2007 Alderney UFO sighting
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On April 23, 2007, captain Ray Bowyer[n 1] was flying a routine passenger flight for the civilian airliner Aurigny Air Services, when he and his passengers gained progressively clearer views of two UFOs during a 12[3] to 15[4] minute period. Bowyer had 18 years of flying experience,[2][5] and the 45-minute flight was one that he had completed every working day for more than 8 years.[2][6]
Their 80 mi (130 km) journey of 45 minutes took them from Southampton on the southern coast of England, southwestwards to Alderney,[2] being 10 miles (16 km) from France, and the northernmost of the Channel Islands.[5] Their particular flight path had them converging on two enormous, seemingly stationary and identical airborne craft, which emanated brilliant yellow light.
A pilot of a plane near Sark, some 25 mi (40 km) to the south, confirmed the presence, general position and altitude of the first object from the opposite direction.[7][8] Radar traces also seemed to register the presence of an object, which Ray Bowyer believed to be correlated with the position and time of the sighting.[5] A study by David Clarke[n 2] however, could not establish a definite link, as the radar reflections of passenger ferries may have affected at least some of the readings.[2]
Observation
The April 23 observation was preceded, ten weeks earlier, by a sighting of an initial two, and a subsequent twenty to twenty five unexplained lights in formation over the northern extremity of Alderney's coastline. These were noticed at 6:15 AM on February 14 by builder Paul Gaudion.[5]
The passengers of flight A-Line 544 departed in a BN2a Mk3 Trislander aircraft at 2:00 PM in fine weather with good visibility.[5] They rose to an altitude of 4,000 ft (1,200 m) and were cruising on autopilot about 10 mi (16 km) south of the Isle of Wight, when captain Bowyer was doing paper work and looking out for other aircraft.[5] At this point he noticed, exactly in the direction of Guernsey, i.e. southwest and twelve o'clock ahead, what appeared to be a brilliant yellow lamp or light. He considered that it might be an aeroplane, or alternatively, reflections from the ground, as Guernsey was immediately behind it.[5] The reflection of the sun off a greenhouse was a possibility, but surprisingly, for a minute and then a couple of minutes, the apparition continued.
Definite shape
He concluded that it was not a reflection but an emission of light. With his binoculars, he could make out a definite shape. The object was pointed at each end, and the horizontal to vertical dimensions of its body were in a ratio of about 15:1.[n 3] It was brilliant yellow, with a dark grey band enveloping it 1/3 from the right, like a band around a cigar.[2][5] With his 10x magnification binoculars,[3] he could make out that it bore no relation to a normal aeroplane. He took his glasses off to exclude the possibility of a reflection from behind.[5]
His reaction was to make contact with Jersey ATC to confirm or exclude the possibility of traffic heading his way. Paul Kelly at Jersey ATC denied the presence of traffic in the said position, but could pick up a faint primary return radar signal, i.e. a signal without the additional transponder return. His instruments were however set to detect only moving objects.[7]
A passenger behind the captain confirmed what he was seeing, and pointed out a second similar craft, immediately behind the first: "Upon nearing the object, a second identical shape appeared beyond the first. Both objects were of a flattened disk shape, with a dark area to [their] right. They were brilliant yellow, with light emanating from within, and I estimated them to be up to possibly a mile across."[4] Jersey ATC was now able to get confirmation from the pilot of Blue Island Air,[9] who at 25 mi (40 km) to the south, also had visual contact with one object.
Captain Bowyer relates: "This [was] a big object in the sky, a very, very big object. I did not want to be too close to it and it was at that time that we had to descend to land. We descended through the 2,000 ft (610 m) haze layer and lost sight of it." ... On Guernsey he related: "There was no hiding it, they were just there. I wasn’t too happy. I was quite glad to get on the ground ... and have a cup of tea."[6]
| “ | If it was designed by an engineer, that man had to be shaken by the hand because it was a fantastic piece of equipment, if that is what it was. I can't really say much further than to say what I've said all along, that this thing is not from around here. – Ray Bowyer[5] | ” |
Captain Bowyer produced drawings of the two objects in his CAA Air Safety Report of April 23, 2007,[2] and again in October 2007.
| Excerpts of communication with Jersey ATC[2][5][6] | ||
|---|---|---|
| UTC | Speaker | Dialog |
| 14:06 | [Object noticed. Jersey Control Zone contacted after some 3 minutes of binocular observation.][2] | |
| 14:09 | Capt. Bowyer, A-Line 544 | A-Line five four four. Jersey |
| Paul Kelly[5] at Jersey Tower (Zone) | Five four four. Zone, pass message. | |
| 14:09:32 | A-Line 544 | Do you have any traffic, ah, can’t really say how far, but at my twelve o’clock, uh, level? Roger. |
| Jersey Tower (Zone) | Uh, no known traffic at all in your twelve o’clock. | |
| A-Line 544 | I’ve got a very bright object, ah…h well, I couldn’t say how far. Extremely bright, yellow, orange object straight ahead, uh, very flat platform. Looking at it through binoculars as we speak. | |
| A-Line 544 | Five four four. Any more information on that aircraft please. | |
| Jersey Tower (Zone) | Five four four. Negative, nothing at all in your twelve o'clock, uhm, for the next forty miles or so. | |
| Jersey Tower (Zone) | Airline five four four, Roger. I do have a, uh, primary contact now, a very faint primary contact just to the left across your eleven o’clock at this time at a range of about four track miles. | |
| Jersey Tower (Zone) | Ya, there is something ..., possibly your left, uh, ten o'clock, at a range of three miles this time. | |
| A-Line 544 | Roger, I’ve got a definite contact at my twelve o’clock, a very bright yellow object, looking, well, like a … cigar. | |
| 14:12:30 | [Captain Bowyer asks a passenger behind him to confirm the object. The passenger points out a second object, almost right behind the first.][5] | |
| 14:14:04 | A-Line 544 | Well, looking through binoculars as I am now, there’s a second one just appeared behind the first one from where I am. Roger five four four. Just confirming that all the passengers can see this … aircraft. Ah, I’ve got the island visual. It’s dead ahead, can’t say how far, probably five miles, but it’s staying the same size. Ah, looks to be off the north, north-northwest coast of Alderney. |
| A-Line 544 | I think they are possibly over, maybe to the west of Alderney. | |
| 14:14:23 | Jersey Tower (Zone) | Roger. Uh..., I do have a primary contact, just one blob if you like, uh, eight miles or so to the west of Alderney. [i.e. Casquet islets area][2] |
| A-Line 544 | [Confirms that the radar return may correspond to the position of one of the objects.][2] | |
| 14:14:43 | Capt. Patrick Patterson,[2] Blue Island Air | Jersey [Approach ...] eight three two. Zone asked us to look if we could see an object, which is ah, being seen by A-Line at the moment. We’ve got something at eight o’clock resembling the description. |
| Jersey Approach | Eight three two, Roger. What range would you estimate that target? | |
| Blue Island Air | Around about a similar range to Alderney from us now. | |
| A-Line 544 | The second one appears to be beyond the first from where I am. It's exactly the same, it's got a gap. It's a cylindrical ... object, very bright yellow, and there's a gap in the light about two thirds the way along it. | |
| Jersey Tower (Zone) | Airline five four four, Roger. Would you like descent? | |
| A-Line 544 | Please, I better had go down. | |
| Jersey Tower (Zone) | Airline five four four, Roger. Descend off to two thousand feet and QNH is one zero two one. | |
| 14:16 | A-Line 544 | Two thousand feet, one zero two one. It’s very plain to see from where I am now, without any binoculars. |
| 14:18 | [Plane descends into haze layer and visual contact is lost.][2] | |
Ground-based observations
BBC Radio Guernsey reported that two visitors to Sark enquired at their hotel as to what two bright yellow objects in the sky might be. The objects were observed during an afternoon walk on the 23rd, in the direction of Alderney.[10] Jersey Airport Radar Control saved a radar recording of the incident, which was submitted to the CAA. These showed traces of two objects with slow north and southward movements, for a period of 55 minutes. They were recorded on Jersey Airport's primary, low level radar system, but not on the secondary radar used for air traffic control, which was screening out stationary objects.[10] It remained unclear whether the radar station near Cap de la Hague, not far from the nuclear reprocessing site, observed any traces.[10]
National Press Club UFO meeting
Sighting confirmation
Captain Ray Bowyer addressed the US National Press Club on November 12, 2007, and highlighted some details of the sighting.[4]
"Good morning everybody. Thank you for coming this morning. My name is Ray Bowyer and I fly a civilian airliner, as captain. I’ve been invited here, due to my sighting last April of multiple, as yet unidentified objects, over the Channel Islands region of the English Channel. This encounter lasted for fifteen minutes, and the first object being visible from 55 miles distance. On nearing the object a second identical shape appeared beyond the first. Both objects were of a flattened disk shape with a dark area to [their] right. They were brilliant yellow, with light emanating from within, and I estimated them to be up to possibly a mile across. I found myself astounded but curious, but at 12 miles distance these objects were becoming uncomfortably large, and I was glad to descend and land the aircraft. Many of my passengers saw the objects as did the pilots of another aircraft, 25 miles further south. There is also possible radar information still being investigated. A team headed by Dr. David Clarke looking at this case, will shortly […] publish a report but I understand that at this time no definitive solution has been discovered to explain the sighting as yet."
Appeal for transparency
During the address he also highlighted a supposed secrecy and suppression of pilots' UFO sighting reports in the United States.[4]
"I’ve taken note of some of the differences between the British and the U.S. reporting system. It appears that attitudes on opposite sides of the Atlantic, are very different when it comes to the required reporting and recording of this type of event. Air Law stipulates quite clearly that if an operating crew of an aircraft see another aircraft at a place that it shouldn’t be, then at the earliest opportunity the whole scenario is to be reported to the relevant authorities.
In my case the British Civil Aviation Authority knew within 20 minutes of the sighting, what was seen, as described in a flight log, and faxed directly to the relevant CAA office. The military were informed by Jersey Air Traffic Control at the same time. This is not an option. This is an obligation that crews react in this manner. In my experience, having reported the experience as required, has had no negative effect, and there was no problem with me talking about this on British television. Indeed, my company, Aurigny Air Services, have offered every support to [date]. The assistance of Jersey Air Traffic Control in releasing recorded information between myself, and the […] investigating team, has been of great benefit. I did not feel that I was in any danger of being ridiculed, because all I did was to report what actually happened as was my duty as operating air crew.
I heard about the multiple witness sightings at Chicago O’Hare Airport, about a year ago now, on November the 7th, 2006. I was surprised to hear how it was handled. Despite many pilots and airport personnel witnessing the object hovering over the terminal, there was no investigation at all by the FAA. It appears as if pressure may have been applied to crew members by their company not to discuss this incident. I would have been shocked if I was told that the CAA in the UK would obstruct an investigation, or if the CAA told me that what I had seen was something entirely different. But it seems as if pilots in America are used to this sort of thing here.
I would urge all fellow air crew to report whatever they see as soon as possible and to stand up and be counted. It is only when crucial and critical witnesses such as air crew, make reports that authorities may be kick started to broader investigation of [these] phenomena. Thank you very much."
Notes
- ↑ Ray Bowyer was a flight calibration pilot before qualifying as airline pilot, accumulating 7,000 flight hours by 2010. He flew for eight airlines before serving as line captain for Aurigny Air Services. See Kean, 2010, p. 297
- ↑ David Clarke (Ph.D. Folklore) is a lecturer on journalism at Sheffield Hallam University and consultant to the UK National Archives on their UFO file releases. See Alejandro Rojas, 2011, Credible UFO sighting by pilots and crew in new UK files
- ↑ cf. 20:1 ratio in Kenneth Arnold's objects of 1947
References
- ↑ Ray Bowyer interviewed by Nick Waite, April 25, 2007, ITV1 Channel TV, "Channel Report", on youtube
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Clarke, David; J. Baure; P. Fuller; M. Shough (2008), "Report on Aerial Phenomena observed near Channel Islands, UK, April 23, 2007" (PDF), Journal of Scientific Exploration, 22 (2): 291–308, ISSN 0892-3310
- 1 2 Ray Bowyer's 2007 interview with Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan, on youtube.
- 1 2 3 4 Ray Bowyer address to National Press Club, on youtube
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Britain’s Closest Encounters, July 2, 2008, Channel Five, on youtube
- 1 2 3 History Channel, I know what I saw, by James Fox, on youtube
- 1 2 Joel de Woolfson, Pilot’s UFO shock, The Guernsey Press & Star, St Saviour, Jersey, April 26, 2007
- ↑ Haines, Lester (27 April 2007). "UK airline pilots spot giant UFO, 'Mile wide' mystery object hovers off Channel Islands". The Register. Retrieved 2011-12-15.
- ↑ Kean, Leslie (2010), UFOs: Generals, Pilots and Government Officials Go On the Record (1st ed.), New York: Harmony Books, p. 336, ISBN 978-0-307-71684-2
- 1 2 3 Falla, Geoff (29 November 2010). "The Alderney Channel Islands UFO Incident". Retrieved 12 March 2012.
Coordinates: 49°42′N 02°22′W / 49.700°N 2.367°W