Aerotech: a shady history

[Black Knight]

The first sighting of the Aerotech Atlas

February 28th, 1996, and the African North-West was inundated with reports of aeroplane-shaped objects flying around the south Atlantic. Two flights in particular were noted, those of Air shuttle Flight 5959 and Mesaba Airlines Flight 3179. The Air Shuttle flight first reported the object below them, in between two cloud layers. Dakar ATC centre replied that they had nothing on their radar and asked for an altitude from the pilot. He said that the object was perhaps two thousand feet below them and about ten miles distant. The pilot of Mesaba 3179 confirmed the sighting and reported that it appeared to be flickering. It was suggested by Dakar ATC that what they were seeing was a landing beacon, reflecting on the clouds. Both flights replied that it was a distinct light source that they were seeing. The Mesaba pilot said that it was flashing red and green lights, while the Air Shuttle pilot described it as looking like a dark bulbous aircraft. Flight 5959 descended beneath the object and viewed it from below, confirming that it was not something on the ground, reflecting into the cloud layers. Mesaba 3179 blinked its lights to see if there was any reaction from the UFO, but there appeared to be none. The Mesaba plane reported that one of their passengers had taken photographs of the object and that Dakar ATC had expressed an interest in seeing them:

Mesaba 3179: Okay, 3179, we got a
passenger taking a picture of it right
now and, ah, we have a flight
attendant who says that, ah, they
might have saw the same thing the
other night.
Dakar ATC: Okay, so it's off
your right side about two o'clock. I'd
sure be interested to see those
pictures. Can I, ah, get you an
address that you might be able to
send a copy, if you get a copy of
them?
Mesaba 3179: Yeah, sure. We can
do that and actually we made a right
turn and he's off about ten to eleven
o'clock.
Dakar ATC: Okay, so he's off
your left side. Okay.
Mesaba 3179: Okay, thirty-two-nine.
We'll see ya. I wonder if those
pictures will show anything.
Mesaba 3179: Air Cleveland,
Mesaba 3179.
DakarATC: Mesaba 3179, go
ahead.
Mesaba 3179: I just want you to
know that I took a picture, as
captain, on the left side. I also took
[garbled] of some of the stars above,
so the lowest light on those pictures.
The only single light at the bottom of
the picture should be, ah, what
you're looking at. And you might be
able to get a position with the sky if
you want to go that far.
Dakar ATC: Okay, great. That's
a good idea, I appreciate that.
Mesaba 3179: It was an instamatic
camera. Good night, sir.
Dakar ATC: Good night.

[thedarkmaster]

           

[Black Knight]

24 hours later the same incident occurred involving American Airlines flight 77, the pilot contacted USAF ATC at Diego Garcia requesting immediate help as their systems were being jammed by the object. 2 aircraft were dispatched, an f-16 and an unarmed Edwards AFB f-15, as the pair entered the airspace their systems too failed and could not trace the aircraft. Minutes passed as they searched the airspace blind for the unknown aircraft, after half an hour searching the systems came back online and the autopilot took over.

The pilots unknowingly were heading on a false course and were being traced by the Atlas, as they approached the Aerotech airspace a radio transmission was received saying they had been diverted due to an aircraft stuck on the runway at Diego Garcia. The pilots; believing what they had heard approached the runway and landed as normal, as they taxied to their designated stands they were met by armed soldiers and were taken to the base holding area. After the pilots were inside; the atlas was safe to land out of sight.

The aircraft were towed away into hangers for development and research whilst the pilots were transported aboard an unknown aircraft to a desert. The pilots were left with everything necessary to survive and make their way back to civilisation, as there are no records of such an aircraft or facility the pilots stories wouldn't be believed.

[rickshaw]

The aircraft were towed away into hangers for development and research whilst the pilots were transported aboard an unknown aircraft to a desert. The pilots were left with everything necessary to survive and make their way back to civilisation, as there are no records of such an aircraft or facility the pilots stories wouldn't be believed.

I rather think some serious questions would be asked once these pilots made it back to civilisation sans aircraft and from a direction which was completely unexpected of them.  One doesn't lose one's aircraft without an investigation being held.  As Mr. Holmes used to say, "when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth..."

[PR19_Kit]

That Mesaba pilot's report should be taken with a LARGE pinch of salt for sure! 

Mesaba is a sort of 'Northwest Local' (now a 'Delta Local' of course...) and flies out of Minneapolis-St. Paul to places like Detroit, Green Bay, and points south.

And as they fly SF 340s and CRJs the guy flying over the South Atlantic must have had a) a refuelling probe and b) a rubbish nav system! 

[I know this as a buddy of mine is a Senior Dispatcher for Mesaba and I've spent some hours in their Dispatch Office, not to mention quite a few of their aircraft...]

[Black Knight]

ok, o there is a FEW holes but this is what if