UFOs Mean More Work for Spain's Air Traffic Controllers

By Scott Corrales
Inexplicata-The Journal of Hispanic Ufology
UFO Digest Latin America Correspondent

Source: El Confidencial (www.elconfidencial.com)
Date: 10.12.2011

As if the waters weren’t sufficiently turbulent for the air traffic controllers union, a new mandate has been forced upon them: to control air traffic that doesn’t appear on the books. At least that’s what César Cabo says. He is the former spokesman and “friendly face” of USCA, reporting on his Twitter account: “We kicked off the afternoon’s supervisory duty like this – three airliners have reported a UFO on their radar screens!” The remark may seem like the opening tag in a report by Iker Jimenez, but sources consulted by El Confidencial confirm that there was indeed an unidentified flying object, and three captains from various airliners attest to the fact.

The event occurred at the first hour of the afternoon in the airspace around Barajas Airport (Madrid). A strange report was received from one of the passenger airliners nearby: “I’m picking up a target on my screen” – in the jargon, a “target” refers to an unknown element. The statement cannot be corroborated from ground, as secondary radars did not pick up anything strange. Shortly after, a third pilot reported another “white light” on his monitors. Later, a third one makes a similar report to the Barajas Control Center.

According to sources, the agitation that ensued in the control room acquired considerable magnitude: an ambient mix of surprise, confusion and disquiet. An effort was made for a considerable amount of time to observe the element by following the pilot’s explanations to the letter, but without any effect. The only conclusion reached at Barajas was that – whatever it was – it wasn’t a known aircraft.

It seems that such phenomena are not as unusual as one would think. “Every so often, pilots pick up elements with “non-ballistic acceleration” on their radars,” explain airport authorities.

Practically no case receives a rational explanation. No one dares put forth a logical hypothesis to yesterday’s UFO episode. Only one of the consulted experts was willing to put forth a hypothesis to the events: “It may be that since tomorrow (meaning today) is Hispanic Culture Day, it may have to do with the Armed Forces and such...although to tell you the truth, it isn’t much of an explanation.”

(Translation (c) 2011, S. Corrales, IHU. Special thanks to Angel Carretero, Andalucía Misteriosa)

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