Triangle Craft Update

My friend Richard sent me a clarifying email about his black triangle sighting. Also, after I posted the first sighting, this blog received its first ever visit from a computer at Barksdale AFB. Hmmm.

Here’s Richard’s second email lightly edited:

To further clarify....

My sighting was late thursday night just after midnight. Therefore it was actually Friday, March 2, 2007, 12:01 am.

The reason that I was so aware of the time was because the TV was on and just transitioning to the top-of-the-hour next program while I was preparing to go outside. As you know from your broadcast background, programming times are exact.

I then allowed for about 1 extra minute as I was having to gather up the dog and leash and flashlight and prepare to carry him down the stairs (because he his blind, he can no longer walk down them himself). This gathering-up process has become routine and typically only takes a minute if not less.

The stairs descend downward towards the south with a clear (enough) view of the southern sky. It was as I began walking down the stairs that I clearly first saw the light(s) of the approaching craft in the distance. I am at Haystack apartments. The craft may have at the time been (3000 ft. AGL) over the Lucas Wastewater Treatment Plant or perhaps even a bit west of it, and traveled on a heading that (estimate) would be 10 degrees west of due north. It never seemed to change altitude whatsoever.

Clarifying the exact time and day seems important in case anyone else can provide a corroborating report.

Of further note, although not a trained pilot, I have always been an aviation enthusiast, in all aspects, including experience flying in about a dozen different GA planes not to include the usual variety of commercial passenger jets and commuter aircraft. I am an excellent spotter as well, easily able to correctly identify most modern U.S. military aircraft with a good enough glance, some foreign military aircraft as well.

I also feel that I have a better than average ability to estimate visual measurements from any given ground location (speed, distance away, altitude agl) but will admit that given the unusual circumstances of this sighting, nightime (but nearly full moon) viewing, strangeness, etc., that I would allow for a +/- 50% margin of error in my estimates. More in favor of higher numbers, actually.

Summary of estimates:

• distance at closest point: 1 mile or more
• altitude above ground level: 3000 ft or more
• speed 35 mph or more

Please inform me if you hear that anyone else saw it. I would be happy to meet them and discuss it.