May 1975

In This Issue

Society Evening to Be Repeated
Pages 1

Summary: The March 22 society evening at Guy’s Coffee Lounge was a great success, with a packed house and requests turned down due to pressure of space. Guy Richards has offered to hold a repeat on Saturday night, 21 June 1975, commencing 7.30 p.m.

Members’ Nights Discontinued
Pages 1

Summary: The fortnightly members’ nights must be terminated. “Unfortunately, the premises we have used for the past six months are no longer available due to the floor being taken over by new tenants.” The Committee thanks President Peter Norris for his generosity in making the rooms available at no charge.

UFOs and the A.I.A.A.
Pages 1-2

Summary: A substantial article documenting the American Institute of Astronautics and Aeronautics’ engagement with the UFO phenomenon.

Farmer “Near Five UFOs” (Langenburg, Saskatchewan)
Pages 2

Summary: Ted Phillips, who works with Dr. Allen Hynek of the Centre for UFO Studies, detailed some of the 777 sighting reports he has checked in recent months.

Back Issues of “Flying Saucer Review”
Pages 2

Summary: Seven back issues of the Society’s printed magazine “Australian Flying Saucer Review” still in stock. Nos.

Sighting at Clayton (by Guy Richards)
Pages 3

UFO Is Sighted (Palm Beach, Gold Coast)
Pages 3

Summary: Four Palm Beach residents, neighbours Ray and Val Piggins and John and Helen Strano, have all seen a flashing UFO more than once. They describe “a band of multicoloured flashing ‘police lights’ revolving round an oval shape.” The Piggins first spotted it about a week before the Monday sighting, at about 9.30 p.m.

Airline Pilot Reports Sighting
Pages 4

Summary: A commercial airline co-pilot on a Boeing 727-100 (Melbourne to Perth) provides a detailed technical report. During climb, encountered St.

Fast-Moving Object Over Ararat
Pages 4

Visual content (page 4): Witness sketch: Egg/disc-shaped object with four circular portholes or lights along the side. Caption: “The Ararat object.”

Mystery Lights Baffle Travellers
Pages 4

Summary: At least four people reported seeing mysterious lights over central Victoria. The lights, flashing red, green and yellow, were “like a plane” but without any sound.

Horsham Man Sees UFO - Second Time!
Pages 5

Summary: Mr. Fred Randel of River Rd has seen a large cloud-like object twice.

UFO Seen Near Rylstone
Pages 5

Summary: Patsy McLeish (“a former sceptic”) writes that her father sighted what he first thought were the lights of a pair of motor cycles moving in unison across paddocks. On going outside at approximately 8.35 p.m., he watched the lights rise higher and travel further away in a north-westerly direction.

Mystery UFO Baffles Expert / Campers Dazzled by Light / Strange Light Seen Over Perth
Pages 5-6

UFO Over Derwent Valley - Did It Land at Rosegarland?
Pages 6

Summary: A UFO “seen by a number of people as it flew the length of the Derwent Valley” is thought to have landed at Rosegarland. Two young girls telephoned the radio room at Hobart Police HQ claiming the UFO had landed, but “it appears they were not taken very seriously.” Police did not ask for their names.

UFO Over the Bucketts? / Support for UFO Sighting
Pages 6

Summary (initial report): An anonymous Gloucester resident reported sighting a UFO above the Bucketts. "Last night I was driving along the Avon Valley Road on my way to visit friends.

Notable Quotes

“The opposite conclusion could have been drawn from the content of the report, namely that a phenomenon with such a high ratio of unexplained cases should arouse sufficient scientific curiosity to continue its study.” AIAA (Nov. 1971)

“It appears, from this survey, that if you want to find out whether scientists see UFOs you must ask them, and you probably must guarantee them anonymity.” Peter Sturrock (Stanford, 1974)

“He had seen one while flying at night in an aircraft en route from Denver and still remembers the amazement at seeing a strange light pass by close to the aircraft.” Dr. Kuettner (AIAA sub-committee chair)

“Being open-minded enough to admit that there are stranger things in fact than in fiction, I’m completely open to any info, and without wishing to be dramatic, the idea of a flare at 33 grand is a bit way-out.” Airline pilot (B727, 33,000 ft)

“A star up against it would be like a cigarette lighter against a wartime searchlight. It made the little helicopter lights look like toys.” Ottley group friend (Perth)

“I’ve never thought too much about flying saucers and that sort of thing, but this certainly scared me. I’m inclined to believe in such things now.” Phillipa Crowe (nurse, Castlemaine)

“I knew a split second before that I was going to see it.” Fred Randel (Horsham)