TIMES ELIMINATE ONE THEORY
Strange Light In Air
Definitely Not Venus
THE best part of a day’s discussion at Air Headquarters yesterday did not find the explanation of the fast-moving lighted object sighted by the captain, co-pilot, and passengers of an N.A.C. airliner flying north from New Plymouth on Monday night.
There is, in all great probability, a simple enough explanation—when someone finds it. Air Commodore R. J. Cohen, who was a passenger, has expressed the opinion that Venus is the answer. This was a first point for discussion yesterday, and the conclusion was that it could not have been Venus, for she had already retired for the night, at 8.6pm, for the height at which the plane was flying, over the line of the horizon had the horizon been perfectly clear, but in fact would have been hidden earlier than that by low-lying stratus cloud.
Venus, in short, is declared officially out as the explanation, and, so far, nothing has been put in her place.
A “Post” reporter had a talk with Captain W. T. Rainbow and his co-pilot, First Officer S. G. Trounce. They do not suggest “flying saucers” nor wish their observations to be given any flying saucer flavour or twist.
Captain Rainbow is quite definite about seeing a light which fluctuated “from a bright light to a brilliant glow” off to the west of the air line at a distance which appeared to be 10-15 miles.
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FIRST SIGHTING
It was first seen at 8.5pm, to the west of the aircraft, which was flying at about 8000 feet between Ohakune and Raglan, two regular rendezvous and control points. It was so reported by radio telephone to Flight Control, Wellington, and there recorded in tape form.
All reports, routine, or otherwise, are recorded. The replaying of this record was, of course, a part of yesterday’s discussions. The conversations fixed the times beyond question to a dot. Venus had gone to bed for the night.
Whatever it was, it overhauled and passed the airliner; that is, it was first seen in the south-west and as the airliner neared Raglan, moved ahead to the north-west. Planets, said Captain Rainbow, do not do that. There was no question of the aircraft swinging to give that effect, he said, for he was flying on the automatic pilot.
Another passenger, who could not be communicated with yesterday as he was on leave, was Mr. A. R. Tuckett, Air Traffic Officer at Hobsonville and a very experienced pilot. He, too, had watched the light, or lighted object, or whatever it was, and had first expressed the opinion to Mr. Trounce that it was a planet, but later decided that that could not be so.
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“FLYING LIGHT” INVESTIGATION BY R.N.Z.A.F.
Investigations into the sighting of a “flying light” over the Waikato on Sunday night by two pilots of a National Airways Corporation DC3 aircraft have begun.
The deputy Chief of Air Staff, Group Captain T. F. Gill, said last night that intelligence officers of the Air Department in Wellington had taken statements from the two pilots, Captain W. T. Rainbow and First Officer S. G. Trounce, and these were being studied closely.
Captain Rainbow was the first to sight the object, which he claimed was travelling at the same height as the aircraft—8000 feet—and was clearly visible. He judged the object’s speed to be seven times greater than his own aircraft. It contained some kind of porthole. It also changed colour slightly.
The Inspector-General of the R.N.Z.A.F., Air Commodore R. J. Cohen, a passenger on the aircraft, told an inquiry, that he was wakened by one of the pilots who reported the strange object. “I looked out and told him it was a planet and promptly went back to sleep.” When he landed, he checked with references and decided positively that what he saw was the planet Venus, low down on the horizon.
The director of the Carter Observatory, Mr. I. L. Thomsen, said that from the information presented to him the possibility of Venus being the “flying light” could not be excluded. However, he was not prepared to give a definite opinion till informed of the aircraft’s height, course and the time of the sighting.