UFO Sightings

“NARCAP Technical Reports and documentation have been used by various “UFO” groups to promote their theories and opinions regarding the existence of “alien spacecraft” and “extraterrestrials”. NARCAP does not endorse any of these claims nor does it encourage this use of its material.” (www.NARCAP.org)

An individual by the name of Dr. Richard Haines, a NARCAP Science Director, psychologist and former Chief of the Space Humans Factors Office, is collecting data regarding reports of aerial encounters, referred to as Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP). Appearing in a variety of colors and shapes, they are inconsistent with any known category of aircraft and common natural phenomena, according to NARCAP.

The NASA Ames Research Center hired Dr. Richard Haines about 37 years ago, fulfilling an extensive career for him with quality experience for the fields of aviation, aerospace human factors, before he retired in 2001 from NASA. During that time, he gathered more than 3,400 reports from professionals that involved unidentified aerial phenomenal. His report, “Aviation Safety in AmericaA Previously Neglected Factor”, was written to call attention to a relationship between (1) reports of UAP incidents, and (2) concerns for aviation safety.

Most of these reports involved aviation specialists and pilots, closely involved individuals who actually were involved with the viewing of these lights or aircraft objects. A variety of safety-related effects were demonstrated through these encounters on pilots, crew, cockpit discipline, and on-board instrumentation. Hopefully, they will be better understood in the near future so a tangible threat to aviation safety does not continue to develop with these effects.

Going clear back to the 1930s, the UAP encounters have been documented, even though our aviation industry was hesitant about it due to Cold War security. These reports and documentations that were investigated by Dr. Haines involve the United States Federal Aviation Authority and attorneys, and he is now a member of the International Society of Air Safety Investigators, along with serving on the Safety and the Human Factors Committees of the Aerospace Medical Association.

For those who are interested, Dr. Haines has written three books on the UFO topics, along with 50 scientific and technical articles plus approximately 20 serious articles on, according to the NARCAP website. Raised in Seattle, Washington, he attended the University of Washington and Pacific Lutheran College. Working on Gemini, Apollo, and Skylab, when he worked at NASA-Ames from 1967 to 1986, he was appointed Chief of the Space Human Factors Office at NASA-Ames from 1986-1988. (http://www.amarsodyssey.com/2007/10/10/nasas-unidentified-aerial-phenomena-uap/)