF A POINTED OBJECT, VERY BRILLIANT YELLOW,
WITH A DARK AREA 2/3 FROM LEFT TO RIGHT. VERY CLEAR. IT WAS
EMITTING LIGHT QUITE CLEARLY. BOTH OBJECTS ILLUMINATING A
FANTASTIC AMOUNT OF LIGHT. IT WAS VERY BRILLIANT AND QUITE
DIFFICULT TO WATCH. >> WERE YOU ABLE TO SEE BOTH OF
THEM SIMULTANEOUSLY? >> NOT INITIALLY. INITIALLY JUST
ONE OBJECT, AND THEN ON DESCENT, THE SECOND ONE BECAME VISUAL.
>> ROUGHLY HOW BIG? DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA?
>> I WOULD SAY AT LEAST A MILE ACROSS.
>> CAPTAIN BOWYER DESCRIBES THE TWO OBJECTS AT A 15:1 RATIO OF
LENGTH TO HEIGHT WITH A SLIGHTLY ELLIPTICAL APPEARANCE. THE
OBJECTS ARE ALSO SLIGHTLY TILTED.
>> WAS THE SUN VISIBLE AT THE SAME TIME?
>> NO. THE LAYER OF CLOUD ABOVE WAS STILL COVERING. THE SUN
WOULD HAVE BEEN GREAT BECAUSE THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN A
SHADOW ON THE SEA. IT WAS LIKE IT WAS IN THE EXACT POSITION AND
OF RELATIVE SIZE, BUT THERE WAS NO DIRECT SUNLIGHT. THAT WAS A
SHAME. >> BUT AS THE OBJECTS CONTINUE
TO REMAIN IN VIEW, THE PASSENGERS ARE ALERTED THAT
SOMETHING IS HAPPENING. >> WHAT ABOUT THE PASSENGERS?
WERE THEY TAKING NOTICE AS WELL, AT THIS POINT?
>> YEAH. >> WHEN I WAS LOOKING OUT WITH
BINOCULARS, THE CHAP WHO SAT BEHIND ME WAS SAYING, "WHAT IS
IT? WHAT'S THAT?" BECAUSE HE COULD SEE IT.
THE PEOPLE BEHIND COULDN'T SEE IT SO WELL BECAUSE OF THE
PEOPLE SITTING IN FRONT, BUT THERE WERE A COUPLE OF
PASSENGERS WHO SAT IN ROW 4--JOHN AND KATE RUSSELL--AND
THEY COULD SEE IT, ALSO. >> JOHN AND KATE RUSSELL ARE
FREQUENT FLIERS ON AURIGNY. THEY MAKE THIS TRIP FROM SOUTHAMPTON
TO THEIR HOME ON ALDERNEY OFTEN. BUT THEY'VE FLOWN WITH CAPTAIN
BOWYER ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS AND HAVE NEVER SEEN HIM REACT AS HE
DID THAT DAY. >> RAY DIPPED THE NOSE OF THE
AIRCRAFT DOWN. HE'D BEEN POINTING OUT SOMETHING TO THE
PERSON JUST BEHIND HIM, SO I LOOKED OUT AND I SAW A BRIGHT
LIGHT JUST ABOUT THERE AND ANOTHER BEYOND IT WHICH WAS
SMALLER. I THOUGHT THE SECOND LIGHT LOOKED AS IF IT COULD HAVE
BEEN OVER THE ISLAND. >> BUT JOHN AND KATE QUICKLY
DISMISSED THE IDEA THAT THESE LIGHTS ARE MERE REFLECTIONS.
>> IF THE SUN'S REFLECTION HAD BEEN RESPONSIBLE, THE HIGH SPEED
OF THE AIRCRAFT WOULD HAVE EVENTUALLY CAUSED THE LIGHT'S
APPEARANCE TO CHANGE. BUT ACCORDING TO JOHN AND KATE, THIS
DOESN'T HAPPEN. THEY ARE ABLE TO SEE THE OBJECTS FOR 3 TO 4
MINUTES, AND CAPTAIN BOWYER HAS BEEN OBSERVING THEM FOR 15, AND
AS THEY GET CLOSER AND CLOSER, HIS CONCERN IS GROWING.
>> WHEN YOU SAW THESE TWO OBJECTS, WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?
WERE YOU SCARED? >> THESE THINGS WERE GETTING
PRETTY HEFTY, PRETTY BIG, AND I DIDN'T WANT TO GO ANY CLOSER
WITH THE PASSENGERS ON BOARD. THESE THINGS WERE
GETTING QUITE CLOSE NOW, BUT IT IS AT THAT POINT,
MAYBE, WHEN WE WERE STILL 20-ODD MILES AWAY FROM THEM THAT
I STARTED TO GET SOMEWHAT TREPIDATIOUS ABOUT THE
PROXIMITY. IF THEY WERE MOVING, THEY WERE COMING TOWARDS US, I
DIDN'T KNOW. AT THAT POINT, RADAR SAID THEY COULDN'T SEE
ANYTHING, BUT I COULD SEE THEM, AND THEY WERE BIG. IF THEY
DECIDED TO COME QUICKLY AT ME, IT COULD HAVE BEEN SCARY, SO
JUST GETTING DOWN AND LANDING WAS WHAT I WAS THINKING AT THAT
POINT. >> THE PLANE DESCENDS QUICKLY,
AND CAPTAIN BOWYER LOSES SIGHT OF
THE OBJECTS. HE IS ABLE TO LAND SAFELY. DESPITE THE
EXTRAORDINARY CIRCUMSTANCES, THE PASSENGERS GIVE CAPTAIN BOWYER
THE HIGHEST MARKS FOR HIS REACTION TO THE SITUATION.
>> HE'S NOT A MAN WHO GETS RUFFLED. ANYTIME YOU KNEW YOU
WERE FLYING WITH RAY, YOU FELT YOU WERE IN VERY SAFE HANDS. FOR
HIM TO REGISTER THE CONCERN THAT HE HAD MEANT THAT WHAT HE WAS
EXPERIENCING WAS VERY ABNORMAL. >> UPON LANDING, CAPTAIN BOWYER
IMMEDIATELY ASKS FOR ANYONE WHO SAW SOMETHING UNUSUAL TO LEAVE
THEIR INFORMATION. WHILE THE RUSSELLS DO, SOME OF THE OTHERS
DON'T WANT ANY FURTHER INVOLVEMENT.
>> WELL, DO YOU FEEL NOW THAT YOU SAW SOMETHING
HIGHLY UNUSUAL? >> THE MORE THAT TIME GOES BY,
THE MORE THERE IS NO ABSOLUTE EXPLANATION.
>> AND HOW LONG HAD YOU BEEN FLYING THIS ROUTE?
>> THAT ROUTE, AT THAT TIME, ABOUT 8 YEARS.
>> SO YOU KNEW IT LIKE THE BACK OF YOUR HAND.
>> YEAH, PROBABLY 2,000 OR 3,000 TIMES, YOU KNOW. IT'S
EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TRYING TO EXPLAIN TO PEOPLE WHAT THIS IS
ALL ABOUT, AND FOR ME, IT WAS SO UNUSUAL THAT THERE'S NO
PRECEDENT. I'VE SEEN NOTHING LIKE IT PREVIOUSLY. I DON'T
EXPECT I'LL SEE ANYTHING LIKE IT AGAIN.
>> WHILE NOTHING MATCHING CAPTAIN BOWYER OR JOHN AND KATE
RUSSELL'S DESCRIPTION HAS BEEN SEEN SINCE, ANOTHER PILOT'S
SIGHTING OF AN ALLEGED GIANT UFO IN 1994 HAS STRIKING
SIMILARITIES. >> THE DIMENSION WAS HUGE.
ABSOLUTELY HUGE. >> IN APRIL 2007, CAPTAIN RAY
BOWYER AND SEVERAL OF HIS PASSENGERS ABOARD AN AURIGNY
AIRLINES FLIGHT SEE 2 OBJECTS HOVERING ABOVE THE ENGLISH
CHANNEL. THE OBJECTS ARE ESTIMATED TO BE AT LEAST A MILE
WIDE. WHILE SIGHTINGS OF THIS MAGNITUDE ARE RARE, THEY HAVE
HAPPENED BEFORE. JANUARY 28, 1994.
ON AIR FRANCE FLIGHT 3532, CAPTAIN JEAN-CHARLES DUBOC
IS EN ROUTE FROM NICE TO LONDON. HIS PLANE IS NEAR PARIS, FLYING
AT 39,000 FEET. THE AIRSPACE HERE IS TYPICALLY CROWDED, BUT
TODAY, IT'S GOING TO HAVE ONE MORE AIRCRAFT THAN USUAL.
>> WE ARE MEETING WITH RETIRED AIR FRANCE CAPTAIN JEAN-CHARLES
DUBOC, WHOSE SIGHTING IN 1994 OF AN OBJECT OVER PARIS WAS ONE
OF THE MOST INCREDIBLE STORIES IN UFOLOGY.
>> CAPTAIN DUBOC IS TELLING HIS STORY FOR THE FIRST AND ONLY
TIME ON AMERICAN TELEVISION. >> SO, IT WAS THE STEWARD WHO
FIRST SAID THERE'S A WEATHER BALLOON THERE, AND THEN THE
CO-PILOT WHO SAID THERE WAS SOMETHING THERE, AND
THAT'S WHAT DIRECTED... >> THOUGH CAPTAIN DUBOC'S
STEWARD AND CO-PILOT INITIALLY THINK THEY'VE SPOTTED A ROGUE
WEATHER BALLOON, THEY QUICKLY CHANGE THEIR MINDS. THE OBJECT
IS FAR TOO LARGE. >> AND IT WAS AT ROUGHLY THE
SAME ALTITUDE, YOU'RE SAYING... >> ABOUT HOW MANY FEET
BELOW YOU? >> WHEN DID YOU REALIZE
IT WASN'T A PLANE? >> AS THE OBJECT MOVES TOWARDS
THEM, THEY COME TO A SHOCKING REALIZATION. WHAT THEY'RE
LOOKING AT APPEARS TO BE A HUGE FLYING DISC.
>> WHAT'S INCREDIBLY STRIKING TO ME ABOUT CAPTAIN DUBOC'S
SIGHTING IS HE'S A TRAINED OBSERVER, BEING A PILOT. HE WAS
WITH 2 OTHER PEOPLE WHO WITNESSED THIS OBJECT, AND IT'S
APPARENTLY ABOUT 1,000 FEET ACROSS, DISC-SHAPED, IN BROAD
DAYLIGHT, AND THAT DOESN'T SOUND LIKE A CONVENTIONAL AIRCRAFT
TO ME. >> CAPTAIN DUBOC DESCRIBES THE
RED-BROWN DISC AS HAVING A STRANGE HAZE OR FUZZINESS AT ITS
EDGES. AND AS HE WATCHES, HE SAYS IT APPEARS TO BE BANKING
AT A 45-DEGREE ANGLE. HE ESTIMATES ITS SIZE TO BE
BETWEEN 800 AND 1,000 FEET, OR MORE THAN 6 TIMES THE SIZE
OF HIS OWN JETLINER. BUT WHAT HAPPENS NEXT IS EVEN MORE
SURPRISING. >> SO, DID IT DISAPPEAR QUICKLY
OR GRADUALLY BECOME TRANSPARENT? >> LIKE IT DEMATERIALIZED.
>> WHEN THE OBJECT SEEMS TO DISAPPEAR, CAPTAIN DUBOC, HIS
CO-PILOT, AND HIS STEWARD REALIZE THEY ARE DEALING WITH
SOMETHING EXTRAORDINARY. >> 2 OF THE MOST STRIKING
DETAILS TO ME ARE THE HUGE SIZE OF THAT OBJECT. IT WASN'T THE
SIZE OF A PLANE. IT WAS MUCH LARGER. AND THEN WHEN THE OBJECT
SEEMED TO DEMATERIALIZE BEFORE HIS VERY EYES...
WHAT WAS THE CONVERSATION IN THE COCKPIT OF THE PLANE ABOUT THIS?
>> CAPTAIN DUBOC RADIOS IN HIS SIGHTING IMMEDIATELY TO REIMS
AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL IN NORTHERN FRANCE. THEY CONFIRM HIS
SIGHTING WITH RADAR FROM CODA, THE OPERATIONAL CENTER OF
AIR DEFENSE. THEIR RADAR REGISTERS A NEARLY ONE-MINUTE
HIT, WHICH CROSSES THE PATH OF CAPTAIN DUBOC'S AIR FRANCE
FLIGHT AND THEN DISAPPEARS. DESPITE THE SURPRISING DETAIL,
CAPTAIN DUBOC REMAINS SILENT FOR 3 YEARS AFTER HIS SIGHTING.
NEITHER HIS CO-PILOT NOR HIS STEWARD MAKE A REPORT.
BUT IN 1997, HE FINALLY COMES FORWARD WITH HIS STORY. 2 YEARS
LATER, IT BECOMES ONE OF THE TOP CASES IN THE COMETA REPORT,
A 1999 DOCUMENT PUT FORTH BY AN INDEPENDENT DEFENSE THINK TANK
AND SENT TO THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT.
THE REPORT USES WELL-DOCUMENTED SIGHTINGS, SUCH AS CAPTAIN
DUBOC'S, TO MAKE THE CASE THAT UFOs NEED TO BE TREATED
SERIOUSLY AND AS A MATTER OF NATIONAL SECURITY.
>> WERE YOU IMPRESSED BY THE CONCLUSIONS OF THE COMETA REPORT
THAT THESE WERE MILITARY ISSUES THAT HAD TO BE ADDRESSED?
>> AND THAT'S THE MESSAGE OF THE COMETA REPORT ITSELF, ISN'T IT?
>> YES. >> THE COMETA REPORT BASICALLY
JUST SAYS THAT WE CAN NO LONGER IGNORE THE EXTRATERRESTRIAL
HYPOTHESIS. >> EXACTLY.
>> THE REPORT CONCLUDES, QUOTE, "THESE STUDIES DEMONSTRATE THE
ALMOST CERTAIN PHYSICAL REALITY OF COMPLETELY UNKNOWN FLYING
OBJECTS. THEY MUST BE THE SUBJECT OF INDISPENSABLE
SPECULATIONS AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF PROSPECTIVE SCENARIOS.
>> SO WHAT YOU TAKE AWAY FROM A MEETING WITH CAPTAIN DUBOC ARE
HIS IMPRESSIONS OF THE SIZE OF THE OBJECT. THIS WAS CLEARLY
SOMETHING NOT A PLANE. AND CAPTAIN DUBOC WENT ON TO
RESEARCH WHAT WE HAVE TO DO TO UNDERSTAND WHAT UFOs ARE
AND WHY THEY'RE HERE. >> WHAT ARE THESE GIANT OBJECTS
BEING SEEN BY PILOTS? ANOTHER RECENT SIGHTING BY 2 U.S. AIR
FORCE F-15s IS CAPTURED ON TAPE AND RAISES AN ENTIRELY
NEW THEORY. >> I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IT WAS.
JUST STAY AWAY FROM 17,000. >> 2 PILOTS CLAIM TO HAVE RECENT
ENCOUNTERS WITH COLOSSAL-SIZED UFOs. BOTH ACCOUNTS COME FROM
HIGHLY EXPERIENCED PILOTS. BOTH ARE CORROBORATED BY RADAR
AND OTHER WITNESSES. BUT NOW A THIRD SIGHTING RAISES A NEW
THEORY. COULD THESE ALLEGED GIANT UFOs BE DEPLOYING SMALLER
OBJECTS? THE TEAM HEADS TO THE MUSEUM OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY
IN MANCHESTER. >> WE'RE MEETING WITH BRITISH
UFO RESEARCHER PHILIP MANTLE TO TALK TO HIM ABOUT A CASE THAT
HE'S BEEN INVESTIGATING INVOLVING F-15s THAT WERE
SCRAMBLED TO CHECK OUT A UFO. >> JANUARY 12, 2007. JUST 3
MONTHS BEFORE CAPTAIN BOWYER'S SIGHTING OF 2 GIGANTIC OBJECTS.
2 U.S. AIR FORCE F-15s OUT OF THE ROYAL AIR FORCE BASE AT
LAKENHEATH ARE ASKED TO INTERCEPT A TARGET PICKED UP
ON RADAR. BUT THIS OBJECT ISN'T A GIANT. ITS SIZE IS ON THE
COMPLETE OPPOSITE END OF THE SPECTRUM.
THESE ARE THE ACTUAL IN-FLIGHT AUDIO TRANSMISSIONS.
>> ALRIGHT, DUDE, NO KIDDING, I HAD A RADAR HIT.
THERE WAS SOMETHING THERE. >> THE SIGHTING IS INVESTIGATED
BY PHIL MANTLE AND OTHER BRITISH UFO RESEARCHERS AT "UFODATA"
MAGAZINE. THEY RECEIVE THE AUDIO FROM AVIATION ENTHUSIASTS WHO
PICK UP THE TRANSMISSIONS ON SCANNERS.
>> WE KNOW WHERE IT CAME FROM. WE EVEN KNOW THE CALL SIGN
OF THE 2 AIRCRAFT THAT WERE INVOLVED. WE KNOW THE DATE
WHERE THE INCIDENT TOOK PLACE. WE'VE GOT IT INDEPENDENTLY
VERIFIED BY THE MINISTRY OF DEFENSE.
IT IS THE GENUINE ARTICLE. >> PHIL AND HIS PARTNERS RECEIVE
THIS OFFICIAL RESPONSE FROM THE MINISTRY OF DEFENSE. QUOTE:
"I UNDERSTAND THAT 2 USAF AIRCRAFT SPOTTED AN OBJECT ON
THEIR ONBOARD RADAR. BUT THE M.O.D. DOES NOT INVESTIGATE
OR SEEK TO PROVIDE A PRECISE EXPLANATION FOR EACH OF THE 200
TO 300 UFO REPORTS WE RECEIVE EVERY YEAR."
>> THEY'RE NOT DENYING IT OCCURRED. THEY'RE JUST SAYING
THAT AS FAR AS THEY'RE CONCERNED, THERE'S AN
EXPLANATION FOR IT. IT WAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH A WEATHER
BALLOON. >> TO FOLLOW UP ON THIS THEORY,
PHIL AND HIS COLLEAGUES CONTACT THE MET OFFICE, THE U.K.'S
NATIONAL METEOROLOGICAL SERVICE. THEY INQUIRE ABOUT THE
POSSIBILITY OF A WEATHER BALLOON IN THE AREA OF THE NORTH SEA,
WHERE THE AIR FORCE'S F-15s WERE FLYING. THEY ARE TOLD
THERE WERE NONE IN THE AREA. FOR NOW, WITH THE M.O.D.
DISMISSING THE EVENT AS A WEATHER BALLOON AND THE PILOTS
REMAINING ANONYMOUS, THE AUDIO TRANSMISSIONS ARE THE ONLY
EVIDENCE. >> SO, GENTLEMEN, THIS IS REALLY
EXCITING. THIS IS THE ACTUAL LIVE RECORDING OF THE
INTERACTION BETWEEN 2 F-15 PILOTS AND AN OBJECT.
>> I HAD A RADAR HIT AND THERE WAS SOMETHING THERE. IT LOOKED
LIKE A...IT DIDN'T LOOK LIKE BIRD. IT LOOKED LIKE, NO
KIDDING, A ROCK TO ME. >> FIRST THERE'S A RADAR RETURN.
>> AND HE SAYS, "IT LOOKS LIKE A ROCK TO ME."
>> I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IT WAS, BUT BASICALLY, JUST HEADS UP.
TRY TO STAY AWAY FROM 17,000. I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IT WAS. I'M
GONNA USE MY RADAR TO SEE IF I CAN PICK THIS OBJECT UP AGAIN. I
PICKED IT UP TWICE. >> SO, OBVIOUSLY, WHAT ARE WE
GETTING? IT IS UNKNOWN. IT'S UNIDENTIFIED. VISUALLY, THE
PILOTS CAN'T MAKE OUT WHAT IT IS.
>> MOST CLOSE SIGHTINGS OF UFOs DESCRIBE OBJECTS AT LEAST THE
SIZE OF COMMON, MAN-MADE AIRCRAFT. AND THE OBJECTS SEEN
RECENTLY BY PILOTS HAVE BEEN ENORMOUS. BUT THIS OBJECT IS
INCREDIBLY SMALL, DESCRIBED AS A ROCK. YET ACCORDING TO THE
PILOT'S DESCRIPTIONS, IT SEEMS TO BE UNDER INTELLIGENT CONTROL.
>> IT JUST FLEW RIGHT OVER ME. >> CONFIRM THE OBJECT APPEARS
STATIONARY? >> AND IT WENT FROM 17
THE FIRST TIME I SAW IT TO 17-7 SO IT'S NOT FALLING.
>> THE OBJECT NOW APPEARS TO BE INEXPLICABLY RISING.
>> SO, NOT ONLY IS IT AN OBJECT THEY CAN'T IDENTIFY, IT'S AN
OBJECT, PHIL, THAT'S DOING MANEUVERS, IT SOUNDS LIKE.
AND THEY CAN'T IDENTIFY WHAT THE MANEUVERS ARE.
>> EXACTLY. >> BUT WHAT'S REALLY AMAZING IS
HOW CALM THESE PILOTS ARE. THEY'RE--THEY'RE NOT EXCITED.
THEY'RE JUST SAYING WHAT--WHAT THEY'RE SEEING.
>> I WANT TO TRY TO LOOK AT IT AND THEN YOU FOLLOW IN BEHIND ME
IF YOU CAN. NOW I'VE GOT IT AT 17,000 FEET, 8 MILES OFF MY
NOSE, 2.5 MILES OFF MY NOSE RIGHT NOW. 17,000 FEET. I HAVE
VISUAL NOW. I'M GONNA FLY UNDERNEATH IT.
>> HIS WINGMAN IS BEHIND HIM AT THIS POINT, SO HE
CAN'T SLOW DOWN. HE'S DROPPING DOWN 2,000 FEET TO GET UNDER IT.
>> YEAH. I GOT SOME ACTUAL GOOSEBUMPS THERE WHEN HE'S
TALKING ABOUT MERGING. YOU CAN JUST IMAGINE THESE PLANES GOING
SO FAST AND HERE COMES THIS STRANGE ROCK-SHAPED OBJECT THAT
THEY'RE LOOKING AT. THAT'S 2 PILOTS, 2 RADAR LOCK-ONS, 2 GUYS
SAYING THAT THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT THIS THING IS.
>> AFTER ONE LAST PASS, THE 2 PILOTS LOSE SIGHT OF THE OBJECT.
>> ALRIGHT, I'M GONNA CIRCLE BACK AROUND, BUT HOPEFULLY
YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE IT. >> DID YOU SEE ANYTHING?
>> NEGATIVE. >> NO OTHER EVIDENCE OF THE
EVENT HAS EMERGED SINCE, AND MANY OF PHIL'S FREEDOM OF
INFORMATION ACT REQUESTS ARE STILL OUTSTANDING.
>> INTERESTING TO SEE HOW THE M.O.D. HAS SHRUGGED THIS
THING OFF, SAYING, "WELL, WE DON'T INVESTIGATE UFOs THAT
DON'T CONSTITUTE A THREAT." GUESS WHAT? HERE'S AN OBJECT
OVER SECURE AIRSPACE. THIS TAPE CAN TURN OUT TO BE ONE OF THE
MOST CRITICAL UFO SIGHTINGS IN ALL OF BRITISH UFOLOGY.
>> AND THE F-15 ACCOUNT HAS STRIKING SIMILARITIES TO ANOTHER
IMPORTANT PILOT ENCOUNTER. IN THE 1986 JAPANESE AIR LINES
SIGHTING, THE PILOT REFERRED TO 2 SMALLER OBJECTS THAT
ACCOMPANIED A THIRD GIGANTIC UFO. HE REFERRED TO THE LARGEST
OBJECT AS A, QUOTE, "MOTHER SHIP," AND THEORIZED
THAT THE 2 SMALLER OBJECTS WERE SHIPS SENT FROM IT IN THE SAME
WAY THAT AIRCRAFT CARRIERS ARE USED BY THE MILITARY. COULD IT
BE THAT SMALLER UFOs, LIKE THE ONE WITNESSED BY THE F-15
PILOTS, ARE COMING FROM LARGER SHIPS, SUCH AS THOSE SEEN BY RAY
BOWYER AND JEAN-CHARLES DUBOC? WITH THESE NEW TYPES OF
SIGHTINGS COME THEORIES ON BOTH SIDES OF THE UFO DEBATE.
COULD BIZARRE WEATHER PHENOMENA BE RESPONSIBLE, OR DOES THE
EVIDENCE SUGGEST SOMETHING ELSE? >> FOR 2 PILOTS TO SEE A MIRAGE
OR A REFLECTION OF THE SAME IMAGE IS VERY UNLIKELY.
>> SIGHTINGS OF ALLEGED GIANT UFOs HAVE PERPLEXED PILOTS AND
WITNESSES WHO HAVE SEEN THESE COLOSSAL OBJECTS. BUT SOME
SCIENTISTS BELIEVE ATMOSPHERIC CONDITIONS COULD BE THE MISSING
EXPLANATION. TED AND PAT HEAD TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MANCHESTER
TO GET THIS DEVELOPING THEORY. >> WE'RE ABOUT TO MEET WITH DR.
GRANT ALLEN, WHO'S AN EXPERT IN ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCE. WE'RE GONNA
HAVE A LOOK AT A NUMBER OF POSSIBLE EXPLANATIONS FOR OUR
CASE. >> THERE ARE LOTS OF DIFFERENT
ATMOSPHERIC PHENOMENA THAT COULD BE MISTAKEN FOR UFOs. THERE ARE
MANY TRICKS THAT THE ATMOSPHERE CAN PLAY WITH.
>> ONE OF THESE PHENOMENA ARE LENTICULAR CLOUDS. THESE CLOUDS
HAVE THE APPEARANCE OF LENSES OR DISCS, ONE OF THE MOST COMMON
SHAPES OF REPORTED UFOs. >> LENTICULAR CLOUDS ARE A
SPECIAL TYPE OF CLOUDS. THEY'RE ACTUALLY STATIONARY. THEY DON'T
MOVE LIKE MOST OTHER CLOUDS YOU MIGHT SEE IN THE SKY. THEY
APPEAR TO BE STATIONARY AND THEY'RE ALSO VERY SMOOTH.
>> THE CLOUDS FORM WHEN STRONG WINDS COME OVER HIGH GROUND,
SUCH AS A HILL OR MOUNTAIN. AS THE AIR IS LIFTED, THE WATER
IT CARRIES CONDENSES AND FORMS A CLOUD WITH A SMOOTH TOP
AND SMOOTH EDGES. THEIR APPEARANCE IS TYPICALLY
QUITE LARGE AND CAN STRETCH OVER SEVERAL MILES, AND THEY CAN
APPEAR TO BE VERY STRANGE WHEN COMPARED TO THE CLOUDS
SURROUNDING THEM. >> SO TO FORM A LENTICULAR
CLOUD, WOULDN'T YOU NEED SOME SORT OF TOPOGRAPHIC FORMATION
TO MOVE THE AIR UP INTO THE ATMOSPHERE LIKE THAT?
>> YEAH, YOU NEED A VERY SIGNIFICANT HILL OR MOUNTAIN,
AND, CRUCIALLY AS WELL, VERY STRONG WIND SPEEDS.
>> SO IS THAT LIKELY TO HAPPEN OVER THE ENGLISH CHANNEL?
>> WELL, YOU GET STRONG WIND SPEEDS. THERE AREN'T MANY
ISLANDS, SO YOU WOULDN'T EXPECT TO SEE MANY LENTICULAR CLOUDS
IN THE CHANNEL. >> NOT ONLY IS THE ENGLISH
CHANNEL AN UNLIKELY LOCATION FOR THESE TYPES OF CLOUDS, THEY ARE
ALSO ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY FOUND AT HIGH ALTITUDES OF 20,000
TO 40,000 FEET. RAY BOWYER'S SIGHTING WAS ONLY
AT 4,000 FEET AND CHARLES DUBOC'S SIGHTING NEAR PARIS,
THOUGH AT THE CORRECT ALTITUDE RANGE, DESCRIBES A TILTING
OBJECT. LENTICULAR CLOUDS HAVE LITTLE TO NO MOVEMENT IN THE
SKY, AND THESE TYPES OF CLOUDS ARE NEVER DETECTED BY RADAR.
>> WHAT ABOUT SUNDOGS? >> SUNDOGS ARE A PHENOMENON
RELATED TO ICE CRYSTALS IN THE ATMOSPHERE. WHENEVER THE SUN IS
LOW ON THE HORIZON [INDISTINCT] AT SUNSET, ICE CRYSTALS IN THE
ATMOSPHERE ON THE HORIZON CAN BEND SUNLIGHT. NOW, THIS HAS THE
EFFECT OF FORMING PATCHES OF LIGHT EITHER SIDE OF THE SUN.
>> THOUGH BEARING NO RESEMBLANCE TO CAPTAIN DUBOC'S REDDISH-BROWN
DISC, COULD BRIGHT YELLOW SUNDOGS BE WHAT CAPTAIN BOWYER
SAW OVER THE ENGLISH CHANNEL? SUNDOGS TYPICALLY APPEAR IN
PAIRS AND HAVE THE SAME BRIGHT YELLOW-ORANGE CHARACTERISTIC
OF BOWYER'S OBJECTS. BUT SUNDOGS MOSTLY APPEAR AT SUNRISE
OR AT SUNSET ON THE HORIZON. RAY BOWYER'S ENCOUNTER
OCCURS AT 3 P.M. >> SUNDOGS ACTUALLY ARE FAIRLY
RARE, AND THEY LOOK QUITE STRIKING WHEN YOU SEE THEM IN
THE ATMOSPHERE BECAUSE THEY'RE QUITE UNUSUAL. MOST PEOPLE WOULD
REALIZE IT'S A PATCH OF LIGHT AND NOT A SOLID OBJECT.
>> BUT DR. ALLEN HAS HIS OWN THEORY ON THE RAY BOWYER
SIGHTING. >> HAVING LOOKED AT SOME DATA
FOR THE AREA, THERE IS EVIDENCE FOR A VERY STRONG TEMPERATURE
INVERSION IN THE ATMOSPHERE. >> TEMPERATURE TYPICALLY
DECREASES WITH HEIGHT IN THE ATMOSPHERE. AN INVERSION OCCURS
WHEN THE TEMPERATURE INCREASES WITH HEIGHT. WHEN THIS HAPPENS,
THE INVERSION LAYER CAN ACT AS A MIRROR, REFLECTING OR EVEN
SOMETIMES BENDING LIGHT ALONG THE ATMOSPHERE.
THE INVERSION COULD NOT ONLY CREATE BRIGHT OBJECTS LIKE
CAPTAIN BOWYER DESCRIBES BUT FALSE HITS ON RADAR, KNOWN AS
ANOMALOUS PROPAGATION. >> WHAT ABOUT THESE BROWN OR
GRAY BANDS THAT CAPTAIN BOWYER DESCRIBES?
>> WELL, THAT COULD BE EXPLAINED BY AN OBJECT IN THE PATH
OF THE RAYS OF LIGHT, SO IF THERE WAS A VERY SMALL CLOUD
IN THE PATH THAT THE LIGHT HAS TAKEN, THEN IT WOULD APPEAR
AS A SHADOW ON THAT OBJECT. >> BUT THE IDEA OF A TEMPERATURE
INVERSION MAY BE PUT TO REST BY A RECENTLY ISSUED ANALYSIS
FROM SEVERAL ATMOSPHERIC RESEARCHERS WHO PUBLISHED A
THOROUGH REPORT ON CAPTAIN BOWYER'S SIGHTING IN 2008.
ACCORDING TO THE RESEARCH INTO THE EVENT, QUOTE, "THE
TRIANGULATED APPARENT LOCATION OF UAP #1 NEAR ALDERNEY WAS
INTERSECTED BY THE RECIPROCAL SIGHTLINE FROM CAPTAIN PATTERSON
TO AN UNUSUAL YELLOW OBJECT AT A SIMILAR HEIGHT IN A SIMILAR
LOCATION. WHAT THIS MEANS IS THAT IF
CAPTAIN BOWYER WAS SEEING A REFLECTION OR OTHER OPTICAL
ILLUSION FROM HIS SIGHTLINE, IT WOULD BE HIGHLY UNLIKELY
FOR THE SECOND PILOT TO SEE THE SAME REFLECTION ILLUSION
IN THE EXACT SAME PLACE. >> I THINK FOR 2 PILOTS IN 2
COMPLETELY DIFFERENT LOCATIONS TO SEE A MIRAGE OR REFLECTION
OF THE SAME IMAGE, IS VERY UNLIKELY.
>> DOES THAT INFLUENCE YOUR OPINION OF YOUR ANSWER AT ALL?
>> I THINK THIS IS THE MOST LIKELY OF A LIST OF UNLIKELY
EXPLANATIONS. >> SCIENCE CONTINUES TO STRUGGLE
WITH ANSWERS FOR THE OBJECTS THAT THESE PILOTS ARE SEEING,
AND WITNESSES REMAIN RESOLVED THESE GIANT OBJECTS ARE NOT
ILLUSIONS. >> PEOPLE SAY THEY CAN'T BELIEVE
IN UFOs, BUT HERE I DON'T THINK IT'S A MATTER OF BELIEF ANYMORE.
WE'VE INVESTIGATED THE CASES. WE HAVE AUDIO EVIDENCE. WE'VE
TALKED TO THE PILOTS. WE'VE GOT CORROBORATING WITNESSES.
IT SEEMS LIKE REGARDLESS OF WHAT PEOPLE BELIEVE, PILOTS ARE
SEEING UFOs. >> IF YOU THINK ABOUT THESE
CASES, THE AMOUNT OF AIR TRAFFIC IS ONLY INCREASING. I CAN ONLY
THINK OVER THE COURSE OF THE COMING YEARS, WE'RE GONNA SEE
MORE AND MORE OF THESE KINDS OF REPORTS.
>> I THINK THE REPORTS WILL ONLY PROLIFERATE AND WE HAVE A LOT
NOW. WE'RE GONNA HAVE EVEN MORE IN THE FUTURE.
IN MOST INVESTIGATIONS, SIGHTINGS USUALLY OCCUR FROM THE
GROUND, FROM FAR AWAY. THIS IS A WHOLE NEW LEVEL OF UFO
ENCOUNTER. >> AS SIGHTINGS OF UFOs CONTINUE
TO INCREASE, ARE THEY GETTING CLOSER AND LARGER OR ARE WE
FINALLY GETTING THE BEST GLIMPSES OF WHAT'S
BEEN IN OUR SKIES ALL ALONG?
