About NARCAP, Open Letter from
Executive Committe, Staff list,
Structure, and FAQ

Mission

The National Aviation Reporting Center on Anomalous Phenomena is a national organization, established late in 2000, and dedicated to the advancement of aviation safety issues as they apply to Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP).

We collect data regarding aviation community reports of aerial encounters with lights or objects that seem inconsistent with known categories of aircraft and common natural phenomena. These lights or objects are reported to appear in a variety of colors and shapes. We refer to these objects or lights as Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP).

Pilots and other aviation specialists often report that these lights or objects closely approach aircraft. Encounters with these lights or objects, UAP, have a demonstrated a variety of safety related effects on pilots, crew, cockpit discipline and on board instrumentation. Until these effects are understood and reasonable operating procedures are developed, there exists a tangible threat to aviation safety.

Though aerial encounters with Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP) have been documented at least since the 1930's, the aviation industry has been hesitant about addressing this matter. Cold War security issues, cultural mythology as well as concerns about image have prohibited many aviation executives from pursuing this matter with more curiosity. Certainly many cases have gone unreported by aviation professionals for the same reason.

Origins

NARCAP was founded in 1999 by Executive Director, Ted Roe and Chief Scientist Dr. Richard Haines. Through careful planning and execution, NARCAP has grown to be a respected research organization dedicated to UAP and aviation safety for the public's benefit.

NARCAP was developed because it seems that the aviation industry is operating under a bias that is causing an under-reporting of safety-related encounters with UAP. Without this data, effective procedures have not been implemented and there is a real threat to aviation safety.

Dr. Richard F. Haines has compiled a catalogue of over 3400 aviation related UAP cases. He has conducted a comprehensive review of UAP reports by U.S. air traffic controllers and pilots from the past 50 years. A result of this effort is Richard's paper "Aviation Safety in America- A Previously Neglected Factor". It contains analyses of over one hundred reports of UAP involved in near misses, close pacing, disrupted avionics, and collisions. These events either occurred to US aviation professionals on domestic or foreign flights, or foreign aircrews operating in US airspace. This document includes Dr. Haines' recommendations for addressing these issues. This paper is not copyrighted and is being widely distributed throughout the aviation industry.

NARCAP was founded on non-profit priciples and continues to maintain our non-profit charter under our original leadership. Our official 501(c)3 status is pending.

Reporting

Aviation safety is NARCAPÕs primary focus. We are specifically interested in reports regarding one or more of the following UAP-related situations:

1. Near miss, close pacing, and related situations where the pilot perceives a potential for collision, or a collision occurs.

2. Near miss, close pacing, and related situations where on board instrumentation seem to be effected.

3. Near miss, close pacing, and related situations where visual and/or radar contacts by the pilot and crew are supported by visual and/or radar contacts from other aircraft, radar operators and ATC personnel.

4. UAP that appear directly over airports, runways, within controlled airspace, or other areas where there is a potential for collision and/or there is an effect on regular operating procedures.

Confidentiality

It is our hope that aviation professionals will recognize the importance of this work and contact us with their reports of encounters with UAP. Often, though not always, reporters are concerned about their confidentiality. We are not associated with the FAA or other government agencies, or the airlines. We have modeled our program after NASAÕs Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS). With regards to employers, the FAA, and the media, we have a process in place to ensure that confidentiality is protected.

We are primarily interested in reports from pilots, air traffic controllers and radar operators. However, anyone who witnesses UAP appearing to represent a threat to aviation safety may contact us.

Investigations

We know that UAP adversely affect avionics and aircrews. We are interested in their impact on aviation safety and will carefully examine each incident where safety may have been compromised. We will conduct thorough investigations of UAP reports based on aviation industry standards.

Our Technical Advisors have extensive aviation and aeronautic experience and will follow established patterns of aviation safety investigations and reporting.

Our International Science Advisors represent a cross section of disciplines, from geophysicists and research psychologists to meteorologists and astrophysicists. We expect that they will be quite helpful in evaluating cases and offering research of their own for review.

Analysis, theories or findings related to UAP will be posted and open, critical analysis by peer review will be encouraged. Additionally, we are encouraging written submissions by credentialed parties who wish to present their material for peer review.

We are very interested in networking with aviation safety groups in particular, as well as the aviation community in general. Collaborative efforts are encouraged.

NARCAP has existed for about two years. In that time there have been many important developments and observations that deserve commentary.

U.S. pilots, air traffic controllers and radar operators have expressed a tremendous interest in our work. Aviation Safety in America - A Previously Neglected Factor, Haines, 2000 (NARCAP Technical Report One), has been widely distributed and well received. It is encouraging to note that there are many individuals who are open to discussing this material and their encounters, if they have had one. These individuals are willing and able to represent NARCAP's interests by distributing aircrew surveys to fellow airmen.

This opinion is supported by the experience of our first survey of an entire commercial airline. Even though the survey was distributed in the week following the September 11, 2001 atrocities the response rate was 23.5%. Many respondents described their interest in UAP as 5 and above on a rating scale of 1-10 (1=no interest, 10= very interested). Please refer to Aircrew Survey Project Haines and Roe, 2001(NARCAP Technical Report 5) It is reasonable to suggest that many pilots are ready to be carefully exposed to information regarding potential safety encounters relating to UAP.

NARCAP has received a great deal of international attention. Though we are focused nationally, we encourage international efforts to develop similar organizations whenever possible. UAP events occur worldwide, and are not simply a safety matter in America.

It is clear, as we review international case files, that many other organizations and individuals from many countries are aware of a relationship between aviation safety and UAP. Several countries have established organizations, usually within their government, who study these events carefully. We are aware that the British Civil Aviation Authority and the Ministry of Defense, the French Space Agency CNES, the Russian Academy of Sciences and Ministry of Defense, the Spanish government, the Chilean government, and a number of other nations have an official interest in collecting and reviewing material regarding UAP events. Many of these organizations have even released official case files regarding these events and related investigations. It is incumbent on NARCAP and the United States of America to join the world in this effort.

The British Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has been releasing aviation related UFO reports since 1995. These cases clearly reflect similar incidents to those reported in America. These cases also demonstrate a serious interest on the part of the CAA and the Ministry of Defense to review these matters. Public statements by the CAA as well as commentary by the Joint Airmiss Working Group support this observation. It would be encouraging to see the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration take a similar position, at least to the extent of publicly releasing case files and acknowledging that these events occasionally do occur.

There is some recently declassified information regarding aerial encounters with UAP from sources within the United States of America. Often these incidents involve multiple aircraft, aircraft and ground radar, air traffic controllers, pilots and passengers. Occasionally there have been injuries, and worse. There has been little official commentary and there are no "official" organizations conducting public investigations of these incidents. This material has not been developed into information that can be used by the aviation community.

If there are dynamic lights and objects, UAP, manifesting in U.S. airspace then pilots should be officially encouraged to report observations and incidents involving UAP without fear. Managers and Safety administrators should consider the available data within the context of aviation safety. Research should be encouraged.

NARCAP enjoys the support of many scientists, technical specialists, research associates and international technical specialists who are uniquely qualified to examine this information and present it to the greater aviation community (Personnel Page).

This new era of increased security and airline layoffs will make NARCAP's mission more complicated. However, based upon many decades of statistical data, there is no reason to expect that these phenomena will cease manifesting. We will promote our concern by continuing to acquire and develop data regarding the effects of UAP on aviation safety.

Ted Roe
Executive Director, NARCAP

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NARCAP Structure

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