Nexus - 0204 - New Times Magazine-pages

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UFO'’S & THE U.S. AIR FORCE FORCE The following document is taken verbatim from the United States Air Forces Academy textbook, “Introductory Space Science, V olume Il, Department of Physics, USAF .“ This is the volume that was being used by the Air Force Academy, at Colorado Springs, Colorado. The Air Force Academy has since pulled this volume from the curriculum in the early ‘70s, because of the controversy it generated. ested because of the basic curiosity that led them into becoming researchers. The literature on UFO’s is so vast, and the stories so many and varied, that we can only present a sketchy outline of the subject in this chapter. That outline includes description classifications, oper- ational domains (temporal and spatial), some theories as to the nature of the UFO phenomenon, human reactions, attempts to attack the problem scientifically, and some tentative conclusions. If you wish to read further in this area, the references provide an excellent starting point. One of the greatest problems you encounter when attempting to catalog UFO sightings, is selection of a system for cataloging. No effective system has yet been devised, although a number of dif- ferent systems have been proposed. The net result is that almost all UFO data are either treated in the form of individual cases, or in the forms of inadequate qualification systems. However, these sys- tems do tend to have some common factors, and a collection of these factors is as follows: [a] Size; [b] Shape (disc, ellipse, football, etc); [c]. Luminosity; [d] Color; [e] Number of UFO’s. (VOL.II) DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS - USAF Behavior: [a] Location (altitude, direction, etc); [b].Patterns of paths (straight line, climbing, zig-zagging, etc); [c] Flight Characteristics (wobbling, fluttering, etc) [d] Periodicity of sightings; [e] Time duration; [f] Curiosity or inquisitiveness; [g].Avoidance; [h] Hostility ma] ta mee a Edited by: Major Donald G. Carpenter Co-Editor: Lt. Colonel Edward R. Therkelson [a] Electro-Magnetic (compass, radio, ignition systems, etc); [b] Radiation (burns, induced radioactivity, etc); [c].Ground distur- bance (dust stirred up, leaves moved, standing wave peaks of sur- face of water, etc); [d].Sound (none, hissing, humming, roaring, thunderclaps, etc); [e].Vibration (weak, strong, slow, fast); [f].Smell (ozone or other odor); [g].Flame (how much, where, when, color); [h].Smoke or cloud (amount, color, persistence); [i].Debris (type, amount, color, persistence); [j].Inhibition of vol- untary movement by observers; [k].Sighting of “creatures” or “beings”: What is an Unidentified Flying Object (UFO)? Well, according to United States Air Force Regulation 80-17 (dated 19 September 1966), a UFO is “Any” aerial phenomenon or object which is unknown or appears to be out of the ordinary to the observer. “ This is a very broad definition which applies equally well to one individual seeing his first noctilucent cloud at twilight as it does to another individual seeing his first helicopter. However, at present most people consider the term UFO to mean an object which behaves in a strange or erratic manner while moving through the Earth’s atmosphere. That strange phenomenon has evoked strong emotions and great curiosity among a large segment of our world’s population. The average person is interested because he loves a mystery, the professional military man is involved because of the possible threat to national security, and some scientists are inter- [a] Burned areas or animals; [b] depressed or flattened areas; [c] Dead or “missing animals”; [d] Mentally disturbed people; [e].Missing items: We make no attempt here to present available data in terms of the foregoing descriptors. NEXUS - 30 33. 1 - DESCRIPTIONS INTRODUCTORY SPACE SCIENCE CHAPTER XiIll Associated Effects: UNIDENTIFIED FLYING OBJECTS AFTER EFFECTS: YEAR BOOK - JULY/AUGUST 1991