There are also more explicit reports of unusual phenomena. For example on 21^st October 1978, a young, but experienced pilot, Frederick Valentich was flying his plane, ‘Delta Sierra Juliet’ to King Island, midway between Cape Otway, Australia to Tasmania. At 7:06pm he contacted ground control at Melbourne Flight Service. Parts of the Flight Service transcript of the ensuing conversation appeared in Australian newspapers including the Sun and the Australian on the morning of 23^rd October.

7:06pm

Pilot: MELBOURNE THIS IS DELTA SIERRA JULIET is there any known traffic below five thousand [feet]?

Flight Service Unit: DELTA SIERRA JULIET no known traffic.

Pilot: DELTA SIERRA JULIET I am seems [to] be a large aircraft below five thousand.

Flight Service Unit: DELTA SIERRA JULIET what type of aircraft is it?

Pilot: DELTA SIERRA JULIET I cannot affirm. It is four bright it seems to me like landing lights…

Flight Service Unit: DELTA SIERRA JULIET

Pilot: DELTA SIERRA JULIET the aircraft has just passed over me at least a thousand feet above.

Flight Service Unit: DELTA SIERRA JULIET roger and it is a large aircraft confirm.

Pilot: … er unknown due to the speed it’s travelling is there any airforce aircraft in the vicinity?

Flight Service Unit: DELTA SIERRA JULIET no known aircraft in the vicinity.

7:08pm

Pilot: MELBOURNE, it’s approaching from due east toward me.

Flight Service Unit: DELTA SIERRA JULIET

Pilot: DELTA SIERRA JULIET it seems to me that he’s playing some sort of game he’s flying over me two three times at a time at speeds I could not identify.

7:09pm

Flight Service Unit: DELTA SIERRA JULIET roger what is your actual level?

Pilot: My level is four and a half thousand four five zero zero.

7:09pm

Flight Service Unit: DELTA SIERRA JULIET roger what is your actual level?

Pilot: My level is four and a half thousand four five zero zero.

Flight Support Unit: DELTA SIERRA JULIET and confirm you cannot identify the aircraft?

Pilot: Affirmative.

Flight Service Unit: DELTA SIERRA JULIET roger standby.

Pilot: MELBOURNE DELTA SIERRA JULIET it’s not an aircraft it is // open microphone for two seconds //

Flight Service Unit: DELTA SIERRA JULIET can you describe the er, aircraft?

Pilot: DELTA SIERRA JULIET as it’s flying past it’s a long shape // open microphone for three seconds // [cannot] identify more than [that it has such speed] // open microphone for three seconds // before me right now Melbourne.

7:10pm

Flight Service Unit: DELTA SIERRA JULIET roger and how large would the, er object be?

Pilot: DELTA SIERRA JULIET MELBOURNE it seems like it’s stationary what I’m doing right now is orbiting and the thing is just orbiting on top of me also it’s got a green light and sort of metallic [like] it’s all shiny [on] the outside.

Frederick Valentich in his Cessna 182 then told ground control that the object had apparently just vanished and then asked whether he had seen a type of military aircraft.

7:11pm

Flight Service Unit DELTA SIERRA JULIET is the aircraft still with you?

Pilot: DELTA SIERRA JULIET [it’s ah nor] // open microphone 2 seconds // [now] approaching from the southwest.

Flight Service Unit: DELTA SIERRA JULIET

Pilot: DELTA SIERRA JULIET the engine is rough-idling I’ve got it set at twenty three twenty four and the thing is [coughing].

7:12pm

Flight Service Unit: DELTA SIERRA JULIET roger what are your intentions?

Pilot: My intentions are ah to go to King Island ah Melbourne that strange aircraft is hovering on top of me again // two seconds open microphone // it is hovering and it’s not an aircraft.

Part I Part II Part III Part IV Part V Part VI Part VII Part VIII Part IX Part X Part XI >>