733667-001-011

U.S. Department of Transportation Federa l Avia tion A dministration Memorandum Subject I NFORMATION Date: March 5, 1987 From: To: Material relative to JAL, Nov. 17, 86, sighting of unidentified air traffic PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICER, AAL-5 ALL REGIONAL FACILITY MANAGERS REGIONAL DIVISION MANAGERS AND STAFF OFFICERS Reply to Attn. of: The attached selected information regarding the November 17, 1986, sighting of unidentified air traffic by the crew of JAL flight 1628, has been forwarded to you for you use. This is public information, no copyright, and you can share it with anyone else. Thought you might like to read the data yourself. Sincerely , ~---~ \-~ . ~'. ) ,c___) ~~ Paul Steucke Public Affairs Officer CONTENTS March 5, 1987 Selected Haterial Relative to the FAA Investigation of Japan Air Lines flight 1628 Sighting of Unidentified Air Traffic on November 17, 1986. 1. Alaskan Region News Release #87-09, "Release of Documents ••• " 2 . Selected Portions of (Voice) Transcriptions, Pilot/Controllers. 3. "Uncorrelated Radar Signals", an explanation. 4. "Lack of "Scientific" Investigation", a statement. 5. Record (transcript) of interview with JAL Captain Terauchi. 6. Drawings by Captain Terauchi. 7. "Meeting the Future", statement by Captain Terauchi. 8 . Record (transcript) of interview with JAL First Officer. 9. Record (transcript) of interview with J AL Flight Engineer. 10. Statements of air traffic controllers at Anchorage Center. 11. Investigator statement, Form 1600-32, Jarr.es Derry. 12. Investigator statement, Form 1600-32, Ronald Mickle. 13. Inspection & Surveillance Record, James Wright. 14. Other "Unidentified Air Traffic" sightings, FAA file, Alaska. Prepared by FAA Public Affairs Office AAL-5 Alaskan Region 701 C St., Box 14, Anchorage, AK, 99513 - U.S. Department ot Transportation Federal Aviation Administration FOR RELEASE ON MARCH 5 , 1987 #87-09 News: Office of Public Affairs Alaskan Region 701 C Street. Box 14 Anchorage. Alaska 995 13 (907) 271-5296 CONTACT: PAUL STEUCKE FM RELEASES DOCUMENTS ON REPORTED UFO SIGITTING LAST OOVEMBER The Federal Aviation Administration today released documents relating to the reported sighting of an unidentified flying object (UFO) over Alaska by a Japan Air Lines flight crew on November 17, 1986, saying it was unable to confirm the event. The material was issued by FAA's Regional Office in Anchorage, Alaska, and included transcripts of pilot-controller corrrnunications, interviews with controllers and the flight crew, radar plots and other data. FAA's Regional Public Affairs Officer Paul Steucke pointed out that FAA normally does not investigate UFO sightings but pursued the JAL incident in its role as the operator of the air traffic control system. He said the agency's objective was to determine if there was an unreported aircraft in the vicinity of the JAL flight that could present a safety hazard. As part of the inquiry, Steucke said, radar data of the JAL flight track was reviewed by FAA experts at the agency's Technical Center in Atlantic City, N.J., using identical equipment. They determined that a second radar target near the JAL flight at the time of the reported sighting was not another aircraft but rather a split radar return from the JAL Boeing 747. Techni cally, this is known as an "uncorrelated primary and beacon target return. " It means that the primary radar signal reflected off the aircraft 1 s surface did not correlate exactly with the pulse err.itted by the aircraft's radar beacon transponder. This phenomenon is not unusual and gives the i mpression of two separate radar targets. Steucke a l so noted t hat FAA controllers who monitored the JAL aircraf t said i n their statements that they thought there might have been another aircraft because of the dual radar targets. However, a northbound United Air Lines jet t h at was diverted by controllers to intercept the JAL flight path did establis h visual contact with that aircraft but the pilots saw nothing else. The Nov. 17 UFO sighting was reported by JAL Captain Kenjyu Terauchi on a cargo flight over the polar cap from Iceland to Japan via Anchorage. Captain Ter auc hi said he had visual contact from approximately the U.S.-Canadian border to south of Fairbanks . On Jan. 11, 1987, Captain Terauchi also reported a nother sight ing in the same general area as the first. Steucke said FAA is satisfied that the safety of the air traffic control sys tem was not compromi sed by the lfov. 17 incident and plans no further investigation of the circumstances. I I I AAL-5, FAA February 4, 1987 SELEX:TED PORI'IONS OF TRANSCRIPI'IOO ~ THE INCIDENI' INVOLVING JAPAN AIRLINES FLIGHr 1628 00 NOVEMBER 18, 1986, AT APPROXIMATELY 0218 Ul'C (Universal Time Coordinated -Novent>er 17, 1986 Alaska Standard Time, 6:18 p.m.) 0219 : 15 JL1628 0219: 32 R/Dl5 0219: 36 JL1628 0221:19 R/Dl5 0221: 35 JL1628 0221: 48 R/ Dl5 0221: 56 JL1628 0223:37 R/Dl5 0225: 02 R/D15 0225:12 JL1628 0225: 43 ROCC Anch::lrage Center, Japan Air sixteen twenty eight; ah cb you have any traffic, ah seven o'clock al:XJve? Japan Air sixteen twenty eight heavy; negative. Ah, Japan Air sixteen twenty eight; I'Dg'er and, ah we insight- ah-~ traffic-ah, in front of us one mile, about. Japan Air sixteen twenty eight heavy; Sir if your able to identify the type of aircraft, ah-and see if you can tell whether its military or civilian. Ah, Japan Air sixteen twenty eight; we carux>t identify ah, the type, ah but, ah we can see, ah navigation lights and ah, strobe lights. RClg'er sir, say the color of the strobe and beacon lights? The color is ah, -white and yellow, I think. Ya, could you (ROC:C) look ah, approximately forty miles south of Fort Yukon, there should be a code up there of one five- five-zero. Can you tell me you see a primary target atxJut his position? Japan Air sixteen twenty eight heavy; I'Dg'er. Sir, I 'm picking up a-ah, hit on the radar approximately five miles in trail of your six o'clock position, cb you concur? Ah negative, ah eleven o'clock, ah eight miles, ·ah same level over. Okay, I've got your squawk. It looks like I am getting sane surge, primary return, ah I don't kncM if it's erroneous or whatever but •.• JL1628 = Japan Air Lines flight #1628 Rl.5 = Controller positicn, Anchorage Air Route Traffic Control Center Dl5 = Controller positicn, Anchorage Air Route Traffic Control Center ROCC = (Military) Regicnal Operaticns carmand Center --- page two -flight 1628 0225: 50 R/Dl5 0225: 57 RCXX: 0226: 03 R/Dl5 0226: 18 RCXX: 0226:25 R/Dl5 0227: 53 RCX:X: 0230:56 JL1628 0231:48 Rl5 0231:58 FEKS 0232: 04 Rl5 0232: 05 FBKS 0232: 07 JL1628 0232: 20 JL1628 0232: 25 Rl5 0232:41· Rl5 0 232:45 JL1628 023 2:58 Rl5 0233:00 JL1628 Negative, uhuh, it' s not erroneous. I want you ( RCXX:) to keep a good track on there, and if you pick up a code, and verify that you do not have 8f¥ aircraft operating in that area military. That is aff.i.nn. We do not have anytody up there right r'Dll, ah. can you give me the position of the primary your . . ? receiving. Okay, I ' m not. I'm ah, picking up a primary -approximately five zero miles, south, right up there -right in front of the ah, one five five zero code. Okay, I've got him about his-ah, oh-it looks like ab:Jut, ah- ten o'clock, at ab:Jut that range, yes. Alright keep an eye on that, and ah-see if-ah, 8f¥ other military (unintelligible) in that area. It is an unkn:Jwn, okay, we've lost contact with it n:::M. It's ah, I think ah, very quite big ah, plane. Are you (Fairbanks FAA tower) pickin up a primary target right with that aircraft? Ah, ro. It's (the JL1628J the only target I see there. If you see a primary with it, keep your eye on it. And he should be at three five oh(zero)also. Alright, very good, we're watchinJ. Japan Air sixteen twenty eight, ah request descent. Japan Air sixteen twenty eight, request three one zero. Japan Air sixteen twenty eight heavy, understand, requesting flight level three one zero. Japan Air sixteen one er correction sixteen twenty eight heavy, descend at pilot discretion-maintain flight level three one zero. Leaving three five zero to three one zero. Japan Air sixteen twenty eight heavy, do you still have your traffic? Still, ah, ~ ah, ah, right fonnation, in ah fonnation. page 3 -flight 1628 0234:52 Rl5 0234:56 JL1628 0235: 02 Rl5 0235: 24 Dl5 0235: 27 FBKS 0235:30 Dl5 0235: 39 Dl5 0235: 44 FBKS 0236:12 JL1628 0236: 18 Rl5 0236: 24 JL1628 0236: 37 Rl5 0236: 47 JL1628 0237: 23 Rcx:c 0237: 25 Dl5 0237: 29 Dl5 0237:30 ROCC 0237:32 Dl5 Japan Air sixteen twenty eight heavy, understand your traffic is over Fairbanks at this time. Affinnative - -ah request heading ~ one zero. Japan Air sixteen twenty eight heavy, roger. Deviations approved as necessary for traffic. Approach center (Fairbanks FAA tower) on the sixty one line. Approach. Look at your radar. We got a Japan Air one six~ eight, ah-he's deviating. He's about ah-five miles north of Fairbanks V-0-R squawking one five five zero. Do you have ar-ry traffic with him? He sees traffic, he was deviating. Ah -ya, no we don't. I don't see anything there aside fran his, ah-his target. Ah-Anchorage Center; Japan Air one six tw::> eight, request direct ah-Talkeetna. Japan Air sixteen twenty eight heavy, cleared direct Talkeetna, and in-ah-advise me of your position of your traffic? Ah, same po, same position. Japan Air sixteen twenty eight heavy, ah-sir I'm gonna request you to make a right tum, three six zero degrees, three hundred and sixty degree tum, and advise me what your traffic Cbes then. Right tum, three sixty. Okay. We have, no, we have confirmed, we have IX> military aircraft ~rking up there. Okay thank you very much. You have nJ traffic at all? That's correct, Cbes he (JAL-1628) still have sanebody visual? He says he Cbes. FBKS = Fairbanks Airport FAA Approach Qxlt:rol (Tower) .- -- page 4 -flight 1628 0237:55 R15 0238:00 JL1628 0239:01 R15 0239:04 JL1628 Japan Air sixteen twenty eight heavy. Sir, does your traffic appear to be staying with you? (unintelligible) just la)].{:i.ng. Japan Air sixteen twenty eight. Say again? It ah-disappeared. Japan Air sixteen twenty eight. 0239:58 RCCC Ya, this is one dash two again. On sane other equipnent here we have canf inned there is a flight size of two around your one five five zero. Squawk one primary return only. 0240:05 Dl5 Okay, where is is he follc::iwin3' him? 0240:07 RCCC It looks like he is, yes. 0240:10 R15 Japan Air sixteen twenty eight heavy; roger. At your ' discretion proceed direct Talkeetna, Jay one -0..0 five Anchorage. (J125 = air route) 0240:23 R15 Japan Air sixteen twenty eight; roger. Sir, the military radar advises they do have a primary target in trail of you at this time. 0240:24 015 Okay do you have ·anybody you can scramble up there? . 0240:30 RCXX I'll tell you what, we're gonna talk to your liasion sir about that. 0240:35 R15 Japan Air sixteen twenty eight heavy. Military radar advises they are picking up intermittent primary target behind you in-trail, in-trail I say again. 0240:51 RCCC Ah-I'm gonna talk to my other radar man here -has gotta, he's got sane other equipnent watching this aircraft. 0240: 54 Dl5 Okay. 0240:13 R15 Rog'er sir. Would you (JAf... 1628) like our military to scramble on the traffic? 0240:17 JL1628 Negative, negative. 0242: 04 JL1628 0242: 09 R15 Anchorage Center. Japan Air sixteen twenty eight. Confinn direct to Talkeetna, three one zero. Japan Air sixteen twenty eight heavy; affirmative. Direct Talkeetna and descend. at pilot's discretion, maintain flight level tt..o five zero. page 5 -flight 1628 0242:24 RCXX:: 0242: 29 Dl5 0244:13 Rl5 0244: 17 JL1628 0244: 39 R15 0244:41 UA69 0244:43 R15 0245:04 UA69 0245:49 R15 0246: 06 UA69 0246:59 Rl5 0247: 06 JL1628 0247:09 Rl5 0248:31 R15 0248:34 JL1628 0248: 52 Rl5 It looks like he, he-ah-offset left, and then possibly fell back in-trail. However, I can't see him DCM, I can't pick him out. Okay thank you very much S-R. Japan Air sixteen twenty eight heavy. Do you still have the traffic? Ah-affinnative. Ah-nine o'clock, ah, ah. United sixty nine, Ancoorage request. Ah, go ahead, United sixty nine heavy. United sixty nine heavy. Sir, I 've got a Japan Air seven forty seven presently in your eleven o'clcx::k position and one hundred and one, correction, one, one, zero miles, and he has traffic (unintelligible) I'll keep you advised, ah-when you're closer to him I want you to see if you see anything with him. Okay fine, ah-we' 11 look for ya. United sixty nine heavy. In your eleven o'clock position, one, zero, zero miles, southbound, is a Japan Air, seven forty seven. He is at flight level three one zero. Says he has traffic at his nine o'clock position same altitude. We'll be looking, that's ah-ah, can't see anything yet. Japan Air sixteen twenty eight; roger. I'm gonna have a United aircraft get close to you and take a look, ah-to see if he can identify your traffic. Thank you. United sixty nine heavy, turn ten degrees left, radar vectors, ah-to see traffic. Japan Air sixteen twenty eight heavy. Say the position of your traffic. Ah-IXM, ah-ah-rroving to ah-around ten mile, IXM-ah-ah- position-ah-seven, ah-eight o'clock, ten mile. Japan Air sixteen seventy eight heavy; roger. UA69 = United Airlines flight #69 page 6 -flight 1628 0249: 52 Rl5 0250: 00 UA69 0250:05 UA69 0250: 07 Rl5 0250: 14 UA69 0250: 46 Rl5 0250:52 JL1628 0251:32 UA69 0251:49 Rl5 0252: 31 TOI'EM 0252:36 Rl5 0253: 10 Rl5 0253: 13 JL1628 0253: 27 Rl5 0253:31 JL1628 0254:04 TOI'EM United sixty nine heavy; roger. The Japan Air says the traffic is in his seven to eight o'clock position and one zero miles in-trail. Okay, we're lookin. Why don't you get us a little closer? United sixty nine heavy; roger. Another additional ten degrees left. Roger, United sixty nine. United sixty nine, that's what he says. Japan Air sixteen twenty eight heavy, sey the position of your traffic OCM. Ah-OCM distinguishinJ but, ah-ah-your I guess, ah-twelve o'clock below-ah-you, over. Ah, Center fran United ah sixty nine. Ah-the-ah-Japan Airliner is silln.ietted against a-ah-light sky. I don't see anytx:xJy around him at all. I can see his contra,il but I sure don't see any other airplanes. Do you see him? United sixty nine heavy, ah-negative sir. We got just a very few primary hits on the ah-target and then ah-we really haven't got a good track on him ever. If you want we've got extra gas we could bop up arnther five or six th:Jusand feet and turn around. Toten (militacy Cl30 flight) seven one, ah roger sir. If you'd like ah-standby, ----Toten seven one, turn ah-right, headirq 'h«> five, correction turn right, headinJ 'h«> seven zero, radar vectors to intercept. Japan Air sixteen twenty eight heavy, descend at pilot discretion, maintain flight level 'h«> five zero. Japan Air sixteen ~enty eight, ah-pilot's discretion, maintain ah-ah-'h«> five zero, so-ah-ah-I cannot, I couldn't see ah-U-F-0, over. Japan Air sixteen twenty eight heavy. Understand you cb not see the traffic any long-er. Affinnative. Okay sir, we're searchi.rXJ this time, we think we have him. TOTEM = Militacy Cl30 a,:ircraft page 7 -flight 1628 0254:09 Rl5 0255:25 TCYrEM 0255:35 R15 0255: 38 TCYrEM 0323: Japan Air sixteen twenty eight heavy, flash your landing lights please. Ah, yes sir, we've got him insight. Totem seven one, do you see any traffic in his vicinity? Not flashing any lights at this time sir. JL1628 landed at Ancoorage International Airport (approximate) Paul Steucke FAA Public Affairs 701 C Street, Box 14 Anch. AK 99513 ~·1arch 5 , 1987 UNCORRELATED RADAR SIGNALS Radar data received by the FAA and used to track Japan Airlines flight 1628 on the night of the November 17, 1986, was retained by FAA. Review of this radar data by FAA experts using identical equipment at the FAA's research technical center in Atlantic City, New Jersey, revealed that the radar system was receiving what is called an "uncorrelated primary and beacon target". This electronic phenomena is not unusual according to Steucke who said, "It is unfortunate that the uncorrelated target phenomena occurred just when a pilot was reporting seeing something outside his aircraft. The controller's statements, released by the FAA, indicate that they thought there might be another aircraft or object in the area of the JAL flight. Steucke said, "The controllers were doing their job right because they have to work with what is right there in front of them on the screen, especially when you have a Captain that is reporting "other traffic" in his irmiediate area. The .. radar data they had was one target, moving slowly across the radar screen. They don't have the benefit of "monday morning quarterbacking" with multiple radar images as was the case in regenerating the radar data." Review of the radar data by FAA experts revealed the "uncorrelated target" phenomena. FAA electronic technicians explained that an "uncorrelated primary and beacon target" on the radar screen occurs when the radar energy that is sent up toward the aircraft, (primary signal) returns to the radar receiver along with the aircraft transponder (beacon) signal and the two do not match up as being at the same exact location. II I I w ,..J H ~ ~ - - An " uncorrelated p r imar y and bea con(secondar y ) re t urn on a rada r screen o c curs wh e n the r adar e ne r gy that is sent up toward the air craft (primar y signal) r eturns off the surface o f the aircraft at a s lightly d i f ferent moment than the beaco n (secondary ) transponder signal a nd the t wo do not match up as being a t the same place or same computer rada r cell. --RADAR COMPUTER CELL, 1/4 MILE-- SECONDARY RADAR RETURN (Beacon) (Transponder) --11 FAA RADAR SAME AIRCRAFT RETURN (Skin- Surface) --v'- RADAR CELL =PRIMARY RAD~ RETURN =SECONDARY RADAR RETURN =CORRELATED RETURN (Combined Return) Drawing by Paul Steucke March 5, 1987 =UNCORRELATED RETURN M emorandum US Department of Transportation Federal Aviation Administration Subject ruFORMATION: Cescription of Radar Split Image; AAL-5 Memo of 2/5/87 From Manager, Airway Facilities Division, AAL-400 To Public Affairs Officer, AAL-5 Date. Reply to Attn of FEB 2 7 1987 'Ihis letter transmits our analysis of the radar targets associated with JAL flight 1628, on November 17, 1986, an:l supplements discussions we have had~ what has been referred to as "split images". We concur with the interpretation provided to you by the Alaskan Region Air Traffic Division. 'Ihe attached Analysis of Uncorrelated Primary an:l Beacon Targets by Dennis Si.mantel covers the subject in :rore detail, an:l addresses the questions raised in yc:m-letter. Paul, I appreciate the team approach you have taken to more fully un:ierstan:l a complex issue. 'Ihe issue is an excellent example of how "interde~t" we are. If we can provide any more info:anation, please /Lie· David F . Morse Attaclnrent "' --a :::0 -..., ,....,., rn :::D = (""") --.I fT1 - < ,_ rTJ ,- 0 _, ., - --- ANALYSIS OF UNCORRELATED PRIMARY AND BEACON TARGETS (JAL-1628, 11/17/86 AKST) Approximately 61 minutes of data was extracted from the EARTS CDR printouts relating to the November 18 incident involving JAL-1628 and the alleged UFO sighting. Review of the data involving this incident did not show any abnormalities that could be associated with any type of target as indicated by the pilot of JAL-1628. Radar returns from the aircraft and surrounding terrain vary with the different segments of the flight, but are considered normal for the area. Returns relating to the incident can be categorized as three types: primary radar reinforced by a beacon reply (primary radar returns and beacon returns are both evident in the same 1/4 mile range cell), beacon only reply and beacon with an associated radar reply. Seventy-two percent of the replies were radar with beacon reinforcement (same range cell) which is normal for the Murphy dome radar system. Approximately 25 percent were beacon only and of those that registered as beacon only, 90 percent of those had a primary only reply within 1/8 of a mile, either ahead or behind the beacon target (5 behind, 12 ahead). These uncorrelated primary returns are not uncommon, due critical timing associated with the delay adjustments aircraft transponder for beacon systems and the correlation circuitry within the radar equipment. to the in the target Whe n an aircraft is being interrogated as it passes through the beginning of adjacent range cells the intricate timing between t h e two systems very often is off just enough to declare both a beacon and a radar target in different range cells, resulting in uncorrelated radar replies. Th e data derived from the JAL-1628 flight is representative of t h e data from another aircraft in the same general area and is con s idered normal. February 25, 1987 -us. '"Dennis R. Simantel ZAN-AAL-ARTCC Paul Steucke FAA, Public Affairs Officer Alaskan Region 701 C Street, Box 14 Anchorage, Alaska 99513 ~·larch 5, 1987 LACK OF "SCIElll'IFIC" INVESTIGATION The Federal Aviation Administration has a number of employees who do scientific research with regard to aircraft, aviation, and related electronic equipment. The FAA does not have the resources or the Congressional mandate to investigate sightings of unidentified flying objects. We have not tried to determine what the crew of Japan Airlines flight 1628 saw based on scientific analysis of the stars, planets, magnetic fields, angle of view, etc. We have received letters from several persons suggesting that we ask the crew and others a variety of detailed questions from a scientific viewpoint. This we have not done and do not intend to do. He reviewed the data that was created by our systems, the interviews that were done by FAA to determine the status of the crew and the aircraft, and have provided that information to the public. The FAA has completed its investigation of JAL flight 1628, and does not intend to pursue it any further." # RECORD OF INTERVIEW WITH JAL CAPTAIN Richard Gordon, Manager, FSD0-63 Kenju Terauchi, Captain, JAL Frank Fujii, Interpretor, JAL Sayoko Mimoto, FAA Airways Facilities Mr. Shinbashi, Station Manager On January 2, 1987, Inspector Richard 0. Gordon, FSD0-63, and Japanese Interpertor Sayoko Mimoto, FAA Airways Facilities, interviewed JAL Captain Kenju Terauchi at JAL Operations, Anchorage, Alaska. The interview was conducted for the purpose of gathering first-hand witness testimony with regard to a sighting on November 17, 1986, by Captain Terauchi and his crew of an unidentified flying object. The following text is a record of the interview: R. Gordon Think what I'm going to ••• Garbled R. Gordon I have a, oh, a few questions here, and I'll be glad to let you read them and it's just some clarification because I didn't do it, but one of the people that work for me, I'm the office manager over here at the FSDO, the Flight Standards Office. And Jack Wright, one of my people came over and met with the Captain the first night • • • K. Terauchi Oh yeah. R~ Gordon Jack Wright gave you his card • • • K. Terauchi Yeah. R. Gordon Well then that's what Jack wrote down here. Well when they came I was out of town, I was in Washington DC, but when I came back, then I asked a couple questions and then the Administrator is asking some questions and I said, well we don't know we didn't ask that, so they gave me that list ?f questions right there, and we'll just address them along the way and then talk about them. K. Terauchi Okay. R. Gordon And it's almost reiterating what we've been through already on this thing. K. Terauchi Sometimes, sometimes. F. Fujii Reiterating questions, but, was this the first experience, Captain? K. Terauchi No, third time. R. Gordon This is the third time that ah that you've seen, where, in the same area or • • • 1 - _.. K. Terauchi No, no, no ••• um, ah I saw, um, mothership. Taipai, Kushung, Formosa, south of Formosa. R. Gordon Around, near Formosa. K. Terauchi Yeah ah no F. Fujii This Tiapai mainland China R. Gordon Uh uh K. Terauchi And Taipai, Kushung is here, so ah this cargo flight ah I took off ah 2 am midnight, after midnight, after takeoff. When we start climb we saw left-hand side big mothership, but ah ••• it was so wierd, I ignored it (did not look). F. Fujii Cause he wasn't feeling well ••• R. Gordon No I can understand that, but that was the first time? K. Terauchi Big Ship -yes and the second time ah, the, in my home I saw a sky clear daytime; ah, we can, we saw bright lights, I guess maybe ah 10,000 feet so ah ••• the light continued for about· ten minutes. F. Fujii The light continued for about ten minut~s, so ah disappeared suddenly. K. Terauchi It's ah I guess this one. R. Gordon Okay now this one you saw off mainland China what timeframe did that happen, when did that happen? F. Fujii What-time was it? K. Terauchi 2 am R. Gordon When last month R. Gordon K. Terauchi R. Gordon F . F ujii Interruption Okay, excuse me one moment, but ah ••• Okay Frank I was trying to figure out that first sighting last year or this year Five years ago Oh five years ago, just trying to get the timeframe that we sighted these things ah, the next one wa·s that we wanted to talk about • Was it the first experienc~ for the crew members? 2 --· R. Gordon First time for the other crew members, okay that's fine. K. Terauchi I think it was the first time. F. Fujii Who was the first person who saw it? K. Terauchi It was me. I saw it in - inside. F. Fujii What did you notice at first? K. Terauchi During first time we saw light, I think a navigation light. R. Gordon Ah ha, but you saw it visually first you didn't pick it up on radar or anything you just saw some light out there, okay and that really coinsides with the air traffic statement, you called and said do you have any traffic in my area K. Terauchi Yeah, yeah before, before, about six minutes before I saw this one so ah • • • R. Gordon K. Terauchi R. Gordon F . Fujii R. Gordon K. Terauchi F. Fujii R. Gordon ? R. Gordon K. Terauchi & F. Fujii You were watching him for about five or six minutes before you called • Before I contact Anchorage Center Ah ah, okay Okay fourth question, what did you see exactly shape, light, and all, the shape, lighting, etc. Well if you can just explain these to me cause it looks like you've done alot of drawing here so it's not necessary for you to redraw all this stuff This light was amber and whitish, but, when it came to here it was only amber • white light. Why don't I understand. (Japanese) right First of all it's like amber and whitish color, came closely it seems like all the output exhaust position of the jets, all these Challenger Look like something like after burners ••• okay okay, like each one of these was an individual exhaust Yes Okay So this light is special like (Japanese) when ah Challenger, yes like Challenger took off amount of flame going on, we can't see Challenger by this flame 3 R. Gordon Okay, yes K. Terauchi But this one is nozzle direction (Japanese)(garbled) we couldn't see this light this direction we could see big flame R. Gordon Maybe we're saying then if you're looking at the back of it and then when it turns sideways this doesn't show. Okay I understand. F . Fujii From the forward you could see the flame and the exhaust and flame were surrounding it. R. Gordon Okay F. Fujii So maybe ah, I - I think ah, um exhaust started (garbled) R. Gordon Being okay these things here, maybe being each one of these things here, so these were maybe stacked, in otherwards if you wer& looking at the top view down, you would just see one if you come around here you would see all of those lights. Okay yeah K. Terauchi So if they moved u~ or I guess this ah exhaust moved to ah, this way down so finally five years ago I saw the rocket. R. Gordon Maybe that would account for that bright light he saw five years ~go. In otherwords if these turned down you couldn't see them and then when it looked like it moved over here some over here turned up and then you could see them where it looked like it moved over there? So you're saying • . · K. Terauchi Anyway ah (Japanese) right (Japanese) ••• Talk to me ••• Could not see but only here and here ••• and this, here, dark area, I saw sparks, like fire. When using gasoline or carbon fuel. You can see a great big flame, but I could not see (flame) at all in this angle, although there was a big blast. F . Fujii Seems like it's really high technology because you can't see anything over here unless it's spinning rotation. R. Gordon Yeah, okay, yeah, somebody said sometimes the sparks kick over into that and you could see the exhaust, now with ah that in mind this other picture you have here, where would this be on this thing captain? F. Fujii What you're asking him where this (garbled) ••• K. Terauchi Quite different, this is just small space ship, this one size of carrier, two times carrier so mothership, so ah after they flew with us three ah five minutes like home mission, then move to a mother shi p . So then I found mothership light, but this is not llght, all engine, because ah we have contact seven or eight mile h ere, s o we saw this first•lights, so um after light contact ah they move behind so we saw this pairs of light, so we saw this light s a me size, thi s one , same size. 4 -?· R. Gordon Same distance apart Now do you think t hat wa s just the mothership and then these little things were •.• K. Terauchi But, yes, that right R. Gordon I mean they were moving along, at that time where were these lights, captain? F. Fujii (Japanese) disappear R. Gordon Okay, okay K. Terauchi Then we find this light, so I think this one is light, but I think now this is engine, so ah, same type of engine, the same logic ••• the same type of engine. This one and this one, the same logic, this point and this point are the same just bigger in size. This is the small one so it looked like this, but the bigger one, I could not see but only here, small size, big size, same technology. Yeah R. Gordon Oh, oh F . Fujii The mothership seems like it, he said that, this, this, same technology, type of engine R. Gordon Well they're alot, much larger. K. Terauchi Yes, much.larger . R. Gordon So this right here would be ah, sitting . . . s . Mimoto No, this light is sitting here K. Terauchi Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah . . . R. Gordon Only much larger (garbled) K. Terauchi Yeah much larger, much power. But, this color is white uh ••. it' s ah um dark white pole ••• weak light ••• (unintelligible) R. Gor don Maybe because it's so much bigger. K. Terauchi Yeah R. Gor don Now this distance, now you were speaking of these were fairly close uh? K. Terauchi Hum uh, ah distances is ah, ah, not this, this one ah, 500, ah be t ween 500 and 1 , 000 feet. R. Gordon Okay, out from you, and then i t took off and went out here and maybe this is, ah, you said five to seven miles or something on the radar. 5 _, .. K. Terauchi A no, seven, seven or eight miles. R. Gordon Okay seven or eight miles, that's what they were saying on the radar. K. Terauchi Yeah, this later, so we saw about seven or eight miles ••• R. Gordon Okay K. Terauchi And, 60 degrees left ••• R. Gordon Okay K. Terauchi So out in here small ship is disappear. R. Gordon Okay, I understand, now lets (unintelligible) what else, see if I forget anything, visual was a first, what, you showed me exactly what you saw. Visually sighting, you saw it first uh? K. Terauchi First R. Gordon Okay F. Fujii And (unintelligible) probably how long had you contacted the target. R. Gordon No that's what we were saying, five to six minutes before you called ATC. f K. Terauchi Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, that's right. R. Gordon Okay, did the other crew have trouble sighting the object? F. Fujii Did the rest of the crew see the lights? K. Terauchi (More Japanese) So I tried to fix it, but I ah, failed. Laughter K. Terauchi Just, shutter was open, did not close, so ••• F. Fujii Yes every crew has seen it. R. Gordon Okay all the crew members they did see it. Okay. Laughter ••• Yeah that's what I would do (more laughter) F . Fujii What type of onboard radar? R. Gordon Yeah, what type of radar was onboard, that ah ? K. Terauchi I t wa s the kind, ditigal, but I don not know. 6 R. Gordon Digital color? K. Terauchi Yes colored, digital R. Gordon Okay, fine, yeah, that's all we need! I don't need to know numbers. Ah did the target appear on the radar as unusual or; or solid target or intermitt •.• F. Fujii Was it clear? K. Terauchi Clearly, clearly R. Gordon Very clearly K. Terauchi But, ah, ah, strong, ah return signal is strong in case of a storm, show ah red, and next yellow. R. Gordon Okay ? The, but weak is green . . . R. Gordon Right. K. Terauchi So ah is green light. R. Gordon It showed green . . . K. Terauchi Green R. Gordon Okay, yeah, that's, that's where even some of the stuff could get through it, like when you take a picture of a cloud on the radar • • • K. Terauchi Oh yeah • R. Gordon If it's green, but if it's got heavy rain in it or thunderstorm in it then it shows red ••• K. Terauchi Yes, yes R. Gordon So it's light green, maybe the waves can go through this thing. Okay so it showed green on the radar, on the color radar. F. Fujii When did you pick it up, the radar? K. Terauchi Time? Time? F. Fujii Time, is it by time, when? R. Gordon Oh after, how long after you saw it with your eyes did you pick it up on the radar? K. Terauchi Okay ah, um seven minutes, five minute, makes it twelve minutes, so, ah, fifteen minutes after contact. 7 - -r R. Gordon Fifteen minutes after you visually contacted it, okay, okay. K. Terauchi Yeah, fifteen minutes • when ah • • • R. Gordon K. Terauchi R. Gordon K. Terauchi R. Gordon See, it just says did you paint anything that's did you see anything else on the radar, weather or anything else • • • No, no, nothing. Just that target Yeah, yes, yes. Okay, okay The only thing we saw on the radar then was that target F. Fujii How about the aircraft, any turbulence? K. Terauchi No, ah, no R. Gordon No, no turbulence, no turbulence at all, okay. Autopilot stayed on all the time. K. Terauchi Yeah • R. Gordon Okay K. Terauchi Working good R. Gordon Good, (laughter) F. Fujii Now how about communications, naviagion, or interferring of any sort ? . . .. K. Terauchi This ah small aircraft near the here, so ah all the way VHF transmit on (unintelligible) with ah some we got a like some kind of ••• like ah, jamming. R. Gordon Some kind of interference? K. Terauchi Interference. R. Gordon On the VHF? K. Terauchi Yes then this one leave for mothership • . . R. Gordon Ah ha K. Terauchi Back to normal(?) R. Gordon Okay, did you say it's like German talking uh? 8 -- - K. Terauchi Yeah, yeah, yeah. R. Gordon Okay S. Mimoto Was it's sound like speaking in German, or just jamming noise? K. Terauchi It was just noise, sounded zaa, zaa R. Gordon Oh just noise ••. Okay, okay I misunderstood you, I'm glad you brought that out. K. Terauchi Normally when you can hear clearly it is digital 5. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 -but it was about 2. F. Fujii You know five by five radio communication R. Gordon Oh yeah uh hu, okay sure F. Fujii It was like two R. Gordon Okay okay, like two K. Terauchi Sometimes missing, sometimes missing. R. Gordon Like, almost like, ah, background noise? K. Terauchi Yes, yes. R. Gordon Okay, and then when it, when the little small lights departed the noise went away, then back to real clear communications? K. Terauchi Yes, that's right. R. Gordon Okay, fine, ah, lets see, I'm going to come back to thirteen, because ah • • • F. Fujii Okay R. Gordon What was there any question? F. Fujii Did you see any reflection on the glass (window)? R. Gordon Inside the cockpit, was it dark, all the light off inside the cockpit? K. Terauchi Oh ah, dark yeah, yeah, yeah. K. Terauchi Therefore, there was not reflection of inside. No reflection from inside. So when I took the camera bag, finding the object, all the lights were turned off, made room dark -cargo room and passenger room, there was nothing to reflect. F. Fujii We have ah, on a cargo plane we have a back lounge. 9 R. Gordon Yeah, I'm familiar with it, yeah I've been on there. F. Fujii So he turned the light off on that, because they were trying t o take· a photo. R. Gordon Okay, okay F. Fujii So the (unintelligible) was dark. R. Gordon Okay, that's good, I just wanted to make sure that everything i n the cockpit you know, you see something and then you turn the light cause, me being a pilot, normally when I see something out there I'll turn the lights off and get everything dark inside. K. Terauchi Yes that's right. F. Fujii When you changed you aircraft position, did they make any special moves? K. Terauchi No, they didn't. See here, I began to circle 360 degrees, they stayed at the same position with us. F. Fujii Uh uh, same position K. Terauchi Same position, same position, same position all the way (unintelligible) R. Gordon Okay following you right around uh? K. Terauchi Yes R. Gordon And it was here, and then here, and here, and here, and then you rolled out and it was right there, okay. K. Terauchi So ah, ah, I tried next, ah, descent, 3, 5, O, 3, 1, o. R. Gordon Ah ah, okay, 3, 1, O, when you descended to 3, 1, O, still there uh? K. Terauchi Yeah, same formation, uh formation descent • • • formation descent. It was impressive, the same formation, smooth! R. Gordon Okay K. Terauchi We, we used autopilot when descending, so (unintelligible) . R. Gordon Okay, yeah, yeah went· right down with him, okay uh ••• F. Fujii Can we go to the next one? R. Gordon Sure, yeah, I was just was ah 10 --· F. Fujii Size, estimate, ah, size K. Terauchi (More Japanese) Two times, or ah, I guess ah . . . F. Fujii (unintelligible) seven four seven R. Gordon Okay K. Terauchi So ah, size is ah, carrier R. Gordon Ah uh, in other words this being the jumbo jet was about as big as just the light . . .? K. Terauchi See this is the jumbo jet. 1.5, two times this light. R. Gordon Okay, okay, I have ••• so the side light on this thing was about, the jumbo is about two to two-and-a-half time the size of this light, so when you stack 'em up, you ••• K. Terauchi Yeah, yeah, yeah • • • R. Gordon were saying about two times as big as an aircraft carrier. K. Terauchi Yeah, yeah, yeah. R. Gordon Okay K. Terauchi It felt like this big -(he made a circle by using his fingers); seven to eight miles away and it was this big. Normally, an air carrier is seven -eight miles away, it looks like this. F. Fujii Seven or eight miles away, usually the aircrafts are like this • R. Gordon Ah uh, okay F. Fujii About this big so • • • R. Gordon Okay F. Fujii with his estimate. R. Gordon So he's kinda comparing it to another jumbo jet? F. Fujii Yeah, yeah • • • R. Gordon Okay S. Mimoto (More Japanese) Tremendous R. Gordon Oh yeah (laughter), boy, okay F. Fujii Go for this size here, this one. 11 ~-- R. Gordon Yeah, let's see what would you estimate the size of the small ships to be? K. Terauchi Ah ••• (unintelligible), up here equal to (unintelligible) we saw, ah, second (unintelligible), square, but I saw this on here, ah here, for so I guess this one is maybe separate, separate, then move to here. So ah, ah, (Japanese). R. Gordon Right, yeah, ah uh. S. Mimoto if this one was two stacked together, how large was one? K. Terauchi This here ah fuselage, fuselage of DC-8, DC-8 fuselage. R. GOrdon DC-8, okay • • • yeah ah uh, in other words this part right here would be like fuselage of a DC-8. K. Terauchi Oh yes . R. Gordon Like this . K. Terauchi Yeah, yeah, yeah R. Gordon Okay K. Terauchi Maybe, maybe about like this R. Gordon Uh ah, yeah I understand, okay, I got it. That's good. F. Fujii Any other lighted or unlight objects, any other lights? K. Terauchi Yeah, we saw ah, some unusual light from ah, top of mothership. R. Gordon Uh ah K. Terauchi Ah, it was not regular, but -not regularly, but white - silverish lights, not in equal span ~f time, but occasionally flashed, irregularly lighted at all times. s. Mi mo to Occasional flash K. Terauchi Flash, flash R. Gordon And since I've got this on tape, if you will help me later, you know when we write this down, because I can't remember all this stuff. Thank you. K. Terauchi (Japanese) First time we cannot see ah, this (unintelligible) so ah, ah, we saw this light, this light, and • • • R. Gordon Ah uh, okay, thank you very. much. 12 F. Fujii (Japanese) No ah magnetic K. Terauchi No ah no • R. Gordon No gages, or the instruments or the RMI on everything stayed okay, no magnetic disturbances? Okay. Ah, did the intensity of the objects lights change? I think he just explained that didn't he on that ah • • • S. Mimoto (unintelligible) you mean intensity of light? R. Gordon No on this object here, did the, did the intensity of these lights change, and I think he just explained that, ah F. Fujii You mean by distance, right? R. Gordon No the intensity, the brightness of the, ah . . . s. Mi mo to (unintelligible) F. Fujii Did the intensity of lights change? K. Terauchi No, it did not change. R. Gordon They didn't change, huh? K. Terauchi Steady, steady. R. Gordon Okay, the intensity was steady? K. Terauchi Yes K. Terauchi Visibility ah, more ~lear, all the way clear, clear sky. R. Gordon Okay • • • K. Terauchi Clear sky R. Gordon How about visibilty? What would you estimate, you know when you're coming down from up there where we enter over Alaska where you come off the sea and hit Alaska, you come up a ways and then you can see Fairbanks out here, no problems seeing Fairbanks? K. Terauchi When flying over Fort Yukon . . . R. Gordon Fort Yukon, yeah. K. Terauchi We can see ah Fairbanks and Eilsen Air Base. R. Gordon Okay, yes, good, that's real clear, that's that's fine. Shinbashi It was near full moon wasn't it? 13 - -~ K. Terauchi But we came this way. Full moon (unintelligible) Greenland, a!ter we, we cross ah Greenland we saw moon right side (unintelligible) ••• but moon move to ah behind us so when crossing the Canadian, Canadian, ah, FLR (unintelligible) so maybe ah moon, ah.stay near the horizon, so we couldn't use the mo·on light. R. Gordon Ah uh, I understand. K. Terauchi (Japanese) R. Gordon So the moon was very low? K. Terauchi Very low, very low, okay. R. Gordon That's good, I appreciate you bringing that up, I didn't think about the moon, but that's good. K. Terauchi Full moon, full moon, was very low, full moon. R. Gordon Well that's good, I'm glad you folks did that, uh ••• K. Terauchi So ah, R. Gordon There's one last question ••• ? Yes R. Gordon This, and it's just threw it in here, is there anything else that .· I didn't ask you that you could help us sort this thing out? K. Terauchi Ah, yes, they R. Gordon Frank, see how that tapes doing. We still got plenty? F. Fujii Yes, ah uh. R. Gordon That's good, because the mike is right there that's super. K. Terauchi See it is recoil blasting, just a little bit high here, it is blasting jets, then if it was at the same altitude as we were, I assume they are using an atomic energy, there will be some radiation left on our aircraft. Also the other is, that air turbulance be created. So they did not want to leave any evidence of their existance. Also the reason, why they were there (position) is that they wanted to leave no evidence. See it is round, the air current goes this way (he is drawing a picture), see if they were at the same altitude, they would create air turbulance, but they never positioned when the air turbulance would disturb us. R. Gordon Those are the small one now~ 14 K. Terauchi Yeah. • • R. Gordon The little one huh? K. Terauchi (Japanese) F. Fujii That flight level right there does not leave any evidence, also if it on the same level, it would give this aircraft a little turbulence cause of this air. R. Gordon You got no turbulence? K. Terauchi No turbulence. R. Gordon So it's just suspended there, really. K. Terauchi (Japanese) Right F. Fujii (unintelligible) leave the evidence ••• R. Gordon Yeah, well that's what I'm saying, it's so moving, it's either so areodynamic that it's not causing, so you're saying when he was right in front of you there was not turbulence and if you had been that close to another object that large you should have got some buffetting? K. Terauchi Yeah R. Gordon Okay, I understand .· K. Terauchi The turbulance would assure their existance, therefore, they positioned themselves to here from the beginning. R. Gordon Yes K. Terauchi Certainly, ah approaching Fort Yukon, west side, this side east s·ide, so ah (unintelligible)(Japanese) big mothership (Japanese), horizon, sunset, we caught up the sunset, two -three millimeters strip of it. Then there was the mothership. They never came to this side. Because of the sunset (if they came to the other side) they would be seen, their shape by us. They positioned themselves at the darkest side, difficult place for us to see. But see, our aircraft was in front of the sunset and visible for any movement we make. They took the trouble to position themselves to be in the darkest place. I think they did not want to be seen. F. Fujii He thinks that they don't want, of course they don't want the ship to see it, so they go to the place where it's dark • R. Gor don Yeah F. Fujii and because there' s a sunset over here, and about one 15 - K. Terauchi (Japanese) 0.1 ah, inch F. Fujii R. Gordon F. Fujii R. Gordon F. Fujii R. Gordon About 0.1 • • • Just right on the horizon, the sun was setting? Yeah, yes. So they don't want to go toward the ship side, they stayed away from it. Toward the dark side. Yes So that would have put them to the east like on the Canadian side you're coming down on your side (unintelligible) captain's side? K. Terauchi Yes R. Gordon Okay I understand. K. Terauchi I think, perhaps, they have regulations like they must not be seen by humans. But it was a surprise to see the sudden appearance in front of us. If the machine was set automatically for the distance of eight miles away from us, the machine will not come closer than eight miles (but t hey jumped in front of us), so I felt there was a living creature in it. It jumped in front of us, very unusual. They took such unexpected action. Try the other one(?) f F. Fujii Seems like they're trying to stay away, I guess there's some kind of regulation for them to not be seen by • • • R. Gordon Ah uh, I understand. I have one more question that came up that I was thinking; now when he departed, departed east? Is that what someone told me; which direction did, when he departed, went away? F. Fujii Which direction did it take off to? K. Terauchi I don't know. Probably to the east. F. Fujii He thinks it's east, he's not really sure. He was looking at it and it just ~issappeared, so ••• R. Gordon Okay, appeared that it went east, but it went so fast? K. Terauchi So fast. R. Gordon Okay F. Fujii He was watching it and it just disappeared ••• 16 -- R. Gordon Okay, fine. Well I can't think of anything else I need to ask you, ah, I really appreciate you taking time to talk to us, because it's very, very interesting and we need to see if we can figure out what is there, you know. K. Terauchi So ah, one things, they ah, completely they're controled of inertial and gravity. Yeah, so their technology was unthinkable. Unimaginable high technology. F. Fujii High tech. R. Gordon Oh yeah, it just sounds like it. All I can say is let's hope they're on our side ••• (laughter) Shinbashi This kind of information (unintelligible) before? R. Gordon No I can't, I haven't so that's why we're trying to get as much information as we have; we're going to send it back to Washington DC, and have them try to marry it up with anything like this before and then maybe we can say, oh, it happened here, or it happened here ••• K. Terauchi Oh yeah R. Gordon • other sightings, we have a lot of stuff where pilots have had other sightings. K. Terauchi Oh yes R. Gordon So we don't know if these lights and all these pictures you drew; maybe they'll be the same and it happened in Arizona or New York or wherever, so we got a place in Washington DC, we'll put them all together and say is any two of them alike. But, but as we go through this thing I would be glad to keep you folks informed and, .of what we find out, or if we find out anything, but I'll be glad to tell you and see how we're doing. Could I get those drawings, if you don't mind ah? I think that's all we need. K. Terauchi (unintelligible) R. Gordon Yes, yes, you could probably explain that with the thing you have drawn here. Now these are the same drawings? K. Terauchi Oh no, no, no R. Gordon Yeah K. Terauchi This one, this one, are the same. R. Gordon Same K. Terauchi So I like (unintelligible) , 17 R. Gordon I get a copy of that Frank? Could we take a picture of that, I would certainly appreciate it. Yes. Alright. I think that's all, can you think of anything we need. K. Terauchi (unintelligible) R. Gordon Yes, please if I could have one. Oh one thing, this track K. Terauchi Oh yeah. This one is ah (unintelligible) so after this one is ah (unintelligible) this point ah ••• R. Gordon Okay, right about the K. Terauchi This point, so we contact Anchorage Center here, so ah two or three minutes, proceed right direct to Talkeetna, so we flew this distance • • • R. Gordon Okay from that point direct to Talkeetna and ah, and then some so you went about there you saw this thing. K. Terauchi Yes, yes, I saw from here . . . so ah • . . R. Gordon Okay, and then maybe five minutes later along here saying Anchorage do you have anything out there? K. Terauchi Oh yeah, yeah, yeah R. Gordon Okay I have it. To just about Talkeetna? K. Terauchi No no, disappear 75 miles north of Talkeetna R. Gar.don Okay 75 miles north of Talkeetna . K. Terauchi Yeah, yeah R. Gordon • it went away. S. Mimoto The small one, not the mothership, were there many light? K. Terauchi Oh yes, there were numerous lights. The exhausts on the engine were lined up all the way, but when they were blasting recoil jets were so strong I could not see it because it was so bright. Once the recoil blast stopped, the speed was absolutely steady, not faster or slower, and I could see them very clearly. S. Mimoto Just one group? K. Terauchi See there were two, appeared in front of us. Right here and right here • both exactly the same. S. Mimoto Only two? K. Terauchi All I saw was two. 18 -- _, R. Gordon Yeah, I got that out of that other one that there was two and then it went back to the mothership. K. Terauchi Yeah s. Mimoto R. Gordon s. Mimoto R. Gordon s. Mi.mo to K. Terauchi s. Mimoto R. Gordon K. Terauchi R. Gordon s . Mimoto R. Gordon I thought maybe there was more then two. Oh I see, I'm glad you asked that. There were only two? Only two. But one was larger then the other like there was two of 'em were stuck together, right? Then both are the same size, possible got (stuck) together later? Yes, possibly. The one I saw first, it was this lon~. See if they were stacked together at the beginning, one must have returned to the mothership soon after the separtation. This (unintelligible) Oh you saw that, and then they separated like they were together and then they came apart. (Japanese) Ah uh, okay. Same thing, and make sure that I'm right here, that ah, ah airplane, first sighting, and say this is over here, then it would have •• (unintelligible) Okay, fine just so we know if someone asks us that question we can answer. Very good. Well I have a lot better understanding of what transpired then what we got out of a bunch of people when we talked, and I want to thank you folks for your time. I really appreciate it. 19 • JA~ } A I R LINES DISTRICT OFFICE OF OPERATIONS ANCHORAGE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT P 0 . BOX 190048 ANCHORAGE, ALASKA 9951~ PHONE: (907) 243-316"4 -----------------·---··· -:::-.......... ~--·­ ........... : ...... ·· . ... --·-...... .:.·,,,._.. :-~-;.· _ . .,_. ..----- • 7. --~~ ... 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( .. ~ -------·------· 'fi}0> tJ ~ 1: I~; 1-o:l:'., T: ~-~--~'"~w.1r ~;tqiS1-iftU1i-o.~4:%~ . ·~ --. -. . -. . . -. - . '>. I . ------ -------.,--------------==-------- ------------------· --- - i...::. :,," 20 ~-t•v 7,,, ~ 0. 7--'i~ ....... ,c: ,,_ '1~,,,~ ~e,, 1l:\ - Meeting the Future by Kenju Terauchi M~ ,...,. ~ L. '1\ ti;f,) !ST .$, /Y11"'1ol"O Page 1. 6(-F .ctA fh{ I?..~ ()A) Once upon a time if a hunter saw a t.v., how did he describe it to other people? My experience was similar to this. The north of Alaska in mid-November you cannot even see the sun; the darkness continues until the middle of March. Flight JL 1628, B747 jumbo cargo encountered two spaceships and a Mother ship about SO minutes above Alaska. There was no danger but it created many questions that a human being cannot answer. Page 2. So I am writing that experience down here. In mid-October, I was excited to hear the special flight. This special flight was to import special French wine from Iceland to Anchorage for approximately a 6 hour and 20 minute flight. It is an extremely short flight compared t .o most flights. It takes about two-thirds normal flight hours. There are only two lanQings at Kefurabik (sp.?) International Airport. Page 3. This particular flight was planned to stop at Iceland and increase cargo items rather than flying direct from Paris to Anchorage. However, since being wintertime if the condition of the runway was poor, we may have to reduce the cargo, therefore, everyone was paying special attention to the amount of cargo. The temperature of Kefurabik Airport in November is approximately maximum of 3 degrees C. and the lowest· was minus 3 degree c. Page 4. Six of us Japan Airline employees arrived at Kefurabik Airport at midnight and three people welcomed us as usual. We headed on to a new hotel. The bed was extremely small. I understood why the down blanket was only 135 centimeters. We stayed only about 17 hours. The weather became good and the runway was not frozen and we left the Kefurabik at 2042. Page 16. Co-employees are married, have children and are young. I am pleased that nothing happened. The ending of this encounter was very well. We worried because we do not know the purpose of the spaceship, but there is no immediate danger. What do you think about our experience? I hope we humans will meet them in the near future and confirm my experience. [Personal statement concerning JAL Flight 1628 sighting of unidentified air traffic, Nov. 17, 1986. Written by Capt. Kenju Terauchi; translated by Sayoko Mimoto, FAA Alaskan Region, Airway Facilities Division. Received by FAA 1/2/87) MEETING THE FUTURE .. Page 5 .. We took a flight course Southeast of Greenland direct to Chule(ap?) where a U.S. military base is by crossing the great icy highland midwest of Greenland. The flight above Greenland, under a nearly full moon which was raising on the right front side of our aircraft helped visibility for the night flight. The flight was smooth despite the unstable air current that shook the plane for about two hours, but was still a rather atressless flight as compared to a passenger flight. We aimed towards Single Point, on the north coast of Canada, by passing through the Canadian north polar regions and down southwest along an Arctic flight course. It was 4:25 p.m. Alaska time when we reported our location to Edmonton Center from above Single Point, Canada (68 degrees 55 minutes the North Latitude, 137 degrees 15 minutes West Longitude); It had become pitch- .sllJ:k perhaps because the moon was directly behind us near the horizon. We received an order from Edmonton Center that we should contact the [Personal statement concerning JAL Flight 1628 sighting of unidentified air traffic, Nov. 17, 1986. Written by Capt. Kenju Terauchi; translated by Sayoko Mimoto, FAA Alaskan Region, Airway Facilities Division. Received by FAA 1/2/87] ~poge s~ Anchorage Center when we reach above Pottat(sp?) where Alaska Territorial Air begins. Pottat locates approximately 480 miles, approximately 890 kilometers, North-northeast of Anchorage, 67 degrees 56 minutes North Latitude, 141 degrees West Longitude. We began the communication with the Anchorage Center about 5:05 p.m. The flight course we had acknowledged was Jet 529, direct to Ft. Yukon and Jet 125 via Nenana, Talkeetna, Chaiger (sp?), and to Anchorage. The Anchorage Center ordered us to fly direct to Talkeetna, provided us transponder codes and placed us on a radar scope at the same time. The strange phenomenon happened immediately.after we began left rotation, following the order of taking the direct flight courae. There was an unidentifiable light ahead of the rotation. We set the course toward Talkeetna and began level flight. Then we saw lights that looked like aircraft lights, 30 degrees left front, 2,00p feet (600 meters) below us, moving exactly in the same direction and with the same speed as we were. We were at the altitude of 35,000 feet (10,600. meters), flying speed was 900 kilometer per hour to 910 kilometer per hour. [Personal statement concerning JAL Flight 1628 sighting of unidentified air traffic, Nov. 17, 1986. Written by Capt. Kenju Terauchi; translated by Sayoko Mimoto, FAA Alaskan Region, Airway Facilities Division. Received by FAA 1/2/87] We ianored the liahts, thinking probably they were epecial missioned aircrafts or two f iahters becauee we did not notice the liahta while communication (with the Anchorage Center?) or on prior visual inspection. However, the position of the lights had not changed even after a few minutes and that called our attention. The First Officer, Tameto(?), called the Anchorage Center and asked to report to us if there were any aircraft other than ours in the area. The Anchorage Center told us that there were no other aircraft in the North area. We immediately reported back that we were seeing aircraft liahts. They again reported that there ·was no military aircraft and the ground radar did not show any aircraft but us. They also asked us several times if there were clouds near our altitudes. We saw thin and spotty clouds near the mountain below us, no clouds in mid-to- upper air, and the air current was steady and conditions were quite pleasant. Perhaps the controllers were concerned that an increased use of improved lazer beams using clouds was creating moving images. [Personal statement concerning JAL Flight 1628 sighting of unidentified air traffic, Nov. 17, 1986. Written by Capt. Kenju Terauchi; translated by Sayoko Mimoto, ~AA Alaskan Region, Airway Facilities Division. Received by FAA 1/2/87] We kept observing the lights below us in left front, thinking it was ridiculous to have lazer beam testing at the end of a tundr~ area. Then the two lights began to move in a manner diff eren1 from ordinary aircraft maneuvers, like two bear cubs playing with each other. We continued the flight South along a straight course since the distance from the lights was far enough from us and their movement was not extreme and we felt no immediate danger . . I thought perhaps it is one of those things called UFO and taking a photo might help to identify the object later. I asked to bring forward my camera bag that was placed in the rear of the cockpit and began to take a picture. The area in which the plane was flying was unchanged but the lights were still movini strangely. I had ASA 100 film in my camera, mainly to take scenery and had auto-focus on, aimed at the object but the lens kept adjusting and never could set a focus. I changed auto- focus to manual-focus and pressed the shutter but this time the shutter would not close. Then our aircraft started to vibrate and I gave up taking a photo. I placed my camera back in the camera bag and concentrated on observing the lights. [Personal statement concerning JAL Flight 1628 sighting of unidentified air traffic, Nov. 17, 1986. Written by Capt. Kenju Terauchi; translated by Sayoko Mimoto, FAA Alaskan Region, Airway Facilities Division. Received ~y FAA 1/2/87) It was about seven or so minutes·since we began paying attention to the lights, most unexpectedly two spaceships stopped in front of our face, shooting off lights. The inside cockpit shined brightly and I felt warm in the face. Perhaps firing of jets was the result to kill inertia of their quick high speed maneuver, but the ships appeared as if they were stopped in one place in front of us. Then three to seven seconds later a fire like from jet engines stopped and became a small circle of lights as they began to fly in level flight at the same speed as we were, showing numerous numbers of exhaust pipes. However, the center area of the ship where below an engine might be was invisible. The middle of the body of the ship sparked an occasionally stream of lights, like a charcoal fire, from right to left and from left to right. Its shape was a square, flying 500 feet to 1000 feet in front of us, very slightly higher in altitude than us, its size was about the same size as the body of a DC-8 jet, and with numerous exhaust pipes. The firing of the exhaust jets varied, perhaps to maintain balance, some became stronger than others and some became weaker than others, but seemed controlled automatically. We did not feel threatened or in danger because the spaceship [Personal statement concerning JAL Flight 1628 sighting of unidentified air traffic, Nov. 17, 1986. Written by Capt. Kenju Terauchi; translated by Sayoko Mimoto, F!J. Alaskan Region, Airway Facilities Division. Received by FAA 1/2/87] ~Page 10~ moved ao suddenly. We probably would have felt more in dangez and would have been prepared to escape if the epaceships were ehakin& unsteadily or were unable to atop themselves. It ie impossible for any man-made machine to make a sudden appearance in front of a jumbo jet that is flying 910 kilometers per hour and to move along in a formation paralleling our aircraft. The ships moved in formation for about three to five minutes, then two ships moved forward in a line, aaain slightly hi&her i~ altitude as we were, 40 degrees to our left. We did not report this action to the Anchorage Center. Honestly, we were simply· breathtaken. The VHF communication, both in transmitting and receivi~g were extremely difficult for ten or fifteen minutes I while the little ships came close to us and often interfered with communication from the Anchorage Center; however, communication conditions became just as good as soon as the ships left us. There were no abnormalities in the equipment or the aircraft. I have no idea why they came so close to us. Then again, there was a pale white flat light on the direction where the ships flew away, moving in a line along with us, in the same direction and same speed and in the same altitude as we were. [Personal statement concerning JAL Flight 1628 sighting of unidentified air traffic, Nov. 17, 1986. Written by Capt. Kenju Terauchi; translated by Sayoko Mimoto, FAA Alaskan Region, Airway Facilities Division. Received by FAA 1/2/87] i "'Page 11 .. Again, we beaan communicating with the Anchorage Center. We eaid that we could see a light in the 10 o'clock position at the same altitude and wondered if they could see anything in their radar. The Anchoraae Center replied that they see nothing in their radar. I thought it would be impossible to find anything on an aircraft radar if a large ground radar did not show anything but I judged the distance of the object visually and it was not very far. I set the diaital weather radar distance in 20 miles, radar anale to horizon. There it was, on the screen, and a round object had appeared in seven or a larae, sreen, \ ! eiaht miles ( 13 ~ i kilometers to 15 kilometers) away, where the direction of the object was. We reported to the Anchorage Center that our aircraft radar caught the object within seven or eight miles in 10 o'clock· position. We asked if they could catch it on the around radar but did not seem they could at all. Normally it appears in red when an aircraft radar catches another aircraft. I wonder if the metal used in the spaceship is different from ours. While we were communicating with the Anchorage Center, the two pale white lights gradually moved to the left side and to left diaaonally back 30 dearees as if they understood our conversation and then when they were beside our aircraft they totally disappeared from our radar. [Personal statement concerning JAL Flight 1628 sighting of unidentified air traffic, Nov. 17, 1986. Written by Capt. Kenju Terauchi; translated by Sayoko Milnoto, FAA Alaskan Region, Airway Facilities Division. Received ~y FAA 1/2/87] ~Page 12A When they were in front of us, the ships were positioned slightly higher ·in altitude than we were, but now they placed themselves sli1htly below the horizon where it was most difficult for us to see. The distance between us was still about seven miles to eight miles visually. When we started to see Ft. Yukon diagonally below us at the ri1ht, the sun was setting down in the Southwest, painting the sky in a slightly red stripe, approximately two to three millimeters and gave a bit of li1ht but the east side was still pitch dark. Far in front of us there : were lights increasing from the U.S. Military Eielson Air Force Base and Fairbanks. The lights were still following us at exactly the same distance; however, it was too dark to identify by only the lights whether or not they were the same two spaceships that appeared in front of us a few minutes ago. It seemed that we were flying in the lighter aide and gave them the advantage of being on the dark side. We had no fears so far but began to worry since we had no idea for their purpose. When the lights from the Eielson.Air Force Base and Fairbanks became clear and bri1ht, two very bright lights appeared suddenly from the North from a belt of lights, perhaps four or five mountains away. [Personal statement concerning JAL Flight 1628 sighting of unidentified air traffic, Nov. 17, 1986. Written by Capt. Kenju Terauchi; translated by Sayoko Mi.mote, FAA Alaskan Region, Airway Facilities Division. Received by FAA 1/2/87] The extremely bright lights reflected on snow on the side of the mountains and seemed even bri1hter. We wondered if they were searchini somethini on the 1round surface or to (attract?)lead somethin1. The flight above Alaska territory is eenerally in the daytime and it is confusing to identify the kind of lights. It cannot be a base for the spaceship. Is it a movie? There was something. Oh, yes, it is the Alaska pipeline. The lights must be a pump station for the pipeline. I 1ot it. We arrived at the sky above the Eielson Air Force Base and Falrbanks. It was a clear nieht. The liehts were extremely. bri1ht to eyes that were used to the dark. Bow bright it was! We were just above the bright city lights and we checked the i pale white lieht behind us. Alas! there was a silhouette of aj "Anchorage: . I We must run away quickly! sisantic spaceship. Center. This 45 deerees" ·· permission. followin1 us; is JL 1628, requesting a change of course to· right! It felt like a lone time before we received When we checked our rear there was still the ship! i I "This is JL 1628. Acain requesting for change the: ' course 45 degrees to the ri1ht." We had to get away from thatj object. "JL 1628. This is the Anchorage Center. l We advise you, i continue and take 360 degree turn." "JL 1628, thank you. we will! continue 360 degree turn." [Personal stat~ment concerning JAL Flight 1628 sighting of unidentified air traffic, Nov. 17, 1986. Written by Capt. Kenju Terauchi; translated by Sayoko Mimoto, F.AA Alaskan Region, Airway Facilities Division. Received by FAA 1/2/87] --- I knew that in the past there was a U.S. military fighter called the mustang that had flown up hich for a confirmation and a tragedy had happened to it. Even the F-15 with the newest technology had no guarantee of safety against the creature with an unknown degree of scientific technoloay. We flew toward Talkeetna at an altitude of 3,100 feet. The spaceship was still followinc us, not leaving us at all. About the same time a United Airline passenger aircraft which left Anchorage to Fairbanks flew into the same air zone and began communicating with the Anchorage Center. We beard them transmitting that there was an object near JL 1628 and requesting for confirmation. . We heard that the Anchorage Center was saying to the United Airline aircraft that JL 1628 was at an altitude of 3,100 feet, therefore, United Airline should maintain an altitude· of 3,300 feet. It sounded as if Anchorage Center had the United Airline aircraft fly above the spaceship. We were flying the East side of Mt. McKinley. The United Airline aircraft came close to us. The United Airline aircraft requested us to flash landing lichts for visual confirmation and we both confirmed our positions visually. The United Airline aircraft was coming close to us. We knew that they were watching us. When the United plane came by our side, the spaceship disappeared suddenly and there was nothing but the liaht of moon. [Personal statement concerning JAL Flight 1628 sighting of unidentified air traffic, Nov. 17, 1986. Written by Capt. Kenju Terauchi; translated by Sayoko Mimoto, FAA Alaskan Region, Airway Facilities Division. Received 'by !AA 1/2/87] I knew that in the past there was a U.S. military fighter called the mustang that had flown up hi1h for a confirmation and a tra1edy had happened to it. Even the F-15 with the newest technology had no guarantee of safety a1ainst the creature with an unknown degree of scientific technoloay. We flew toward Talkeetna at an altitude of 3,100 feet. The spaceship was still followin1 us, not leaving us at all. About the same time a United Airline passenger aircraft which left Anchorage to Fairbanks flew into the same air zone and began communicating with the Anchora1e Center. We beard them transmitting that there was an object near JL 1628 and requesting for confirmation. We heard that the Anchorage Center was saying to the United Airline aircraft that JL 1628 was at an altitude of 3,100 feet, therefore, United Airline should maintain an altitude· of 3,300 feet. It sounded as if Anchorage Center had the United Airline aircraft fly above the spaceship. We were flying the East aide of Ht. McKinley. The United Airline aircraft came close to us. The United Airline aircraft requested us to flash landing li1hts for visual confirmation and we both confirmed our positions visually. The United Airline aircraft was coming close to us. We knew that they were watching us. When the United plane came by our side, the spaceship disappeared suddenly and there was nothing but the liaht of moon. [Personal statement concerning JAL Flight 1628 sighting of unidentified air traffic, Nov. 17, 1986. Written by Capt. Kenju Terauchi; translated by Sayoko Mimoto, FAA Alaskan Region, Airway Facilities Division. Received 'by YAA 1/2/87] ~Page 16~ The strange encounter ended at 75 miles North of Talkeetna, 150 miles (Approximately 276 kilometers) away from Anchorage. It comprised approximately 60 minutes of flight time. (line 5) [Personal statement concerning JAL Flight 1628 sighting of unidentified air traffic, Nov. 17, 1986. Written by Capt. Kenju Terauchi; translated by Sayoko Mimoto, FAA Alaskan Region, Airway Facilities Division. Received by FAA 1/2/87] RECORD OF INTERVIEW WITH JAL FIRST OFFICER On January 5, 1987, Inspector Peter E. Beckner, AAL-207, and Japanese Interpertor Sayoko Mimoto, FAA Airways Facilities, interviewed JAL First Officer Takanori Tamefuji at the Federal Building, Anchorage, Alaska. The interview was conducted for the purpose of gathering first-hand witness testimony with regard to a sighting on November 17, 1986, by First Officer Tamefuji of an unidentified flying object. The following is a record of the interview: P. Beckner ? P. Beckner Conducted at this time in the Flight Standards Division Office, this is Pete Beckner with AAL-207, and we're here with First Officer, Mr. Tamefuji. (unintelligible) Did I say that correctly? T. Tamefuji Tam -a -fuji. P. Beckner Okay, thank you, and Sayoko Mimoto from A A -ah, Airways Facilities in AL-400. To begin the questioning, I'd like to first of all ask you, um, is this the first time anything of this nature is, have you seen this sort of thing? T. Tamefuji This, this is, is my first time. P. Beckner First time, okay. What, if you will, if you could describe for me, what exactly did you see? And I'll provide the paper for you so, here, just kind of let me know, if you would, just describe what you saw. Was there more than just one thing that you saw? And ah, if you would just kinda put it down for ah, for me on paper if that's okay. T. Tamefuji First off Captain Terauchi, what ah, Captain Terauchi saw was ah, I couldn't see. P. Beckner Okay T. Tamefuji And ah, first part of the incident P. Beckner Incident? T. Tamefuji Yeah. P. Beckner That's fine. T. Tamefuji Ahhh ••• about ten minutes I could see, but after that time, humrnmm ••• I couldn't see because of my seat is co-pilot right- hand side • • • P. Beckner Right. 1 ------ T. Tamefuji . . . and ah, the object was in left-hand side . . . P. Beckner Okay. T. Tamefuji . . . and very dark vision, so . . . P. Beckner Okay. T. Tamefuji . • . so I couldn't see, but ah at first ah, humm, (unintelligibl•) what can I write . . • P. Beckner Just kinda picture in your mind what you saw • . . T. Tamefuji Humm. P. Beckner . . . and then put that on paper, and I'm going to shut the door here. T. Tamefuji Humm, it was ah, left right clock head-on traffic • . . P.Beckner Okay. T. Tamefuji I just to see and ah, humm, left right? P. Beckner Yes T. Tamefuji Ah, in night flight head--on traffic we can see just ah, light • P. Beckner Lights, okay. T. Tamefuji we cannot see the total shape ••• P. Beckner Shape T. Tamefuji shape P. Beckner Okay T. Tamefuji ••• so (unintelligible) I thought it was ah, head-on traffic P. Beckner Okay T. Tamefuji Mmmm, so I couldn't, can't write ah, exactly . . • P. Beckner Would you say it was just . . • ? T. Tamefuji Just light . . . P. Beckner Okay it was more than, s--was there more than like what would say there was six lights . . .? 2 you T. Tamefuji Nol Nol P. Beckner . . • would you say there was a multitude of lights? T. Tamefuji Ah' (unintelligible) just I want to describe just ah, light, only light. P. Beckner Okay T. Tamefuji Yeah, so if ah, there was something flying, but ah, I couldn't see at that time. P. Beckner Okay, ah was there, was there clear night? T. Tamefuji P. Beckner T. Tamefuji P. Beckner T. Tamefuji P. Beckner T. Tamefuji ?. Beckner T. Tamefuji P. Beckner T.Tamefuji P. Beckner T. Tamefuji P. Beckner T. Tamefuji Yes . Okay . clear • And you could distinguish this lights as being different from the star . . ? . . NNNooo . . . • from the stars? Different is fine. Okay (unintelligible) Alright ah um. How was it first detected? Was it ~ someone saw it visually, or did you see it on radar? Who, well, how was it first found? What's found, humm? Er, first sighted? Ah, as you know, all the crew ah Right . . . must watch outside? Right So ah, I must watch instrument and ah, outside so, and ah, as normal flight so r· have traffic inside, also Captain traffic, inside, but ah, I'm not sure but a engineer landing calculate so he was just sit down back desk calculate ••• P. Beckner (unintelligible) T. Tamefuji departing direction 3 - ' P. Beckner Right T. Tamefuji ••• so maybe he couldn't see at that time, but the Captain and me (unintelligible) have ah, had traffic inside ••• P. Beckner Visually saw • • • T. Tamefuji Yes P. Beckner Okay T. Tamefuji (unintelligible) I saw there was two small aircraft. P. Beckner Okay T. Tamefuji And two small aircraft(unintelligible) P. Beckner niat's what you saw? T. Tamefuji Yes P. Beckner Okay T. Tamefuji And ah, and ah, I ask Captain ah, we should ask ATC so ah, I Air Traffic ••• P. Beckner Okay T. Tamefuji ••• So as I thought, ah, very same similiar altitude and Captain said, ah, hum, I don't remember exactly but ah, ah, he said ~ah, but a little bit high or same level, but I though little bit lower, you can know ••• P. Beckner Right T. Tamefuji ••• it is very difficult to (unintelligible) head-on traffic ••• P. Beckner Right T. Tamefuj1 • . • so ah . . . P. Beckner It was actually at your twelve o'clock . . . T. Tamefuji No P. Beckner • . • then . T. Tamefuji Slightly • P. Beckner • • • or slightly • . • 4 T. Tamefuji . left--hand and ah, ten or eleven . . . P. Beckner Ten or eleven? T. Tamefuji Right P. Beckner Okay T. Tamefuji And I thought that it was low •• . P. Beckner Okay T. Tamefuji And' (unintelligible) I thought ah, traffic way, I image aircraft ah, lighting, navigation lights . . . P. Be'ckner Right T. Tamefuji and landing lights . . . P. Beckner Okay T. Tamefuji (unintelligible) .... light P. Beckner Right T. Tamefuji but ah, it is my (unintelligible) for now I thought it was an aircraft so • s. Mimoto · I thought it was an aircraft. ' P. Beckner Okay s. Mi mo to Ah . P. Beckner Did you in your mind try to make it . . . T. Tamefuji Yes P. Beckner • • . look like an aircraft? T. Tame f uji Yeah P. Beckner I can do the same thing, . . . T. Tame f uj i Yes P. Beckner • so ah . . . I understand. T. Tamefuj i A nd, but ah, very strange ah, I ah, it was too many lights . . . P. Beckner Too many? T. Tamefuji Yes 5 P. Beckner Okay T. Tamefuji But so it was so luminous, I don't mean luminous ah, it was too much forever. P. Beckner Right, okay. How 'bout the colors of the lights? Is that also • T. Tamefuji Humm, might Captain, maybe for different thing and Mr. Fukuda, maybe different thing, but ah, ah I say it was the aircraft so I thought but actually I think • P. Beckner Okay T. Tamefuji . . . I think ah, salmon, just like Christmas assorted P. Beckner Okay, okay assorted. T. Tamefuji ••• and ah, I remember, red or orange, hum, and a white landing light, just like landing light. And weak green, ah, blinking ••• S. Mimoto Flashing • . . P. Beckne Flashing • . . s. Mimoto ••• blinking, blinking P.e Beckner Blinking s. Mimoto (~nintelligible) yes P. Beckner Okay T. Tamefuji How should I say -looks just like this, (hand-signs were made by Mr. Tamefuji) moving like in one • s. Himoto Oh, swinging P. Beckner Swinging? T. Tamefuji (Japanese) P. Beckner Movement T. Tamefuji Yes, and ah, ah if there was, there are ah, how should I say, very good formation flight • • • P. Beckner· Close formation flight? T. Tamefuji Yes close. 6 P. Beckner Okay ••• Does - I - I did not meet the Captain so I don't know, but does he wear glasses? T. Tamefuji Humm, no P. Beckner No, do you wear glasses, sir? T. Tamefuji Humm, • • • P. Beckner For flying. T. Tamefuji Oh, I use, but ah, at that time I don't wear, but ah, I how should I say ••• but I do use it • s. Mimoto He usually wears glasses but at that time he was not wearing glasses • T. Tamefuji No, I don not mean it. I normally do not wear glasses. P. Beckner Okay T. Tamefuji The licensing requires me to wear glasses. s. Mi mo to Oh' I'm sorry, he didn't mean that. T. Tamefuji I need no glasses in daily life. s. Mi mo to Oh, in daily life he does not wear glasses. P. Beckner Okay T. Tamefuji But, ah, ah, result of the physical exam, I am required to ~to wear glasses • • • s. Mimoto Oh, okay • . . P. Beckner (unintelligible) s. Mimoto The physical requires him to wear glasses. P. Beckner Okay, how 'bout -how 'bout the flight engineer, does he . . . T. Tamefuji Hummm . . . P. Beckner do you remember if he wore ••• T. Tamefuji I don't remember. P. Beckner Okay T. Tamefuji But ah, I have numerous visions . . . S. Mimoto (unintelligible) 7 .- P. Beckner Okay T. Tamefuji . . . and I use ah, humm ••• how should I say? S. Mimoto I will riot -I do not need to wear glasses in daily life. P. Beckner Okay, okay. Now -the time of the incident, when -when you guys first saw the objects, ah what were th~ lighting conditions outside? Was it dark ••• T. Tamefuji Hum P. Beckner • or was it dusk? Or was the sun still up er, how would you describe .? T. Tamefuji Just after sunset . P. Beckner Just after sunset. T. Tamefuji (unintelligible) P. Beckner Right T. Tamefuji . • . dark, dark red. P. Beckner Dark red, okay. r . Tamefuji But almost dark I must say night • P. Beckner Okay, you could see the stars real clearly? T. Tamefuji Yes, yes. P. Beckner Okay. Okay, was the -what you saw -was it real obvious to you? T. Tamefuji Yes P. Beckner Okay. Ah, at what point did you see it on the radar? T. Tamefuji Humm, what point mean? P. Beckner What -you saw the lights, and then how much later before you saw something on the radar? On your -your radar in the aircraft, or did you see it on the radar? T. Tamefuj i I just don't understand. S. Mimoto When did you see the object on the radar? T. Tamef uji Oh, and , hum ah, I can't tell you exactly ••• P. Beckner Well ah ••• 8 -.--- T. Tamefuji . but ah, at first we have in flight . . . ? Hum huh. T. Tamefuji . at ATC, air traffic, and no traffic, so ..... we are suprised . P. Beckner Yeah . . . T. Tamefuji ••• and ah, Captain operates the radar ••• P. Beckner Radar, okay yeah ••• T. Tamefuji and so Captain ah, try to search object by the radar ••• P. Beckner Okay T. Tamefuji we fix -ah, give to ten minutes (unintelligible). P. Beckner Okay, and then what did you see on the rad ~were you able to see the radar from where you were sitting? T. Tamefuji ? P. Beckner Okay, what did you see on the radar as far as ••• T. Tamefuji Humm, just like ah -ah, traffic, other traffic, but ah, I thought a little bit large ••• P. Becker Um hum T. Tamefuji echos P. Beckner Larg~ echos, okay. Was it ah, what - I understand you have color radar in -in the • r. Tamefuji Yes P. Beckner . aircraft. What color was the . . .? r. Tamefuji Humm I thought ah, green. P. Beckner Green? T. Tamefuji Yes P. Beckner Okay. And about what range did - did yoiJ - did you guys . . .? r. Tamefuji Humm, twenty miles . . . P. Beckner Twenty? 9 T. Tamefuji and ah, seven to eight miles to object. P. Beckner Okay, from you, from you. Did it pretty much maintain that po.sition for most of the flight? T. Tamefuji Humm, ah P. Beckner Or did it move around a whole lot, or did it . . . T. Tamefuji No, no (unintelligible) oblong? P. Beckner Right T. Tamefuji so ah, hummm, don't -it didn't move just like this, just like this P. Beckner Okay T. Tamefuji • just like a other traffic stay on, but ah, I can't say, it was moving or not moving. P. Beckner Ckay, it sort of seemed to stay in formation with you, would that be ••• T. Tamefuji Hummmm • P. Beckner ••• seven to eight mile formation? T. Tamefuji Hummm, formation means same position? P. Beckner Right -same general direction in this case. T. Tamefuji Oh • P. Beckner Seem to travel with you? T. Tamefuji Hlimm, I saw ah, light, just like landing lights, so ah, I'm pilot it ha.s landing light so, head-on traffic P. Beckner Right. T. Tamefuji ••• at that time, but ah, I can ~ I cannot say which direction they move. P. Beckner Okay, okay. 'Ibis head-on traffic, how long did you see this total, the length of time that you saw it? T. Tamefuji Humm, humm P. Beckner Just you. T. Tamefuji Humm, five minutes at first in.side and ah, five minutess Captain and ATC call short conversation • • • 10 P. Beckner Conversation, right. T. Tamefuji ••• (unintelligible) hummm, hummm I can't say (unintelligible) five minutes ••• P. Beckner Okay T. Tamefuji hum.mm, and ah, I have ah, monitoring, monitor so inside and outside • • • P. Beckner Okay, inside and an outside, yeah. T. Tamefuji ah, while doing those, it became unvisible. s. Mimoto While looking outside and looking on the inside, and then so he couldn't see anymore. P. Beckner Okay, so -you sa -you saw the head-on traffic -whatever we want to call that -for about five, five minutes, ten minutes, somewhere in there? T. Tamefuji Humm, yes P. Beckner Okay T. Tamefuji Yeah P. Beckner Okay, ah, was there anything else that you saw aside from this - from this pattern here, was there, was there anything else that you saw? T. Tamefuji Humm, you mean ah, other stars or what? P. Beckner Other than, I mean as far as these obj -the objects were concerned, was there any other ah, features that you saw, was there any shape that you saw, or you just saw the head-on light? T. Tamefuji Yes, and of course it ah, was clear so ground you could see ••• P. Beckner Okay you saw • • • T. Tamefuji ••• but ah, hummm, how should I say, but ah, the traffic, I mean the UFO • • • P. Beckner Yes T. Tamefugi • it's ah, so, I'm sure it was not on ground ••• P. Beckner Okay T. Tamefuji (unintelligible) 11 P. Beckner Yeah, could you see the horizon, the ••• T. Tamefuji Yes P. Beckner . . • mountains? T. Tamefuji Yes, ah, perfect. P. Beckner Right T. Tamefuji 'This is ah, horizon P. Beckner Of the horizon? T. Tamefuji . . . and I could see ••• P. Beckner Okay T. Tamefuji . • . . the horizon • P. Beckner Okay. So these were above the horizon line? T. Tamefuji (unintelligible) I don't mean ah, (unintelligible) P. Beckner Okay T. Tamefuji Ah, we can see the flying over aircraft ah, near the horizon P. Beckner Okay T. Tamefuji (unintelligible) P. Beckner Right T. Tamefuji • so • • . P. Beckner You saw this • . • T. Tamefuji . . . I cannot say it was ah, (unintelligible) P. Beckner Okay, okay, um somewhere down, I guess by Fairbanks guys, the Captain or yourself requested a 360? T. Tamefuji Mmmm hum P. Beckner Did ·you happen to see the object while in the 360? T. Tamefuji Humm, the pilot was right-hand • . . P. Beckner Right-hand turn, right? T. Tamefuji Humm, so I watch, what • . . 12 area, you P. Beckner Right T. Tamefuji so I couldn't find what Captain saw. P. Beckner Okay, you were flying the aircraft then, is that correct? T. Tamefuji Ah, yes p, Beckner Okay T. Tamefuji But ah, um, I saw (unintelligible) ah, Captain said ah, UFO big, quite big Captain said, and how should I say ~so I tried doing this ••• S. Mimoto I looked all over the place. T. Tamefuji And the Captain was in the way(Japanese). s. Mimoto Oh so Captain was in the way. P. Beckner Well, okay he was in the way of you seeing? T. Tamefuji Yes, and ah, some ah, pillar, window pillars . . . P. Beckner Oh, pillars? T. Tamefuji Yeah P.·· Beckner Okay T. Tamefuji so ah, we, ah, I couldn't see well, but some hum, hum this -this is not exact picture, but ah, like similiar like aircraft is (unintelligible) ••• P. Beckner Okay T. Tamefuji I dark is background, but I -you cannot say it was UFO or not. P. Beckner Okay, was it different then what you saw here? T. Tamefuji Completely different. P. Beckner Completely different, okay. But was it brighter, were these brighter, er ••• ? T. Tamefuji brighter • P. Beckner These are brighter? T. Tamefuji Yes, ah • P. Beckner The first sighting was brighter? 13 T. Tamefuji Yes P~ Beckner Ckay, the head.:.-Ons were brighter? T. Tamefuji Er, yes P. Beckner Okay, um • was there anything else on the radar that you were able to see, or was that the only target that you had on the radar? T. Tamefuji Ch yes, and ah, I think ah, Captain tilt ••• P. Beckner Tilt right T. Tamefuji ••• and ah, a certain tilt angle could catch the object • . . P. Beckner Okay, so, so was there anything else showing on the radar • T. Tamefuji Hummm P. Beckner (unintelligible) T. Tamefuji ••• that should be something spot or ground-echo, ah, • • ? P. Beckner (unintelligible) • • ~ okay T. Tamefuji . . . ah, I -I have many experience ah, ah, aircraft 1 echo or radar screen ••• , echo ••• P. Beckner Right T. Tamefuji ••• yeah, ah, so I could identify that is ••• ah aircraft echo • • • I have many experiences before in checking oncoming aircrafts on a radar. s. Mimoto I experienced often in checking oncoming aircraft on radar before. T. Tamefuji Just like ah traffic. P. Beckner Okay • . . T. Tamefuji • just the right (unintelligible) . . • talking. P. Beckner . . • so what you saw was similiar to what you seen before, you were picking up other traffic? T. Tamefuji Yes when P. Beckner Ckay, okay, um, the lighting conditions, I talked about the lighting conditions outsid~. How 'bout the lighting conditions inside the aircraft? Were there cockpit lights on ••• 14 T. Tamefuji Hummm, no . . . P. Beckner • and all that sort of stuff or • T. Tamefuji • hummm, it was for night flights seeting. P. Beckner Right, okay. T. Tamefuji Bright, it looked bright P. Beckner Not bright but ••• T. Tamefuji Dim P. Beckner • dim, okay. Was there? Was there any attempt to -did you guys turn them down all the ways, or ••• T. Tamefuji Hummmm ••• P. Beckner ••• what you saw outside couldn't have possibly, could have possible been a reflection or something from inside the cockpit? T. Tamefuji Hummmm • P. Beckner I'm just, just asking . . . T. Tamefuji Yeah, yeah . . . I understand that • Ah' I -I want to say there is not possibility what you think . ' P. Beckner Okay of reflection • . . T. Tamefuju ah, no. P. Beckner Okay. Was the light turned all the way off just to see if it made any difference, er ••• ? T. Tamefuji Um • P. Beckner ••• do you remember if -if you did that, er, the Captain may have done it? T. Tamefuji Umm, ah, I was very busy, so, ah, I ••• P. Beckner That's right you were the flying pilot ••• T. Tamefuji Yes, and ah, 150 feet . . . P. Beckner Yeah T. Tamefuji ••• and so, but ah, maybe, maybe not good word but, maybe ah, Captain try down dark • darker • • • 15 .• P. Beckner Okay, darker, okay T. Tamefuji . . • and ah, I flight engineer calculator (unintelligible) so he had ah ••• P. Beckner So he had a spot on his table? T. Tamefuji Yes P. Beckner By the engineer table? T. Tamefuji Yes, I -when I saw, but ah, cockpit was ah, dark. P. Beckner Okay. Ah, what size would you estimate this -this object to be? T. Tamefuji Hummm, it is hard to say, but -ummm, I thought it was ah, ah, I thought it was larger than ah, aircraft. s. Mimoto What kinds of aircrafts? T. Tamefuji s. Mimoto P. Beckner T. Tamefuji . P. Beckner T. Tamefuji P. Beckner An originally oncoming aircraft . . . It feels like it's larger than normal airplane. Oncoming airplane • • • Okay. Okay. the compass • tb • • • Ah, did you notice any magnetic disturbances, ah, . . • swing or anything • . . . . • but ah, um, I think you have ATC tape of that time? Rigbt T. Tamefuji And controllers tape, ah, said that several times you're garbling • • • P. Beckner No • • • T. Tamefuji ••• but ah, my English is so hee ••• how should I said that reasoning ••• I thought perhaps the air traffic controller did not understand my English, so, he said 'garbling'. s. Mimoto Oh, maybe Air Traffic Control did not understand my English, so P. Beckner No s. Mimoto • he was polite and said 'garbling' P. Beckner • • • sai d (unintelligible) gover nment garble, okay. 16 T. Tamefuji (unintelligible) but ah ••• s. Mimoto Tilat 1 s the way I thought ••• P. Beckner Was that all the way, the whole length of the trip? He felt that, er, er, was it just during this period of time when you were working with ••• T. Tamefuji Oh yeah, hurnmm P. Beckner • when you were asking him about the other traffic? T. Tamefuji Yes P. Beckner Okay, How 'bout later on in the flight? Did he ask you to say again, you're garbled, er ••• ? T. Tamefuji No, no P. Beckner • • • okay, just • . . T. Tamefuji ••• just ah, ah, from Pottat, Alaska til ••• P. Beckner Right T. Tamefuji and ah, radar contact with controllers, and ah, there was no garbling • P. Beckner Okay T. Tamefuji • ah, at that time. P. Beckner And your initial contact was Center? T. Tamefuji Yes P. Beckner Okay T. Tamefuji It clear after that moment. P. Beckner Okay T. Tamefuji (unintelligible) P. Beckner How 'bout navigation, did you notice any navigation interference, ah • • • ? T. Tamefuji (unintelligible) P. Beckner ••• I understand you're on I N S, so there, there is no problem there, okay. Was there any turbulance, did the airplane experience any turbulance anytime you saw this, the objects?/ 17 T. Tamefuji (unintelligible) P~ Beckner Okay. How 'bout the autopilot, did ... was it· on autopilot? T~ Tamefuji Yes p~ Beckner Okay, did the autopilot kick off? T. Tamefuji No P. Bec kner Er' it stayed on all the time? T. Tamefuj i No P. Beckner Okay. Um, let me just read my notes here and see if I have got everything I needed to ask you about. You say that you had suggested to the Captain that you call Center and ask if they had any targets? T. Tamefu ji Hum • P. Beckner About how long after you first saw this did you go' b--before asking about calling Center? T. Tamefuji Hummm, hum - at first in my mind P. Bec kner Right, yeah T. Tam efuj i . . • and conversation so it was not too long but, ah ... hummm, I can't say exactly but two or three minutes. P. Bec kner Okay, okay. Um ... Was the Captain the first one to spot the ob ... the ah, lights? T. Tamefuj i The who? P. Beckner First saw the object? T. Tamefuj1 Hummm, I thi nk ah, at the same time, almost. P. Beckner Clcay T. Tamefuji But ah, it i s not impossible to at same time . . . P. Beckner Right, but . • . T. Tamefuji ( unintelligible) P. Beckner . . . but ... but communicating , yeah. T. Tamefuji Humm! um, not so much different between . • . 18 - P. Beckner Okay. So pretty much at the same time you both saw it? T~ Tamefuji Right P. Beckner And at that time it was ten to eleven? T. Tamefuji Hummm, I thought. P. Beckner That IS what I'm asking is what you thought? T. Tamefuji Yeah P. Beckner Okay. Um·. Okay we discussed the ah, turn, the 360? T. Tamefuji Um hum P. Beckner I understand somewhere in the flight you guys also descended from 3, 5, O to 3, 1, O? T. Tamefuji Yes P. Beckner Did ~did the object stay with you at that point, or did the lights stay with you, or whatever? T. Tamefuji Humm, hum at that time ••• P. Beckner At that time did you still have them in sight? T. Tamefuji Yes, but ah, different. P. Beckner Um hum T. Tamefuji Ah, the object was different side the captain's side so I can not ••• P. Beckner Okay you could not see it, okay. So you actually saw it only for about five to ten minutes? T. Tamefuji fllmmm, I think so. P. Beckner Ah, because I understand that the ~ the target was ah, not target, but the item, object, lights, whatever, were in sight for upwards of around fifty minutes, total. That's what the Captain saw, was about that length of time. T. Tamefuji Umm, um P. Beckner And ah, but I understand that from where you were sitting you might not have been able to see it as long as he could have? T. Tamefuji Yeah P. Beckner Especially during the turn? 19 T. Tamefuji Yeah P. Beckner T. Tamefuji P. Beckner T. Tamefuji P. Beckner T. Tamefuji P. Beckner r. Tamefuji P. Beckner T. Tamefuji Okay. Were there any other ah " was there any other aircraft? Did you see any other aircraft during that particular flight? No ah, no other ATC ah, I mean ah, um, as ••• Right • and ah • You didn't see any other aircraft at all? In last part of the incident United Air • Right ah, from Anchorage. Hum, huh . . • And we can ... what's that .... we could see • • • P. Beckner You could see (unintelligible) T. Tamefuji United P. Beckner Okay you could see United ••• T. Tamefuji (unintelligible) P. Beckner Okay, did he ... did United when you saw him was he flashing his lights at you or anything, er just normal nav lights, er • T. Tamefuji Humm • P. Beckner do you remember what ••• ? T. Tamefuji Humm, remember, just she passed my left-hand side ••• P. Beckner Hum huh T. Tamefuji P. Beckner • • • and ah, I can't say. Okay. Okay ah, did the intensity of these lights change, at all & T. Tamefuji Humm ••• P. Beckner ••• or were they pretty much the same intensity for the time that you saw them? 20 T. Tamefuji Hummm, was it a change of intensity? How should I say • , , ? On and off but became stronger ah, became weaker, became stronger, became weake, different from the strobe lights. s. Mimoto Some got stronger, and changed to weaker stronger again then weaker, and stronger, weaker • P. Beckner Okay. Okay. Okay. Okay, ah, you mentioned the lights that you've shown me here. This pattern that you've shown me here, the Captain has also, shown us also. But just so I, make sure I understand everything here, let me just show you ah, the details of what the Captain -and I don't know if you've seen these or not, but you've ••• T. Tamefuji Hum, hum P. Beckner This was in the newspaper here in Anchorage, for example. And this shows a similiar type pattern is what you have here • T. Tamefuji Humm P. Beckner but I just wonder if you -you also may have seen this particular ah, shape or ah, object? T. Tamefuji Hummm P. Beckner And you can probably read what is -is written here so, just kinda read that over, and ••• Do you remember seeing anything like that yourself? T. Tamefuji Humm, I don't see ah, anything like this, but ah, as I told ••• P. Beckner Yeah, this ah T. Tamefuji and you if, we can connect these lights -are -it will be a big object but, ah P. Beckner Right T. Tamefuji I can not just ~there are some lights ahead or not. P. Beckner Okay, that was during the turn ••• ? T. Tamefuji No ah, I think it was before turn ••• P. Beckner Oh okay T. Ta mefuji ••• and ah, we of course we convesed a lot and ••• s. Mimoto We are talking, discussing . . . T. Tamefuji And while we were talking I saw it momentarily. 2 1 ---- s. Mimoto While conversation was going, I peeked out and momentarily I saw it. P. Beckner You saw this, okay. Um, after the turn. Were you able to see anything anymore, like this light pattern here? T. Tamefuji No P. Beckner Ckay, er this -this pattern here? T. Tamefuji Humm, no. P. Beckner Okay. And tha -so that was the last time you saw it, was prior to the turn • • • T. Tamefuji Humm P. Beckner Okay, okay. Well sir, that's all I can think to ask you. Is there anything you'd like ta -to further add ~ and give us some more understanding to what you folks saw up there? T. Tamefuju Humm, no well, I am certain that I saw something. s. Mimoto Well I'm -I'm sure I saw something. T. Tamefuji It was clear enough to make me believe taht there was an oncoming aircraft. s. Mimoto '!his is clearly enough to make me believe it was an oncoming airplane. P. Beckner Okay T. Tamefuji '!hat's the starting point of this story. s. Mimoto 'Iha~'s the beginning of this story. P. Beckner No the story, ah, (laughter). Cl<ay um, well that pretty much concludes the questions I have for you. And again I appreciate you coming in. Especially on such short notice. And Sy I appreciate you coming in also on such short notice. So thank you very much • T. Tamefuji And ah, can I ask one question? P. Beckner Sure T. Tamefuji Ah, I read the FAA news hummm, ah, humm, I found military radar picked up some kind of target on their radar. (unintelligible) What type of understanding? P. Beckner Umm, I'm not sure what they seen on that radar, right at the present moment. 22 T. Tamefuji Ah huh P. Beckner And um, let me just do this. I can find out and let you know. T. Tamefuji Arid ah, well Saturday ah, ah, TV interview from New York. P. Beckner Oh is that right. T. Tamefuji Yeah P. Beckner Ch T. Tamefuji And ah, the interview said military, some kind of commander I don't remember, but, ah, some military ••• P. Beckner Military ~military ah, commander? T. Tamefuji Ah, how should I say, but some personnel from military said this was a weather interference. S. Mimoto And this military commander said it was a weather interfere ••• interference. P. Beckner (unintelligible) T. Tamefuji Ah, on the radar s. Mi mo to On the radar P. Beckner Okay, that I ... that I don't know, um T. Tamefuji But ah, it was clear sky, so • . . P. Beckner Right T. Tamefuji there's no possibility of weather interference. P. Beckner On the weather, interference, okay. Well I'll do this, I will find out what the result of the analysis is on those. We're going to eventually get that anyway. And I'll let you know what we have. Okay? I have your phone number so I'll do that. Okay? T. Tamefuji Yes 23 ... A JAL flight engineer, Yoshie Tsukuba, was interviewed by Pete Beckner of FAA on January 15, 1987, through an interpreter, Sayoko Mimoto, regarding to the UFO which had been sighted on the 17th of November, 1986, by Captain Terauchi. Beckner: Tsukuba: Beckner: Mimoto: Tsukuba: Beckner: Describe what you saw. May I speak in Japanese? Oh! Yes, please. Oh! yes, please. The first tima I saw it was through the Ll window, at the 11 o'clock position. It looked larger than navigation lights. I do not remember· exactly how many of those <lights> were there but cluster5 of lights were undulating. What was the color of those lights, was it green? Tsukuba: I can not describe the details but it was white or amber colored lights. Beckner: When you saw the object was it obvious to you? Did you notice it immediately? Tsukuba: Yes, it was. I noticed it immediately. Beckner: Did it stay with you at position 11 o'clock? did you see this object? How long Tsukuba: Yes, approximately 5 minutes, 10 minutes, I think I saw it for about 10 minutes after I sighted it the first time. The reason is because the Captain wanted to take pictures. His camera bag was placed behind his seat, beside mine, and I handed it to him. But he could not take pictures, so I placed his camera bag beside my seat again. Sa I think it took about 10 minutes. Be c kner: Why could he not take any pictures? Tsukuba: Well, his camera is Alpha 7,000, with film ASA 100. He could not operate it wall. I mean the operating procedure of the camera was not understood well. Beckner: What kind of camera did he hav•? 1 Tsukuba: Alpha 7,000. It is made by Minoruta. is called in America. I wonderwhat it Beckner: Have you seen this kind of thing before? Was this the first time anything of this nature has happened to you? Tsukuba: Yes, this was the first tima. Beckner: Who first sighted the object? Tsukuba: I do not know which person picked it up first. I was making a landing data. The Captain told us tc sea if there is a some kind cf object outsid•. Beckner: Did you see the radar? Tsukuba: Whan the Captain told ma ta look, I could se• th• radar. Beckner: Were you able to see it on radar? What did you sea on th• radar? Tsukuba: Yes, a green dot like, not exactly like a dot. It was not a dot, but stream like, I think the rang• was about 10 miles. I do not think it <on tha radar> was the same lights as the one I saw in front of us. Beckner: How was the intensity of the lights? Did th• intensity of the objects' lights change? Tsukuba: Basically th• same. I cannot d•5criba it. Not even in Japanese. Th• first one did not change. Tha second light was vary difficult to see. It was so vagua. Beckner: Was any other target picked up on radar? Tsukuba1 I cannot ram•mber. difficult to see. Tha tilt angle of th• radar was Beckn•r: Difficult to ramamber, on the radar, did you have to lock for tha object? Tsukuba: I identified immediately th• one in front of us • Becknar: At the time of sighting, how were the lighting conditions outside? 2 Tsukuba: It was just at sunset at right front of us. There was a stripe of red line and almost dark, it was almost pitch dark behind us. Beckner: How was the lighting conditions inside the cockpit? Tsukuba: We had night illumination at above sideways. I was using a spot light while calculating the data. I do not remember whether the Captain had the lights turned off or not. There is a switch that can turn the light to regular fluorescent or to dark. It was set to dark. Beckner: How long did you see the object? Tsukuba: The one in front of us, as I mentioned earlier, I saw it for about 10 minutes, then, tha one on our left sida at 9 o'clock, together, a total of 30 minutes. The lights in front of us and the other one were of two absolutely different nature of lights. Beckner: Would you show us what they looked like on this paper? Tsukuba: The lights in front of us were clusters of lights like this. I think they were made of two parts. How should I say this, but the lights were shaped like windows of a passenger aircraft. ·aeckner: What was the shape of the object like? Tsukuba:. I do not know. It was just lights. Tha one in front of us was like an aircraft viewed from another aircraft which was ours. Beckner: Did-the object move with your aircraft when you changed direction or altitude? Tsukuba: When we saw the first one in front of us, we did not change the heading, but the second one, it was really hard to see, I had to try real hard to see it, so we changed heading. I think the object was with us when w• changed altitude. When we changed altitude, I could not sea. The Captain said it was still there, so I felt like it was there. Beckner: Did you see another aircraft? Tsukuba: I saw United Air Line. Beckner: Any other lighted, or unlighted objects? 3 Tsukuba: When the United aircraft was passing by, we were seeing th• second lights. Backnar: Did the intensity of lights change? Tsukuba: T~e first lights I saw was unchanged until they disappeared. Tha second one, it was so hard to see. In my mind, I am not certain whether it was lights of a distant town or a strange object. Beckner: What were the weather conditions? Tsukuba: It was clear. Bec.kner: Did you sea any stars? Tsukuba: I think thera were stars 9 but ••• Beckner: Any magnetic disturbanca? Tsukuba: No. Beckner: Were there any instrument fluctuations on your Flight Enginaar·s panel during tha objects presanca? Tsukuba: No 9 it didn•t <there waren·t>. Beckner: Do you wear glasses? ·Tsukuba: No, I don·t. Beckner: Was there any r•flaction en th• insida cf tha glass? Tsukuba: Reflection? What do you mean? Mi mote: Did you s•• any reflection cf inside lights on tha aircraft window. glass? Tsukuba: No. there was not any. Backner: Would you like to add anything? Do you hava any qu•stions? W• hav• com• here and interviewed you a lot. Is there anything wa can answer regM"ding your questions? 4 Tsukub~: The points I would like to reinforce are that the lights in front of us were different from town lights. I can not describe the shape. I am not as certain as I am about the lights on the left side. I do not know what the shape of the objects was. So I am sure that the lights that were in front of us were different from town lights. When I was interviewed here at the first time by FAA personnel, I was not sure whether the object was an UFO or not. My mind has not changed since then. -~ / ..... -.. _~ ~~f;L ~?. ____ .. ___ ---·· Peter E. Beckner A.S.I. Sayoko D. Mimcto Interpreter ; . I .. , i I. 'h l , I . . .. ,. . · ... , · ... -, l--. . I . 'b 1?- . t J ~ ~1 t.l/rl!C4 w~ F~. s~ A5'r , , :oo ~-tllOO • ! -I \ I . PERSONNEL STATEMENT FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION Anchorage Air Route Traffic Control Center January 6, 1987 The following is a report concerning the incident to Japan Airlines Flight 1628 (JL1628) North of Fairbanks, Alaska on November 18, 1986 at 0218 UTC. My name is Carl E. Henley (HC). I am employed as an Air Traffic Control Specialist by the Federal Aviation Administration at the Anchorage Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC), Anchorage, Alaska. During the period of 2030 UTC, November 18, 1986, to 0430 UTC, November 18, 1986 I was on duty in the Anchorage ARTCC. I was working the R/Dl5 position from 0156 UTC, November 18, 1986 to 0230 UTC, and the Rl5 position from 0230 UTC, November 18, 1986 to 0258 UTC, November 18, 1986. I am making this statement to clarify certain points in my original statement dated November 19, 1986. Ref paragraph 4: I stated in paragraph four that several times I had several primary returns where JL1~28 reported traffic; in actuality I observed three types of targets. I saw tentative radar targets which showed up as a (-) symbols~ I saw (+) symbols that indicate radar only tracks. I also saw non run lenth targets which show up as a (.) symbols. Additionally, I stated the traffic stayed with JL1628 through turns and descent, this information was what I received from JL 1628. Air Traffic Control Anchorage ARTCC .· "' PERSONNEL STATEMENT FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION Anchorage Air Route Traffic Control Center ,,,,----...... ' ( i (", " ~i The following is a report concerning the incident to aircraft JL1628 on November 18, 1986 at 0230 UTC. My name is Carl E. Henley (HC) I am employed as an Air Traffic Control Specialist by the Federal Aviation Administration at the Anchorage Air Route Traffic Control Center, Anchorage, Alaska. During the period of 2030 UTC, November 17, 1986, to 0430 UTC, November 18, 1986 I was on duty in the Anchorage ARTCC. I was working the Dl5 position f rom 0156 UTC, November 18, 1986 to 0230 UTC, November 18, 1986. At approximately 0225Z while monitoring JL1628 on Sector 15 radar, the aircraft requested traffic information. I advised no traffic in his vicinity. The aircraft advised he had traffic 12 o'clock same altitude. I asked JL1628 if he would like higher/lower altitude and the pilot replied, negative. I checked with ROCC to see if they had military traffic in the area and to see if they had primary targets in the area. ROCC did have primary target in the same position JL1628 reported. Several times I had single primary returns where JL1628 reported traffic. JL1628 later requested a turn to heading 210°, I approved JL1628 to make deviations as necessary for traffic. The traffic stayed with JL1628 through turns and decent in the v icinity of FAI I requested JL1628 to make a right 3600 turn to see if he could identify the aircraft, he lost contact momentarily, at which time I ob served a primary target in the 6 o'clock position 5 miles. I then vectored UA69 northbound to FAI from ANC with his approval to see if he could identify t he aircraft, he had contact with the JL1628 flight but reported no other traffic, by this time Jll628 had lost contact with the traffic. Also a military C-130 southbound to EDF from EIL advised he had plenty of fuel and woul d take a look, I vectored him toward the flight and climbed him to FL240, he also had no contact. Note: I requested JL1628 to identify the type or markings of the aircraft. He could not identify but reported white and yellow strobes. I requested the JL1628 t? say flight conditions, he reported clear and no clouds. November 19, 1986 PERSONNEL STATEMENT FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION Anchorage Air Route Traffic Control Center January 9, 1986 The following is a report concerning the incident to Japan Airlines Flight 1628 (JL1628) north of Fairbanks, Alaska on November 18, 1986 at 0218 UTC. ~~y name is John L. Aarnink (AA). I am employed as an Air Traffic Control Specialist by the Federal Aviation Administration at the Anchorage Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC), Anchorage, Alaska. During the period of 2230 UTC, November 17, 1986 to 0630 November 18, 1986 I was on duty in the Anchorage ARTCC. I was training on Sector Dl3 from 2300 UTC, November 17, 1986, to 0300 UTC, November 18, 1986. I was on my way to take a break when I noticed the unusual activity at the Sector 15 positions. I plugged into the Cl5 position and assisted them by answering telephone lines, making and taking handoffs, and coordinating as necessary. As to the specific incident, I monitored the aircrafts transmissions and observed data on the radar that coinsided with information that the pilot of JL1628 reported. I coordinated with the ROCC on the BRAVO and CHARLIE lines. They confirmed they also saw data in the same location. At approximately abeam CAWIN intersection, I no longer saw the data and the pilot advised he no longer saw the traffic. I called the ROCC and they advised they had lost the target. I then unplugged from the position and went on a break. / .,//Air Traffic Control Specialist .~ Anchorage ARTCC -- PERSONNEL STATEMENT FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION Anchorage Air Route Traffic Control Center January 7, 1987 The following is a report concerning the incident involving aircraft JL 1628 north of Fairbanks on November 18, 1986 at 0218 UTC. My name is Samuel J. Rich (SR). I am employed as an Air Traffic Control Specialist by the Federal Aviation Administration at the Anchorage Air Route Traffic Control Center, Anchorage, Alaska. During the period of 0035 UTC, November 18, 1986, to 0835 UTC, November 18, 1986, I was on duty in the Anchorage ARTCC. I was working the Dl5 position from 0230 UTC, November 18, 1986, to 0530 UTC, November 18, 1986. The pilot of JL 1628 reported that he had traffic at his altitude. He stated it was a big plane with yellow and white lights. We advised him we had no traffic in his position. We adjusted the radar PVD to approximately a 25 mile scale and there was a radar return in the position the pilot had reported traffic. . I called ROCC to ask if they had any military traffic operating near JL 1628. The ROCC said they had no military traffic in the area. I then asked them if they could see any traffic near JL 1628. ROCC advised that they had traffic near JL 1628 in the same position we did. I asked ROCC if they had any aircraft to scramble on JL 1628, they said they would call back. However, there was no further communication regarding the request for a scramble. Specialist PERSONNEL STATEMENT FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINSTRATION Anchorage Air Route Traffic Control Center January 9, 1987 The following is a report concerning the incident involving Japan Airlines Flight 1628 (JL1628) North of Fairbanks, Alaska on November 18, 1986 at 0218 UTC. My name is Joseph Rollins (JR). I am employed as an Air Traffic Control Specialist by the Federal Aviation Administration at the Anchorage Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC), Anchorage, Alaska. During the period of 2340 UTC, November 17, 1986 to 1850 UTC, November 18, 1986 I was on duty in the Anchorage ARTCC. I was working the El position from 0006 UTC, November 18, 1986 to 0425 UTC, November 18, 1986. During the time period p~ior to this incident all operations were normal. I had assigned Mr. Henley to the combined Rl5, Dl5 position to work by . himself. The traffic was light and lunch breaks were in progress. At approximately 0220 UTC Mr. Henley informed me that JL1628 had indicated that he had traffic and wanted information. I then advised the Area Manager that JL1628 was requesting information on traffic that we were not aware of. Mr. Rich returned from lunch and was assigned the Dl5 position and Mr. Henley was moved to the Rl5 position. I understood that Mr Aarnink had plugged into the Cl5 position only to observe. During the time following my being notified, I was involved in operational supervision and coordinatation between the controllers and the Area Manager. I intermittently monitored the radar but at no time observed any radar data that in my opinion, conclusively indicated traffic for the JL1628 flight. At 0254 UTC I informed the Area Manager that the pilot of JL1628 had lost visual contact with his traffic, \~?~ Joseph Rollins ~ Area Supervisor Anchorage ARTCC PERSONNEL STATEMENT FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION Anchorage Air Route Traffic Control Center January 9, 1987 The following is a report concerning the incident to Japan Airlines Flight 1628 (JL1628) north of Fairbanks, Alaska on November 18, 1986 at 0218 UTC. My name is Erland D. Stephens (AS). I am employed as an Air Traffic Control Specialist by the Federal Aviation Administration at the Anchorage Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC), Anchorage, Alaska. During the period of 0100 UTC, November 18, 1986, I was on duty in the Anchorage ARTCC. in Charge position from 0100 UTC, November 18, 1986. 1986, to 0900 UTC, November 18, I was working the Area Manager 18, 1986, to 0900 UTC, November At 0221 UTC I was notified by Joe Rollins, Area B Supervisor, that JL1628, had reported traffic at his altitude (FL 350), distance one (1) mile with a white and yellow strobe light. I notified the Alaska Regional Operations Center (ROC) and the Elmendorf Regional Operational Control Center (ROCC) about this observed traffic. At 0233 UTC, after Mr. Rollins advised me that JL1628 had reported the traffic to be paralleling his route and that Sector Rl5 radar and ROCC had i ntermittent radar returns in the area of JL1628s observed traffic I notified the U. S.. Customs office at Anchorage International Airport about the possibility of a lost aircraft following JL1628 to Anchorage. At 0245 UTC, Mr . Rollins advised me that JL1628 had lost visual contact with the unknown traffic at 0257 UTC. Mr. Rollins advised me that ROCC had lost radar contact with the unkno~'Il traffic. At 0423 UTC I gave this information to the Washington D. C. ROC. Air Traffic Control Specialist Anchorage ARTCC PERSONNEL STATEMENT FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION Anchorage Air Route Traffic Control Center January 7, 1987 The following is a report concerning the incident to JL1628 North of Fairbanks, Alaska, on November 18, 1986 at approximately 0218 UTC. My name is Anthony M. Wylie (AW). I am employed as a Quality Assurance Specialist by the Federal Aviation Administration at the Anchorage Air Route Traf,fic Control Center, Anchorage, Alaska. I have reviewed the Continuous Data Recording of ZAN EARTS, (radar data), reference JL1628 alleged sightings. I could not find any target information i n the vicinity of the reported traffic. The radar track appeared to be normal and consistent with other tracking data I have reviewed in the past. Anthony M Quality ssurance Anchorage ARTCC PERSONNEL STATEMENT FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION Anchorage Air Route Traffic Control Center January 9, 1987 The following is a report concerning the incident to aircraft JL1628 north of Fairbanks, Alaska, on November 18, 1986 at 0218 GMT. My name is Manfred F. Keller (FK). I am employed as an Automations Specialist by the Federal Aviation Administration at the Anchorage Air Route Traffic Control Center, Anchorage, Alaska. I interpreted the recorded data (radar) reference JL1628. I searched the specific areas where the pilot reportedly had traffic and could not find any indications of other target information. J.~r~)f ~ Air Traffic Control Specialist Anchorage ARTCC OEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION F[C[ .. AL AVIATION AONIHIST .. ATIOH cm November 17, I respond.ed to a call fran the OC:C reference an incident involving unidentified air traffic (UA'.l') follCMi.ng JAL flight 1628 into lw::horage. I asked Agent Mickle to r.eet me at An~rage Airport. Upon arriving at ANC, I rnet Agent Mickle and Inspector Wright (FS00-63) wtX> had l:een at the aircraft. All three of us then oro- ceded to ..m operations to intei:vier,.r the cre.H. At JAL Operations we met with captain Terauchi, 1st Officer Tarrefuji, and 2nd Officer Tsukuda along with Mr. Shimba.shi, the JAL Operations Manager at An~rage. The three crer.-.m:n stated that just after passing rorAT inter- section inl:ound to Anchorage on J529 they obsexved strange lights ahead of their B-747. 'lllese lights changed i;:osition after 2 minutes ;but remained in front of the A/C for another 10 minutes, then rroved to the left side of the A/C. They stated that all they oould see were the lights and at no time could they see any craft. However, they did sl"ON an object on their \·2X radar at al::out 7 miles. The lights were yellow, amber, and green, rut no red. 'ttle lights were in tw:::> seperate sets which changed i;:osition relative to one another. The crer,.r said that they contacted AFm:c oonf imed that they also had it on radar. Near Fairbanks, the crew executed a 360° turn and the lights stayed with them off of their left side. They then preceded to Anchorage.,..i);ld the lights were still visible until arourrl 40 miles oorth of TF;r"11en they It'O\Ted ~y to the east. The crew refOrted their speed as 0.84 Mach and their altit00e bebt.1een FL390 and 310 as assigned along the route. The only problem noted with their systens was sane static in the VHF receiver. The Navigational systan in use was n~s with oo apparent problens. Upon O::ztpletion of my discussion with the crer,.r, I called Captain Stevens (Duty Officer to OORAD) and asked if he had any question other than what I had asked. He said he had ro other questions, but they also slx::iwed t\Yo targets on radar (one was JAL). He stated that they "'10uld give all data to Intelligence in the trorning. I then asked BolX1y Lamkin by phone if M' was holding the data and he said yes. FAA Form 1600°32°112-111 AT ~ra_9e..!. ~~-__ , l"IL! HO. FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY. (Puhllc rrvallo0illty lo M •- •1to uz 0 n • ,.,.,.,n.o ..,,,., 5 u. S. C. 552J .. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION 'EOERAL. AVIATION AONINISTRATION Agent Mickle and I then met with Dave Snith (.ACS-300) and briefed him on the incident. On the rrorning of November 18, I briefly discussed the incident with AAL-1 & 2. Attached is a statarent fran Agent Mickle and a chart and drawings by the JAL Captain. INTERVIE:WED/REVI EWE:D --- --__ , FAA Form 1600·32° l cz.11, (pt' -JtJ_..,. ~~h; hy A"ft,f.h,'ck).a t:. ~ ~ cr~~~ AT Anclx:>rage, Alaska ll'ILE NO. - -____ , ----------· FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY. (Puhllc 11¥0/lol>Jllty ID lie•- ~x ' .. ...... . ·· ......... ·· .. x I I I x ····... " . - .""\. ... ···· ... ' ... --' . . ..... ' •' · .. ~ . ' '·. ·.... ··" ';.·~ -', .. · .. ·· ......... -"·.......... . ...... / ' ··. ' ... · '•. , - ·. ·· ... " . I ' \ AT ~TttT ,. '. . "" -· ' ----- --.1 (" .... ,.---0 . ( :T" ;'.J , ~ :. ... " 'l.. ------' / .•- .. -.~-~ .~ C" · - .;... . .. ~ .. I I I l I f I I .... ...................... ... / / ) / I .. ; . ··. ~ -:.--; INSPECTION AND SURVEILLANCE RECORD 1. WORK ACTIVITY • 2. UNI 3. HOURS Ille 1 o oY I 4 • ~~~~c"'v~Do~DA~=~~s,.oir CARRIER, OPERATOR, AIRPORT, 5. CERTIFICATE NO. OR AIRCRAFT REGIS-6. RESULTS TRATION MARK(No.) r--~-...:....:...:. _ _J7. FURTHER ACTION REQ. SATISFACTORY NO UNSATISFACTOR YES (Erpl•ln IS. FINDINGS/RECOMMENDATIONS J.A.L. "B-747 CA,eero ~r /(.Z? lf;.;cW-ee~r:rc. D APf. k' e-Nj 4 Jf5'r2.kl1.C..k ,·. (Erplaln in ltmn a) •ctlon In ,,...,, 5) rY o ~ .fc<: ? .. 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(LEF<) Na~v tlu.. o~ scJ i( {<(Lit). μ..e_ l".tZ. ..Pa.Neel --\G> du. t\cLv ~ s ;J .e.... -Prf rc:e... f'.1 A-s s 1 ._; "( i:tu i==-A:c f\ I/" e 11.. \u. '< t Q u.e. sr en ~ -h..'f p~v<t.. I W --/.. C.Ou escr ~ ~ WCI.A ~+d, 6e !!JC "2-. (11 atON eJNIOe le ,..,.,.cf,. uee .......... elde) > Fil Form 3112 18 _ 70 , 7 INSPECTION AND SURVEILLANCE RECORD I. WORK ACTIVITY 2. UHl T:i ]. HOURS 4. NAME ANO ADDRESS 01' CARRIEl't OPERATOR AIRPORT AGENCY, OR AIRMAN ' . " ' S. CERTIFICATE NO.OR Al RC RA FT REGIS· 5. RESULTS TRATION MARK(No.) r--r---;..;.:___J7. FURTHER ACTION REQ. S. FINOINGS/l'IECOMMENOATIONS SATISirACTO .. Y UNSAT1SirACTO .. , (llrplabt In 11-I) NO Y l:S (Brplaln action In 11 ... 1) fu.1<-1- ~ !v... +.<.1a..1 EiD -le ~ '<"~'{ l&-w _£1._e;ub p ({.V'«.. ll 4...1 tl.u. Dioj d-i,UA5 fj~· 8..i "'-'-(/~es +l.. w<.a..+k f2*CP.12:. uJ ;...s A<-sc lA s€D -lo td4-o..1TL~ -t/u o.bJ.12.c-+. tud -t/u.. 5"-io 7 tJ M vh 54......tc.E" WA-s W.tM.. -P .. 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QION ANO DISTRICT Ol'l'IC• INl~•CTOWI SIGNATUR& . lllAINTl!NANCK AVIONICS W a. A e ~CJ•• .i.. .. .. --.. --"'· .. ---- - DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION All'I Tl'IANSPORTATION SECURITY As per telepoonic request fran FSID-63, the following are the events which took place on Novenber 17, 1986 and were taken fran my personal ootes during the interview: Responded to Jaoan Airlines station office as iristructed by Manager (James S. Deily), AAfr-700. Myself and Jim Derry intenriewed the crew of JAL Flight 1628, which reported the sighting of unidentified air traffic. The flight crew consisted of the captain, Kenju Terauchi, First Officer Takanori Tarrefuji~. and Flight Engineer Yoshio Tsukuda. captain Terauchi stated the cargo only flight had departed Reykjavik, Icelal"l.C.. captain Terauchi stated he first sited (·./isually) the unidentified air traffic (UAT) in the vacini ty of Potat intersection an::1 the ADIZ. The aircraft he was piloting (B747) was at flight level 390, airspeed 0.84 Mach. Captain Terauchi indicated the UAT was in front of his aircraft at a distance of approximately seven·to eight nautical miles for awroximately 12 minutes. The captain stated the distance was indicated by the onl:oard Bendix color radar. Captain Terauchi stated that while he had a visual on the UAT, he spotted yellow, amber and green lights, and a rotating beacxm, but oo red lights. The captain said there were b.u distinct sets of lights, but appeared to be joined together (as fixed to one object). captian Terauchi ascertained through visual sighting and radar, that the UAT was equal in size to a B747, possibly larger. Captain Terauchi stated that during the visual sighting, the lights of the UAT changed fran a horizontal position to a vertical position and had positioned itself f:ran in front of the B747 to port side. The UAT stayed on the port side for approx:imnately 35 minutes. Captain Terauchi said he was cx:mm.micating with ARICC personnel during the sighting. The captain stated he requested, and received, pei:mission to perfonn a 360 degree tum while in the vacinity of Fairbanks, Alaska, which he had a visual on. Captain Terauchi stated the UAT maintained its position on the port side during the turn. captain Terauchi stated visual sight of the UAT was lost approximately 40 nautical miles north of Talkeetna, while continuing on to Anchorage. Additional infonnation regarding the flight: Captain Terauchi stated there was static during VHF a::mmm.ications with the Mm:C~ Captain Terauchi indicated there was erratic rroverent with lights of the UAT dur.i.~ the visual contact. Navigation was being perfo:aned by coupling of the ontoard n1s' s. INTERVIEWED/REVIEWED ON !_b\7~ _} 7-1 ~986 -- -__ , AT Anchorage, Alaska -----------· BY Ronald E. Mickle, FAA S/A ----- --- --- ------, FAA Form 160:0-32-112.n) FILE NO. - ---__ _,,_ --· FOR OFFICIAL USE OML Y. (Puhllc -llobJ//ty fO be fl@_ ,_,,... """-' 5 u. s. c. 552J DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION FEDERAi. AVIATION ADMINISTRATION All'I Tl'IANS,.Ol'ITATION 8ECURITY Captain TEPAIX:lil stated that FAA ATC had indicated to him the presence of a primary target in addition to his aircraft. Adderx:'h.ml: Through a a:mfidential source at Japan Airlines, it was stated to me that this was oot the first sighting of an unidentified aircraft by Captain TERAIXlil. ~'- FM form 1600-32·112•7» 111rn:n:om)-.i0,.. 17, · 1996 . AT Ailchorage, Alaska __________ , ___________ , __ , GPO ••2•t•4 ,ILENO·--- _ --~-_ -· FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY. (PuWlc .,.11ow11,., "'k ._ ,_,_. lllMler s u. s. c. 552} INSPECTION AHO SURVEILLANCE RECORD 1. WORK ACTIVITY '·NAME AMO AOORESS 01" CARRIER, OPERATOR, AIRPORT, AGENCY, OR AIRMAN 2. UNITS 3. HOURS 5. CERTIFICATE HO. OR A IR c RA FT REG Is-t---.r- 6 -·_R_E_s_u_L_T_;s;___ _ _J 7. Fu RT He: R TRA TIOM MARK (No.) ACTION REQ. SATISirACTORY UNSATISFACTOR' (B:rplain ln It-&) NO Y !CS (Expl•ln •cllon In 11-. 8) II. FIMOIMGS/RECOllllllllENOATIONS A..i~I.._ -Cr b~.fu.e_ ~ a,JJ,~ .(;_,',(lk;(~. • ~T\-~ {);..r"" 'i Y-.LQU.J2-S Tc-~ lli4 0,Q. SAJe..J, ~~ (ll more •sa-c• I• ... ,...., uH ,....,.. aid•) O~l!: .. A TIONS DATE "llOION AND DIST .. ICT O'"Cll INS~ECTO ... S SIGNATU,.1t·· MAINTENANCE AVIONICS Fil Form 3112 11-10t .U.S. GOVIRNMINT Ll'ttUITING OF"FICE: IN:Z-57'-3811313 :!5 .•I 4-fAPAN AIR :-/NE 3 .~·:.' · ·-~ ... _ .... _ ...... __ __. __________ ._ · ·----·- ---------------- -----· -----·· '-"---------------------·------------------- -----------------·~-------------~'~·~--~-~---...;...----~--··. \ ~::\ ... _~ .............. ·. ~... \ • "' i:. •!.~ ... .. -----------------------------lt,----~Jr--------_,_ ____ _,;~\----...;, .... ..:::...._....;.-~ ~~~ \ -~·~:. J'.' . :i:~;~t~. -----------------------------_..._ _________ _ -----t--- 1 \ --------·---···- \ ------------·--··- ·· --· '1 -~-.. ·.· --~""'-· :-~ , .. -:r;.::.:": .. _ .... ~~ .. _ ·.'""= ,_._-o .. ·. 1"~ ·----- / ----------------- -- · ·---.. jL _______ ---- ·. .... !9'~"¥:: i . .. ~ ~~t:--~ :~ & • • --~: ~" .. _.;x .. . . •. :~!. .;·~~~.:~ ' i I \ .. · ' -------. --- ·-------·---- \-- \ -~\ __ .i1 _ - ---- ----------·-------· -- ------------·- -·-- ----· ------ - ·----------------·-----··----- -----------------------------------------·· - ... . .. . . --· -__ __:..:. I \ ,0\ -\ -; -~,--:-.. ;__ ---~ ...... ~--- -+:_~~:.~ <-7-.~~-· . "P'.·: -.:· .. :·-· ....• - ~.-·.~-?:· :~~---::. ~· .on ,~ .... I • i t~ : ' et'. (i i . i i. I I G .. ·\ .......... --_.· -. -. ~' .· .. ·:·~; ·- -_-·-· ' .. · . ....... _, ... • • , • , Y- "' JAPAN AIR :../NE 3 ·, '.~~-- ... ~~-----;~:~~~~.:.,.~--~- -~----..... ----.....:.------------------- -~. ..... .· ·r: ~~~·~ ~;~~ ~ -------------------··--- --- ----------------- ·------------ '--------------------·------------------ -------------- \ ( j __________________________________ ._ __________ _ ----r-- \ -------------·----···- ---------------. -·-·-··--· -.. --_...,.,,,_..-~ .,·-~:·, .. ·-----·-· I --------------------------··---··· --L ______ ------ / ' i I \ .,· --------· --- ~ \ ----------·---- -----. --------. ----------·----------·--- --. -- · -------- -------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------·--·· - • Paul Steucke, FAA Alaskan Region 701 C St. Box 14 Anch. AK 99513 March 5, 1987 UNIDENI'IFIED AIR TRAFFIC SIGHI'INGS, ALASKA (1) An Alaska Airlines flight crew of a Boeing 737 aircraft, flight k~3, enroute from Nome to Anchorage, Alaska, on January 29, 1987, reported to the FAA Anchorage Air Route Traffic Control Center, the sighting of unidentified air traffic on their onboard weather radar system. The incident occurred at about 6:39 pm, 60 rr:iles west of the community of McGrath, which is approximately 200 miles northwest of Anchorage. The aircraft was flying at 35,000 feet altitude at night, and the weather was clear. Both pilots noticed the target on their weather radar scope and looked out the window to see if there was any "traffic" in front of them. At no time did either crewmember see anything outside the aircraft. The area is not within radar coverage of the FAA and the military reported they did not have any aircraft operating in the area at the time. The flight crew of the Alaska Airlines passenger aircraft reported that the target on their radar moved at a very high rate of speed, approximately 5 miles on each sweep of the radar (5 miles per second). As the target moved off their radar in front of them, they changed the range of their radar from 50 miles to 100 miles and saw the target briefly before it became lost in the ground clutter created by the Alaska Range of mountains. The flight crew was i nterviewed by FAA inspectors when they landed at Anchorage. The FAA has no opinions or conclusions regarding the sighting. ( 2 ) On January 11, 1987, at approximately 7:30 am (Sunday), Captain Kenjyu Terauchi, piloting Japan Airlines flight #628, a Boeing 747 aircraft from Iceland to Japan via Anchorage, Alaska, reported to the FAA Air Route Traffic Control Center in Anchorage, that he was seeing a group of unusual lights in f ront of his aircraft. more •.. -2- The Captain requested tile Center to record his description: "Ah, would you please, ah, record my voice, ah, ah, ah •.. this is Japanese. Futeikina raito ga mieteriru. Choodo ookina kuroi katamari ga mae ni iru. Kyorinishite go nrairu. Dooyara uchuusen no moyoo." English translation: "We see irregular pulsating lights just there is a large black chunk just in front of us distance is five miles it seems to be a spaceship. Ah, it likes, ah, UFO, please, ah, check on your radar. Over." The cargo aircraft was about 240 nautical miles north of Nenana, Alaska, at 37 ,000 feet elevation. The weather was clear with a temperature inversion reported at 23,500 feet. Captain Terauchi reported the lights appeared in front of the aircraft, about 2,000 feet below, moved below the aircraft, and then disappeared behind the aircraft. The phenomenon then occurred again at approximately 151 nautical miles north of Nenana. It was noted at the FAA interview of the flight crew, which was conducted when they landed at Anchorage, that the aircraft flight path was north of and directly over the town of Arctic Village, Alaska, at the time of the first sighting and 45 nautical miles northwest and west of the village of Fort Yukon during the second sighting. Captain Terauchi said at the FAA interview that he thought the unusual lights he saw were those village lights that had been obscured or changed by ice crystals present in the atmosphere (the temperature inversion). The FAA has concluded its inquiry into this report and agrees with the Captain that the phenomena was most likely caused by ice crystals created by the reported temperature inversion. (3) The crew of a Flying Tigers Flight #73, Boeing 747, cargo aircraft, flying at 37,000 feet, reported observing a "target" heading 320 degrees as it approached Anchorage on November 21, 1985. The Air Force was unable to confirm the sighting. This sighting was not investigated by the FAA and there is no file or retrievable data. Steucke said, "The FAA is not in the UFO business and is not interested in reports that do not involve aircraft or the air traffic control system." I US. DeparTment of Transportatt00 ~Aviation Administration I N RESPONSE TO YOUR REQUEST: Alaskan Region February 21, 1987 701 C S tree1. Bo~. 14 Anc ho r rige, A laska 99513 The attached order form is in response to your request for Federal Aviation Administration information regarding the unidentified traffic sighting by the flight crew of Japan Airlines flight 1628, on November 17, 1986. We have described, itemized and listed all the materials that have been produced or obtained by the FAA in this investigation. They are listed on the attached order form. Some persons may have found the cost of purchasing the entire inquiry package of materials to be expensive and contain items that they might not want. Hence, we have taken the opportunity to list and describe each item, with cost, so that your order can be tailored to fit your needs and budget. Please note that an order which totals $5.00 or less will be provided free of charge. Please read the instructions carefully and return your request wit h payment in full. Sincerely, ~0~ Paul Steucke Pu blic Affair s Officer us. Department of TransportctiOn Federal Aviation Administration (The event occurred Ofhce of Public Affus Alaskan Region 701 C Street. Box 14 Anchorage. Alaska 995 13 (907) 27, ·5296 LIST OF RECORDS AVAILABLE ORDER FORM for JAL FLIGHT 1628 UNIDENTIFIED TRAFFIC SIGHTING NOVEMBER 18, 1g~6 UTC on November 17, 19 Alaska Standard Time) Add fees for Administration. send cash. items ordered. Make payable to Federal Aviation Send check or money order; no credit cards. Do not (Note: Do not send payment if total amount of order is less than $5.00. ) TOTAL AMOUNT ENCLOSED: $. __________ _ • FAA WILL PAY COST OF DELIVERY SERVICE BY REGULAR FIRST CLASS U.S. POSTAGE Olil.I.. IF YOU WISH TO HAVE COPIES SENT TO YOU BY FEDERAL EXPRESS , DHL-;---ok OTHER DELIVERY SERVICE, PLEASE INDICATE SERVICE DESIRED, AND PROVIDE YOUR ACCOUNT NUMBER FOR BILLING OF SHIPPING COSTS: Service desire d Account numbe r Address LIST OF RECORDS AVAILABLE ORDER FORM for JAL FLIGHT 1628 UNIDENTIFIED TRAFFIC SIGHTING NOVEMBER 18, 1986 UTC (The event occurred on November 17, 1986 Alaska Standard Time) PLEASE MARK ITEMS DESIRED. Q$194.30 Complete package of all written records and photographs plus all tape recordings. 0 $ 9 4.30 Complete package of written records and photographs only. 0 $5.05 Complete Inspection/Investigator (Flight Standards) package, includes items 1 through 9. 0 $0.30 1. FAA Form 8020-5, Aircraft Incident Record. (Brief summary statement, submitted by Flight Standards Division, January 26, 1987) (2 pages) 0 $0.45 2. 0 $0.30 3. 0 $0.40 4. 0 $1.15 5. 0 $1.10 6 • FAA Form 3112, Inspection and Surveillance Record; notes by Inspector Jack Wright after interview of pilot and crew, 11/17/86. !3 pages written plus 2 pages drawings) FAA Form 1600-32-1, Notes of interview with all three crew members of JAL Flight 1628; completed by Security Inspector Ronald E. Mickle, 11/17/86. (2 pages) FAA Form 1600-32-1, Notes on interview with all three crew members of JAL Flight 1628, map, and drawing by the pilot; completed by Special Agent James Derry, 11/17/86. (4 pages) Transcript of Interview with Captain Terauchi, 1/2/87, by Richard Gordon, manager -of flight standards district office in Anchorage. (19 pages) Written Statement and Drawing by Captain Terauchi; in Ja~anese. (16 pages written, plus 2 pages drawings) - more- Page 2 JAL UNIDENTI FIED TRAFFIC SIGHTING Order List continued 0 $0. 85 0 $1.35 0 $0.50 7. 8. 9. Written Statement by Captain Terauchi; translated by S. Mimoto of FAA Alaskan Region. Enilish translation of item #6. (13 pages) Transcript of Interview with First Officer Tamefuji, on 1/5/87 by Inspector Peter E. Beckner. (23 pages) Transcript of Interview with Flight Engineer Tsukuba on 1/15/87 by Inspector Pete Beckner. (5 pages written, plus 1 page drawing) 0 $67. 7 0 Complete AIR TRAFFIC PACKAGE, includes Items 10 through 12. 0 $3.05 1 0. 0 $7.75 11. Chronology of Events, report of Unidentified Traffic Sighting by Japan Airlines Flight 1628, November 17, 1986. (5 pages) Transcription of communication between air traffic control and JAL Flight 1628. (23 pages) Flight path chart. 1 page (map) Personnel statements. (Statements by seven air traffic control specialists at Anchorage Center.) (8 pages) FAA Form 7230-4, Daily Record of Facility Operations for Anchorage Air Route Traffic Control Center, showing time and watch supervisors' entries of major items in facility log. (3 pages) FAA Form 7230-10, Position Logs. (Record of which employees were working each position at what time.) (2 pages) Anchorage Air Route Traffic Control Center computer printout of Continuous Data Recordings (radar tracking data) (151 pages) -mor e - Page 3 JAL UNIDENTIFIED TRAFFIC SIGHTING Order List continued 0 $57.2 5 12. Simulated Radar Data, JAL Flight 1628. (5 color 7 1/2" X 7 1/2" photos, 5 pages) 0 $0.55 0 $10.00 0 $11. 0 0 0 $25.00 0 $25.00 0 $50.00 FREE ITEMS : Q free Q free Q free 13. Selected portions of voice transcriptions, pilot of JAL 1628 and FAA controllers, in chronological order; as released by FAA Public Affairs Office, March 5, 1987. (Data extracted from transcription in item #9) 14. Series of four black and white 5 11 X 7" glossy photographs of partially regenerated radar data, as photographed by Paul Steucke, January 7, 1987. 15. Series of four color 5" X 7" photographs of partially regenerated radar data, as photographed by Paul Steucke, January 7, 1987. 1 6 • 17. 1 8. Cassette tape of Interview with Captain Terauchi. 57 minutes. (Same data as item #5) Cassette Tamefujl.. tape of Interview with First Officer 45 minutes. (Same data as item #7) Cassette tape of communications between Air Traffic Control and JAL Flight 1628. 1 hour 30 minutes. (Same data as 23 page transcription in item 09) 19. News release by FAA Public Affairs (Information constructed from personal notes provided by Jim Derry, obtained in interviews with JAL Flight 1628 crew the evening of 11/17/86) (2 pages) 20. News release statement March 5, 1987, by FAA Public Affairs Office upon release of investigation m_a t er i a 1 s . 21. Description of "Split-Beacon Target" by FAA Alaskan Region Airway Facilities Division. ( 1 page) -more- Page 4 JAL UNIDENTIFIED TRAFFIC SIGHTI NG Order List continued Q free 22. Alert Report from Director of FAA Alaskan Region to FAA Administrator, 12/31/86. Record of telephone conversations of Deputy Director, FAA Alaskan Region with General Nichols, Colonel Wick, and Captain Jim Crickenberger (U.S. Air Force) on 1/2/87. Table of contents of file kept in FAA Alaskan Region Director's office, pertaining to 11/17/86 unidentified object sighting by Japan Air Lines flight 1628. (5 pages) PLEASE COMPLETE AND RETURN THE ENTIRE ORDER FORM TO: FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION ATTN: PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE, AAL-5 701 C STREET, BOX 14 ANCHORAGE, ALASKA 99513 • - August 2010 Technical Guidelines for Digitizing Cultural Heritage Materials: Creation of Raster Image Master Files For the Following Originals -Manuscripts, Books, Graphic Illustrations, Artwork, Maps, Plans, Photographs, Aerial Photographs, and Objects and Artifacts Acknowledgements: Federal Agencies Digitization Initiative Still Image Working Group; Rebecca Osborne and Catherine Scott, IBM; Karen Griggs; Erin Rhodes and Steven Puglia, US National Archives and Records Administration ---- /I /I Document Information Title Technical Guidelines for Digitizing Cultural Heritage Materials: Creation of Raster Image Master Files Author Federal Agencies Digitization Initiative (FADGI) -Still Image Working Group Document Type Technical Guidelines Publication Date 2009 Revisions to Document Date of Revision I Editor(s) August 2010 \ Don Williams and Michael Stelmach Update to Objective Performance Guidelines and minor editorial changes. Specific changes to Objective Performance Guidelines include a change to the mid-frequency SFR and the addition of Sharpening as a performance measure. February 2009 I Erin Rhodes and Steve Puglia Update to complete conversion to (FADGI) -Still lmaqe Workinq Group quideline November 2008 I Karen Griggs Update to convert to (FADGI) -Still lmaqe Workinq Group guideline September 2008 I Rebecca Osborne and Catherine Scott Source Documents Title Author(s) Technical Guidelines for Digitizing Archival Records for Steven Puglia, Jeffrey Reed, and Erin Rhodes Electronic Access: Creation of Production Master Files - U.S. National Archives and Records Administration Raster Images http:llwww.archives.govlpreservationltechnicallguidelines.pdf Federal Agencies Digitization Initiative Still Image Working Group -August 201 o Table of Contents SCOPE ....... ....... .............................. ................................................................................ 2 II. TECHNICAL OVERVIEW ........................................................................................ 4 Raster Image Characteristics ..................... ............. .............. ................. .......... ......................................................... .4 Spatial Resolution ................................................................. ....................................... ............................. ................ 4 Sign al Resolution ... .. ..... .......... .... ................................................... ......................................................... ................. .4 Color Mode ....................................................................................................................... ............................. ........... 5 Digitization Environment ...... .... .............. ...................................... ................... ........................................................... S V iewing Conditions ... ....................... ..................................... ................................... ..................................... ..... ...... 6 Monitor Settings, Light Boxes, and Viewing Booths ................... .......................... .. ........................................ ........ 6 The Room .... ..... .............................................................................................................. .......................................... 6 Practical Experience ... ......................................................... .................................................... ..................... ............ 6 Monitor Calibration ... ......................................................... ....... .............. ................................................................. 7 Quantifying Scanner/Digital Camera Performance ........... ...................................................... ................................ 7 Introduction .......................... ................................................................................... ... .......... ............................. ... ..... 7 Tests for Objective Performance ofScanners/Carn eras ........................................................................... ............... 13 Test Frequency and Equipment Variability .......................................................... .................... ....................... ....... 14 D igital Imaging - Objective Performance Measures ........................................ ... ...... ............................................. 15 Digital Imaging -Objective Performance Guidelines ............................................................................................ 29 Other Artifacts or Imaging Problems .... ...................... ................................ ............................................... ..... ........ 34 Reference Targets ...................................................... ... ..... .................. ................ ............... ............ .. ... ...................... 34 Targets -Device-level and Object-level ................................................................... ........................................... ... 35 Scale and Dimensional References ............................. ....................................................................... ..................... 37 Targets for Tone and Color Reproduction ............ ..... ............................................................. ................................ 37 Reflection Scanning .... ............ .......................... ..... ............................... .................... ......................................... 37 Transmission Scanning -Positives ........................ .. .............................................................. .... ........................ 38 Transmission Scanning - Negatives ............... ................................................................................................... 38 Ill. IMAGING WORKFLOW ..................................................................................... 39 Adjusting Image Files ............... ................... ................. ........ ........ ............ .. ..... .... .................................................... .. 39 Overview ........................... ........................................ .............................................................................................. 39 Scanning Aimpoints .. ............................ ..................................................... ................................................................ 40 Aimpoints for Photographic Gray Scales - .... ................................................. .................................. ................... .. .42 Alternative Aimpoints for Kodak Color Control Patches (color bars) ................................................................... .44 Ai111point Variability ........................ ......................................................................................... ............................. . 44 Minimum and Maximum Levels ......... .......................................... .. ...................................................................... .44 Color Management Background: .......... ...................................... ............................................ ................................ .44 International Color Consortium (ICC) Color Management System ................................... ................................ ... .45 Profiles ........ ..................................... ................................................................ ..... .................................................. 45 Rendering Intents ................... ................................................................................ ............................................ .. .. .46 Color Management Modules .................................................................... ...... ..... .... ................................................ 46 Technical Guidelines for Digitizing Cultural Heritage Materials: Creation of Raster Image Master Files I I / Federal Agencies Digitization Initiative Still Image Working Group -August 201 O Image Processing ....................................................................................................................................................... 47 Colo r Correction and Tonal Adjustments ....................... ...................................................................... ................. .47 Sharpening . ......... ... ................................................................................................................................................. 47 Sample Image Processing \.Vorkflow: ...................................................................................................................... 48 Scanning ... ....................................................... ..... ... ...... ......... .... ...................... ...................................................... 48 Post-Scan A djustment/Correction : . .................................................... .... ..... ...... ................ ......... ............................. 48 IV. DIGITIZATION SPECIFICATIONS FOR RECORD TYPES ............................... 49 Cleanliness of Work Area, Digitization Equipment, and Originals ...................................................................... 50 Cropping ..................................................................................................................................................................... 50 Backing reflection originals .......................................... ............................................................................................ 50 Scanning Encapsulated or Sleeved Originals ........................ .................................................................................. 50 Embossed seals ........................................................................................................................................................... 51 Compensating for Minor Deficiencies ...................................................................................................................... 51 Scanning Text ............................................................................................................................................................. 51 Scanning Oversized .......... ......................................................................................................................................... 52 Scanning Photographs .......................................................................................... ...................... ............................... 52 Scanning Intermediates ... .......................................................................................................................................... 53 Scanning Microfilm .......................................................................................................... ......................................... 53 Illustrations of Record Types: .................................................................................................................................. 54 Textual Documents, Graphic Illustrations/Artwork, Maps, Plans, and Oversized ............................................. 59 Photogra phs - Film I Camera Origi nals - Black-and-White and Color - Transmission Scanning ....... ............... 60 Photographs - Prints - Black-and-White, Monochrome, and Color - Reflection Scanning: ............. .................. 62 Aerial - Transmission Scanning ............. .......................... .................................................................................. 64 Aerial - Reflection Scanning: ........ ..................................................................................................................... 65 Objects and Artifacts ....... ................................................... ............................................ ....... ............................. 66 V. FILE FORMAT COMPARISON ............................................................................... 67 VI. METADATA ....................................................................................................... 70 Common Metadata Types .............................................................................................. ......................... ...... ............ 71 Descriptive .... .. ...... ..... ........................................................................................................................................... .. 71 Adn1inistrative .............. .... ....... .................... .. ........................................................................... .............................. 72 Rights ..... .............................................................. · .. · ..... ...... · .......... ........................................ ........ ......................... 72 Technical ........ ...... ............ ............................. ··.··.··· ......... · .. · .. · ........................ ......................................................... 73 Structura l. ................................................................................................ ................................................................ 74 Behavior ... .............. ...... ...................... ............ .................. .................. ... ... .............. ................ ... .............................. 74 Preservation ......... .................. ................................ ........................... .................................................................... .. 75 Tracking ................. .... ..... ....... ................................................................................................................................. 75 Technical Guidelines for Digitizing Cultural Heritage Materials: Creation of Raster Image Master Files ' I I ) Federal Agencies Digitization Initiative Still Image Working Group - A ugust 2010 Meta-Metadata ........................................................................................................................................................ 76 Assessment ofMetadata Needs for Imaging Projects ....................... ................................. .............................. ....... 76 Relationships ............................................. ........................................................... ................................................... 79 Pem1anent and Temporary Metadata ................ ....... ......... ......................... ............................................................. 79 File Formats ................................................................................................. .............................................................. 79 File Naming ........ ............ ............................................................................................................................................ 79 Directory Strncture .................................................................................................................................... ............. 81 Versioning ... ..... .................................... ..... ........................................................................ ...................................... 81 Naming Derivative Files ...................... .............................................................................. ... .......... ........................ 81 VII. STORAGE RECOMMENDATIONS ........................................................................ 81 Digital Repositories and the Long-Tem1 Management of Files and Metadata ....................................................... 82 VIII. QUALITY MANAGEMENT ................................................................................. 82 Completeness ......................... ....................................................................................................... .............................. 82 Inspection of Digital Image Files .............................................................................................................................. 82 File Related .............................................................................................................. ............................................ ... 83 01iginal/Document Related .................. .............................................................................. .... ................................ 83 Metadata Related .......................................................... ......... ............................. ....... ..................................... ... ..... 83 Image Quality Related ........... ............................................................. .................................................................... 83 Quality Control of Metadata .......................................................... ....................... ............... .................................... 84 Documentation ..................... ............................... ................. ...................................................................................... 86 Testing Results and Acceptance/Rejection .............................................................................................................. 86 APPENDIX A : DIGITIZING FOR PRESERVATION REFORMATTING OF PHOTOGRAPHS .......................................................................................................... 87 APPENDIX B: RECORDS HANDLING FOR DIGITIZATION ....................................... 91 APPENDIX C: RESOURCES SCOPE .......................................................................... 92 List of Tables Textual Documents ....................................................................................................................... 37 Oversized Records ..................... ................................................................................................... 38 Photographs ... ............................................................................................ .................................... 39 Aerial Photographs ....................................................................... ................................................. 40 Graphic Illustrations/ Artwork/Origin als ....................................................................................... 40 O bjects and Artifacts ..................................................................................................................... 41 Tech nical Guidelines for Digitizing Cultural Heritage Materials: Creation of Raster Image Master Files iii - I ) Federal Agencies Digitization Initiative Still Image Working Group - August 201 o I. INTRODUCTION Context The Technical Guidelines for Digitizing Cultural Heritage Materials: Creation of Ras ter Image Master Files represents shared best practices followed by agencies participating in the Federal Agencies Digitization Guidelines Initiative (FADGI) Still Image Working Group for digitizing cultural heritage materials. This group is involved in a cooperative effort to develop common digitization guidelines for still image materials (such as texhial content, maps, and photographic prints and negatives) found in culhtral heritage instihltions. These Guidelines were prepared by members of the working group during the winter of 2009-2010. This document draws substantially on the National Archives and Records Administration' s Technical Guidelines.for Digitizing Archival Records f or Electronic Access : Creation o.fProducLion Masler Files -Rasler Images (June 2004 ), but has been revised and updated in several areas to reflect the clment recommendations of the working group and to reflect changes that have occuned in the digitization field during the last five years. Readers will find updated sections covering equipment and image perfonnance metrics, quality management, and metadata in this revision. For more information on the activities of the FADGI Still Image Working Group, please see http://wwv.; .digitizationguidelines.gov/. Purpose One of the tasks of the FADGI Still Imaging Working Group is to develop digital imaging guidelines that encourage and reflect collaborative digitization practices among federal agencies (and other interested institutions) in order to provide the public with images of uniform quality, and to provide a common set of practices and technical benchmarks for digiti7Mion service providers and manufacturers. In the context of the work of the F ADGI Still Imaging Group, some of the primary objectives of these Guidelines are to: • Provide an approach to digitization that is practical today • Describe technical parameters that promote a "well-defined" imaging environment • Provide a consistent approach to imaging and metadata collection that will be appropriate for a wide range of outputs and purposes • Define a common set of quality or perfonnance metTics to be used in describing and evaluating the digital object, as well as methods of validating those measures to defined requirements Lay the groundwork for issues the Still Imaging Working Group intends to focus on in the coming months for potential incorporation into these Guidelines , including: metric aims and limits for imaging performance and quality specifications; color encoding accuracy; master and derivative file fonnats; transmissive image analysis targets; full lifecycle quality management plan; objective and subjective image performance analysis, and embedded/minimal metadata, among others These Guidelines define approaches for creating high quality digital copies of originals used primarily for facilitating online access and hardcopy reproduction. They may be considered appropriate for preservation purposes (to create copies that could replace the original), but this largely depends on the local or internal policies of an organiz ation. Therefore, the recommendations in this document may not be appropriate for all preservation uses (for example, scientific analysis). Master files These Guidelines provide technica l approaches to the creation of raster image (pixel-based) master files. In creating master files, the primary objective is to produce digital images that look like the original items and to create a " reasonable reproduction" without enhancement. However, practice may vaiy from institution to institution regarding the amount of processing or editing that is perfonned on master files. Technical Guidelines for Digitizing Cultural Heritage Materials: Creation of Raster Image Master Files J Federal Agencies Digitization Initiative Still Image Working Group -August 2010 ln general, master files have the following attributes: • • • Maintain the essential features and info1111ation of the original Represent the best copy produced by a digitizing organization, with best defined as meeting the objectives of a particular project or program Represent digital content that the organization intends to maintain and manage for the long term • Are created primarily for the production of a range of copies used for specific purposes (such as derivatives and duplicates) • Document the image at the time of scanning, not what it may once have looked like if restored to its original condition Institutions may create one or more digital master copies depending on the nah1re of the originals and the intended purpose of digitization. Digitization should be done in a "use-neutral" manner, and should not geared for any specific output. If digitization is done to recommended image parameters and all other requirements as described in these Guidelines, we believe the master image files produced should be usable for a wide variety of applications and outputs. If digitization is done to meet the alternative minimum image parameters and all other requirements, the master image files should be usable for many access applications, particularly for web usage and reproduction requests. Generally, given the high costs and effort for digitization projects, we do not recommend digitizing to anything less than the alternative minimum image parameters. This assumes availability of suitable high-quality digitization equipment that meets the assessment criteria described (see the section on Quantifying Scanner/Digital Camera Perfonnance) and produces image files that meet the minimum quality described in the Guidelines. If digitization equipment fails any of tht: asst:ssmta1t l:rileria or is um1bk lo μruJul:t: i1m1gt: fiks uf miuimum quality, lht:n it may bt: desirable to invest in better equipment or to contract with a vendor for digitization services. SCOPE The focus of the Guidelines is on historical, cultural and archival materials. The scope is limited to digitization practices for still image materials only (e.g., textual content, maps, photographic prints and negatives). The Guidelines are intended to be infom1ative, not prescriptive. We acknowledge tha t this document does not address the entire range of imaging quality parameters (such as noise, distortion, etc.), but these topics will be incorporated as the Still Image Working Group identifies recommendations in these areas. The Working Group has produced a "Gap Analysis" document that identifies and prioritizes digitization activities that are not currently defined within existing agency guidelines, or are not adequately addressed by existing guidelines. The Gap Analysis contains topics that the Working Group intends to investigate and provide as updates and recommendations in future versions of these Guidelines. The current Gap Analysis can be found on the F ADGI website at : http:// www.digitizationguidelines.gov/stillimages/documents/Gap.html. We hope to provide a technical foundation for digitization activities, but further research will be necessary to make infonned decisions regarding all aspects of administrative, operational, and technical issues surrounding the creation of digital images. These guidelines provide a range of options for various technical aspects of digitization primarily relating to image capture, but do not recommend a single approach. The following topics are addressed in this document: Digital image capture for still images - creation of master files, image parameters, digitization environment, color management, etc. • Color encoding accuracy -color space. color temperature for imaging and viewing, quality of linear vs. area arrays, and quality of different interpolation algorithms Technical Guidelines for Digitizing Cultural Heritage Materials: Creation of Raster Image Master Files 2 ---- I ) - Federal Agencies Digitization Initiative Still Image Working Group -August 2010 II. TECHNICAL OVERVIEW Raster Image Characteristics Spatial Resolution Spatial resolution detennines the amount of infonnation in a raster image file in terms of the number of picture elements or pixels per unit of measurement, but it does not define or guarantee the quality of the information. Spatial resolution defines how finely or widely spaced the individual pixels are from each other. The higher the spatial resolution, the more finely spaced and the higher the number of pixels overall. The lower the spatial resolution, the more widely spaced and the fewer the number of pixels overall. Spatial resolution is measured as pixels per inch or PP!; pixels per millimeter or pixels per centimeter are also used. Resolution is often referred to as dots per inch or DPI. In common usage, the te1ms PPI and DPI are used interchangeably. Since raster image files are composed of pixels, technically PPI is a more accurate term and is used in this document (one example in support of using the PPI term is that Adobe Photoshop software uses the pixels per inch terminology). DP! is the appropriate tem1 for describing printer resolution (actual dots vs. pixels); however, DP! is used often in scanning and image processing software to refer to spatial resolution and this usage is an understandable convention. The spatial resolution and the image dimensions detennine the total number of pixels in the image; an 8"xl0" photograph scanned at I 00 ppi produces an image that has 800 pixels by 1000 pixels or a total of 800,000 pixels. The numbers ofrows and columns of pixels, or the height and width of the image in pixels as described in the previous sentence, is known as the pixel array. When specifying a desired file size, it is always necessary to provide both the resolution and the image dimensions; ex. 300 ppi at S" x 1 O" or even 300 ppi at original size. The image file size, in tenns of data storage, is proportional to the spatial resolution (the higher the resolution, the larger the file size for a set document size) and to the size of the document being scanned (the larger the document, the larger the file size for a set spatial resolution). Increasing resolution increases the total number of pixels, resulting in a larger image file. Scanning larger documents produces more pixels resulting in larger image files. Higher spatial resolution provides more pixels, and generally will render more fine detail of the original in the digital image, but not always. The actual rendition of fine detail is more dependent on the spatial frequency response SFR) of the scanner or digital camera (see Quantifying Sca1mer/Digital Camera Performance below), the image processing applied, and the characteristics of the item being scanned. Also, depending on the intended usage of the master files. there may be a practical limit to how much fine detail is actually needed. Signal Resolution Bit-depth or signal resolution, sometimes called tonal resolution, defines the maximum number of shades and/or colors in a digital image file, but does not define or guarantee the quality of the information. In a I-bit file each pixel is represented by a single binary digit (either a 0 or I), so the pixel can be either black or white. There are only two possible combinations or 2 1 = 2. The common standard for grayscale and color images is to use 8-bits (eight binary digits representing each pixel) of data per channel and this provides a maximum of 256 shades per channel ranging from black to white; 2s = 256 possible combinations of zeroes and ones. High-bit or 16-bits ( 16 binary digits representing each pixel) per channel images can have a greater number of shades compared to 8-bit per channel images, a maximum of over 65,000 shades vs. 256 shades; 216 -65,536 possible combinations of zeroes and ones. Well done 8-bits per channel imaging will meet most needs -with a limited ability for major corrections, transfom1ations, and re-purposing. Gross corrections of 8-bit per channel images may cause shades to drop out of the image, creating a posterization effect due to the 1 imited number of shades. High-bit images can match the effective shading and density range of photographic originals (assuming the scanner is actually able to caphtre the information), and, due to the greater shading (compared to 8-bits per channel), may be beneficial when re-purposing images and when working with images that need major or excessive adjustments to the tone distribution and/or color balance. However, at this time, monitors for viewing images and output devices for Technical Guidelines for Digitizing Cultural Heritage Materials: Creation of Raster Image Master Files 4 Federal Agencies Digitization Initiative Still Image Working Group -August 2010 printing images all render high-bit images at 8-bits per pixel, so there is limited practical benefit to saving high-bit images and no way to verify the accuracy and quality of high-bit images. Also, it is best to do a good job during digitization to ensure accurate tone and color reproduction, rather than relying on post-scan co1Tection of high-bit images. Poorly done high-bit imaging has no benefit. Color Mode Grayscale image files consist of a single channel, commonly either 8-bits (256 levels) or l 6-bits ( 65,536 levels) per pixel with the tonal values ranging from black to white. Color images consist of three or more grayscale channels that represent color and brightness infom1ation. Common color modes include RGB (red, green, blue), CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, black), and LAB (lightness, red-green, blue-yellow). The chaimels in color files may be either 8-bits (256 levels) or 16-bits (65,536 levels). Display and output devices mathematically combine the numeric values from the multiple chaimels to form full color pixels, ranging from black to white and to full colors. RGB represents an additive color process: red, green, and blue light are combined to fonn white light. This is the approach conm1only used by computer monitors and televisions, film recorders that image onto photographic film, and digital printers/enlargers that print to photographic paper. RGB files have three color channels: 3 channels x 8- bits = 24-bit color file or 3 channels x 16-bits = 48-bit color. All scanners and digital cameras create RGB files by sampling for each pixel the amount of light passing through red, green and blue filters that is being reflected or transmitted by the item or scene being digitized. Black is represented by combined RGB levels of 0-0-0, and white is represented by combined RGB levels of 255-255-255. This is based on 8-bit imaging and 256 levels from 0 to 255; this convention is used for 16-bit imaging as well, despite the greater number of shades. All neutral colors have equal levels in all three color channels. A pure red color is represented by levels of 255-0-0, pure green by 0-255-0, and pure blue by 0-0-255. CMYK files are an electronic representation of a subtractive process: cyan (C), magenta (M), and yellow (Y) are combined to fonn black. CMYK mode files are used for prepress work and include a fourth channel representing black ink (K). The subtractive color approach is used in printing press es (four color printing), rnlor inkjet and laser printers (four color inks, many photo inkjet printers now have more colors), and almost all traditional color photographic processes (red, green and blue sensitive layers that form cyan, magenta and yellow dyes). LAB color mode is a device independent color space that is matched to human perception: three channels representing lightness (L, equivalent to a grayscale version of the image), red and green information (A), and blue and yellow infonnation (B). One benefit of LAB mode is that it is matched to human perception, and also LAB mode does not require color profiles (see section on color management). Disadvantages of LAB include the potential loss of information in the conversion from the RGB mode files from scanners and digital cameras, the need to have high-bit data, and the fact that few applications and file fonnats supp011 it . Avoid saving files in CMYK mode; CMYK files have a significantly reduced color gamut (see section on color management) and are not suitable for master image files for digital imaging projects involving holdings/collections in cultural institutions. While theoretically LAB may have benefits, at this time we feel that RGB files produced to the color and tone reproduction described in these guidelines and saved with an Adobe RGB 1998 color profile (or, alternatively, an sRGB color profile), are the most practical option for master files and are relatively device independent. We acknowledge that the workflow described in these guidelines to produce RGB master files may incur some level ofloss of data; however, we believe the benefits of using RGB files brought to a common rendering outweigh the minor loss. Digitization Environment Our recommendations and the ISO standards referred to below are based on using CRT monitors; however, the criteria s pecified below also applies to LCD monitors, as LCDs have now replaced CRTs in most imaging environments .. Be aware that inexpensive LCD monitors may have artifacts that make it difficult to distinguish image quality problems in the image files, and the appearance of colors and monitor brightness can shift with the viewing angle of the LCD panel. We reconunend using a high-end LCD monitor designed for the graphic arts, photography, or multimedia markets. Technical Guidelines for Digitizing Cultural Heritage Materials: Creation of Raster Image Master Files ------ 5 Federal Agencies Digitization Initiative Still Image Working Group -August 2010 Viewing Conditions A variety of factors will affect the appearance of images, whether displayed or printed on reflective, transmissive or emissive devices or media. Those factors that can be quantified must be controlled to assure proper representation of an image. We recommend following the guidance in the following standards- • TSO 3664 Viewing Conditions-For Graphic Technology and Photography Provides specifications governing viewing images on reflective and transmissive media, as well as images displayed on a computer monitor without direct comparison to any fom1 of the originals. ISO 12646 Graphic Technology-Displays for Colour Proofing-Characteristics and Viewing Conditions Provides specific requirements for monitors and their surrounds for direct comparison of images on a computer monitor with originals (known as soft proofing). NOTE: The following are common parameters controlled by users, however, refer to the standards for complete requirements and test methods. In particular, ISO 12646 specifies additional hardware requirements for monitors to ensure a reasonable quality level necessary for comparison to hardcopy. Monitor Settings, Light Boxes, and Viewing Booths We assume the assessment of many digital images will be made in comparison to the originals that have been digitized, therefore ISO 12646 should be followed where it supplements or differs from ISO 3664. We recommend digital images be viewed on a computer monitor set to 24 bits (millions of colors) or greater, and calibrated to a gamma of 2.2. ISO 12646 recommenrls the color tempernture of the monitor also he set to SOOOK (DSO illnmin;int) to mMch the w hite point of the illumination used for v iewing the originals. Monitor luminance level must be at least 85 cd/m2, and should be 120 cd/m 2 or higher. The computer/monitor desktop should be set to a neutral gray background (avoid images, patterns, and/or strong colors), preferably no more than l 0% of the maximum luminance of the screen. For viewing originals, we reconm1end using color correct light boxes or viewing booths that have a color temperature of 5000K (050 illuminant), as specified in ISO 3664. ISO 3664 provides two luminance le vels for viewing originals, ISO 12646 recommends using the lower levels (P2 and T2) when comparing to the image on screen. The actual illumination level on originals should be adjusted so the perceived brightness of white in the originals matches the brightness of white on the monitor. The Room The viewing environment should be painted/decorated a neutrnl, matte gray with a 60% reflectance or less to minimize flare and perceptual biases. Monitors should be positioned to avoid reflections and direct illumination on the screen. ISO 12646 requires the room illumination be less than 32 tux when measured anywhere between the monitor and the observer, and the light a color temperature of approximately 5000K. Practical Experience In practice, we have found a tolerable range of deviation from the measurements required in the ISO standards. When the ambient room lighting is kept below the limit set in ISO 12646, its color temperature can be lower than 5000K, as long as it is less than the monitor color temperature. To compensate for environments that may not meet the ISO standards, as well as difficulties comparing analog originals to images on a monitor, th e color temperature may need to be set higher than 5000K so that the range of grays from white to black appears neutral when viewed in the actual working environment. The higher color Technical Guidelines for Digitizing Cultural Heritage Materials: Creation of Raster Image Master Files 6 ---' ) Federal Agencies Digitization Initiative Still Image Working Group -August 201 O temperature may also be necessary for older monitors to reach an appropriate brightness, as long as neutrals don't appear too blue when compared to neutral hardcopy under the specified illumination. Monitor Calibration In order to meet and maintain the monitor settings summarized above, we recommend using LCD monitors designed for the graphic arts, photography, or multimedia markets. A photosensor-based color calibrator (colorimeter or spectrodensitometer) and appropriate software (either bundled with the monitor or a third party application) should be used to calibrate the monitor to the aims discussed above. This is to ensure desired color temperature, luminance level, neutral color balance, and linearity of the red, green, and blue representations on the monitor are achieved. If using an ICC color managed workflow (see section on color management), an ICC profile should be created after monitor calibration for c01Tect rendering of images. The monitor should be checked regularly and recalibrated when necessary. Using a photosensor-based monitor calibrator, however, does not always ensure monitors are calibrated well. Ten years of practical experience has shown ca librators and calibration software may not work accurately or consistently. After calibration, it is important to assess the monitor visually, to make sure the monitor is adjusted appropriately. Assess overall contrast, brightness, and color neutrality of the gray desktop. Also, evaluate both color neutrality and detail rendering in white and black areas. This can be done using an image target of neutral patches ranging from black to white and saved in LAB color mode (since LAB does not require an ICC profile and can be viewed independently of the color managed process). In addition, it may be helpful to evaluate sample images or scans of targets - such as the NARA Monitor Adjustment Target (shown below) and/or a known image such as a scan of a Kodak grayscale adjusted to the aimpoints (such as the NARA aimpoints 8-8-8/105-105-105/24 7-247-247) described below. When the monitor is adjusted anci calihrnted appropriately, the NARA Monitor Adjustment T arget (shown at left) and/or an adjusted image of a Kodak gray scale will look reaso nably accurate. Images with ICC color profiles will display accurately within color managed applications, and sRGB profiled images should display reasonably accurately outside color managed applications as well. The NARA Monitor Adjustment Target and the gray scale aimpoints are based on an empirical evaluation of a large number of monitors, on both Windows and Macintosh computers, and represent the average of the group. Over the last fifteen of years calibrating and adjusting monitors in this manner, we have found the onscreen representation to be very good on a wide variety of monitors and computers. Quantifying Scanner/Digital Camera Performance Introduction A key element in our approach to developing guidelines is to de sc ribe and document a common foundation of quality metrics for investigating and evaluating digital objects created through digital imaging. The first table in this section (Part 1 -Taxonomy of Digital Imaging Performance) provides just that - a taxonomy of imaging performance. This hierarchical classification demonstrates the connections among related [existing] imaging characteristics, and provides context and a framework for the army of commonly used terms and the appropriate imag ing standards available for the evaluation of digital image files. The additional five tables in this section (Part 11 - Evaluation and Quality Control of Digital Imaging) build upon the framework set forth in the first table and provide operational metrics and criteria for evaluating digital image characteristics for purposes of investigation or, when used with specific requirements, or for quality control purposes. Technical Guidelines for Digitizing Cultural Heritage Materials: Creation of Raster Image Master Files 7 Federal Agencies Digitization Initiative Still Image Working Group -August 2010 Future work of the Still Image Working Group will rely on the information in these tables to establish quantitative guidelines using the described derivative metrics and evaluation criteria. The actual values that will be inse1ted into specific imaging guidelines will depend on the content to be digitized and the objectives for digitization. Graphical symbols used in the row labeled "Evaluative Criteria (units)" indicate Prima1y , Secondary and Tertia1y measures (see tables below). These have meaning both across and within metrics. Across the metrics or image characteristics, they indicate the relative importance as a factor of image quality; from the highest (Primary) to the lowest (Tertiary). The same concept applies within the measurement for a given metric. Taking SFR as an example, Max SFR gain is suggested as the Primary Measure under Sharpening, and Sign of SFR slope as a Secondary Measure. There are also two additional infonnational tiers included in the table. One of these provides a listing of related descriptive tem1s that may be more commonly known to users. The bottom-most tier provides a list of possible causes of failure related to a particular metric. A a short primer and o ven1iew on imaging science is available as a Powerpoint at http://digitizationguidelines. gov/stillimages/presentations.htrnl Part 1 -Taxonomy of Digital Imaging Performance See subsequent pages for information on definitions, candidate evaluation criteria, related descriptive tenns, and failure causes ~i Signal 5l Noise ~~ ·a ~o ~ 1il OECF SFR jij ci::: Radiometric: Distortion c: t~ (Opto-Electronic Cl NPS Geometric: Distortion ·~J ( Spatial Frequency in Conversion ~ Function) Response) (Noise Power Spectrum) Total Noise i Olrotni1 ~ ~ a- TemDOnJ/ Fixed o;. ttem ,,~,~ i t ·~ R ~ I i ~ i ~ i i ~ 1 i ~ I ~ <ti -.:::. ~ I ~ '11111: ~ ~ ~ el ~ I i ·1 j ~ ~ j .. ~ ~ .s ~ i i:l- ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ l t ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ at di J ~ ·!:.:! ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ·S 'i ~ !:II ! ;e. - ~ ' ~ t e:: ~ e e ~ ~ :§ ~ ! I ~ ~ ~ "" I .~ .i:;; 1 ~ ~ ~ 1 ~ ~ .!;;! ~ .!;! ~ (!! ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ::5 ~ I ~ ~ 1::5 ~ :§ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ c2! ~ a • While imaging noise Is generally considered to be of a random or stochastic granular nature (e.g., photographic film grain), it can actually take many forms. We have c:hosen to categorize It In both by its deterministic and stochastic behaviors. Technical Guidelines for D igitizing Cultural Heritage Materials: Creation of Raster Image Master Files 8 ----I ) Federal Agencies Digitization Initiative Still Image Working Group - August 2010 r~ ·~~ .D Q) ~~ ~I Q) l!B. f~~ 'C KJ'! ~~ fll~ . ·~ 8 " 5 ~o :,p ttl ~ ,i; -<I: ~~ ~ ::> !~ l5 "' ·~ u Q. Part II -Evaluation and Quality Control of Digital Imaging -SIGNAL- OECF -Opto Electronic Conversion Function (ISO 14545) TIF - Tone Transfer Function TRC -Tone Reproduction Curve definition: Average large area digital response of an electronic imaging device to light stimuli Sensitivitv Tone aod ExRQsure White Balance[Neutralitx'. Color EocodiogLReoderiog (ISO 12232) definition : characteristic behavior of definition: equivalence of large area Accuracy definition: The reciprocal of the large area di9itat output response color channel output respanses to a f1ef/nltion: The dllference between selectl!d amount or light necessary to ( count value) to spectrally neutral range of spectrally neutral input stimuli physically measured input cO:Ors and their achieve a desired output input stimuli ( gray patch) I ntended output rendering rrom a g iven color response. space. -Responsivity - Too dar1</light -Color cast -Over/under sallJratl!d colors - Speed -Under/over eicposed -Gray balance -Color balance Is wrong -Exposure Index (EI) -No shadow/highlight detail -Memory colors are not correct -Olpplng -Color /la:Jracy -Contrast -Color Saturation -Exposure N:oJracy e: Saturation based speed e: Average, median, maximum or e: Average, median, maximum, or RMS RMS deviation from aim for neutral deviation from aim for dlromatic patches of units: T8D patx:hes of lntl!rest. e: AveraQe, median, maximum, or Interest lVIJIS': Count Values, t:J.. • , Density, f. RMS deviation from aim between color stops channels ( R-G, R·B, G·B ) for neutral Units{• ): Coont Values, Delta E (ll.E), Delta w: Noise based speed w : Deviation from a reference OECF patches or lntl!rest. E (llEa•b•), units: 780 gamma value Units r•J: Count Values, llEa•b• I Units{• ): Delta C, Delta H 0 : Exposure Index, Standard units: gamma ( unitless) Units( • ) : Delta C, Delta H Output Sensllivlty • Jneffident Imaging detector -Auto-contrast failures -Poor auto-white balance algorithm -Color profile tweaked for preference -Inappropriate blad</whlte point -Bad white /blade point calibration -Wrong oolor profile intent calibration. -Sparse gray paten balancing -Wrong COior profile dlosentembedded -Wrona gamma selection or tone aim -Color Balance -Cnlnr pmfila ;l~mptioM lrw:o~~Mt with -Strongly COiored environmental pradloo (I.e. lighting quarity, gamma, surround Intent, etc.) -Environmental : highly dlromatic oolor surround/dothlng Technical Guidelines for Digitizing Cultural Heritage Materials: Creation of Raster Image Master Files 9 ) Federal Agencies Digitization Initiative Still Image Working Group - August 2010 -SIGNAL- "' SFR -Spatial Frequency Response - ( ISO 12233, ISO 16067-1, ISO 16067-2, ISO 15524) c: MTF -Modulation Transfer Function -~~ ·g.~ definition: A spatial frequency descriptor of an imaging system's ability to maintain the relative contrast of input stimuli w Si:!rnl:lliog Bate Resolution Sharneoing A!::l.lti!m;~ ffitre. Q~i;itb Qf~l.l:i Definition: The Definirion: An lm"!llng Defim/Jon :Amplification or the SFR Definit:iotr. An objective Derlflition : o s "rty Defimlicn: Tl>e d/Sfance QI reciprocal of !11e system's aoillty to resol\/e by means of image processing to SFR based metric that Is or wide spreading olong tire optical a<is (JJ;Jt Jj centeH:o·aent:er nneiy spaced detaa. ad'11eve sharper appeanng 1fild(Jes used as a correlate tn of light. rml<>ins 1-nrNn ilCa!ptab/e <hSlance between The 1...,,1 of spatial detail U1at perceiived image frx:us. Closest adjacent can resolved 1n an Image sharpness. pixels. The number or samples per unit distance. • Megapixels - Blurred -Oversharpening ( haloing, garish • Sharp -Low oontrast • Deptl1 ol field ]l•~ • Dots per Inell (dpi) -So~ edges) -Hazy • Cirde ol oonfusion • Pixels per Inch (ppi) - Sharp -Snap - Ghosting • Focus tolerance ~i~ • Samplng frequency -In/Out of locus -Edgy, Sharp, Crisp • Yelling nare • Hyperfocal distance ~ ~ -Spherical aberration - Edge enhancement • Glare "O -Spatial de!illi -Unsharp masking - Integrating cavity effect f!CEl e : The number d e : 10% sampling ef'ficiEncy e: Max SFR gain e: Area under 111e SFR •%Rare- e : Distance alOflll the ~i captured or based on Luminance SFR units: % SFR resPonse as weigh!Ed by an units: (unit less) optical axis that remains de!M!red pixels per units: ( unit less) appropriately chosen In aa:eptable locus ~j unit distance In botl1 visual oontrast function. units: inches, mm. N~~ tl1e horilolltal and • : Min/Max 10% spatial units: TBD vertical dimensions frequency limits of l.IJmlnance 5 ! units: dots-per~inch, SFR II urits: dot cvdes/mm ~ ~ o pixels·per-lnch w: Min/Max 50% spatial w: Siiln of SFR slope ~-"' trequency limits of Luminance units : positilleJ negative Slope rtid:: ~II SFR vaf!Je • urits: dol, cvcles/mm -Poor canbration • Poor (auto) focus • OVer aggressive sharpening -Op(lcal performance -Dirty lens • Poor F-nll!lber choice ., QJ ~ technique • Poor optics settings exx:eeds sampling rate • Light source ~~ • Wrong choice or • Poor choice of apertUre stop -Insumoent signal to amplify dl rea:ed into lens units at callbratlon -Mechanical vibration - llllnl<ing that If a little Is good • Poor quality lens ~ 42 13 • Oller" aggressive rolse !11en more must be better. - Stray light control Technical Guidelines for Digitizing Cultural Heritage Materials: Creation of Raster Image Master Files 10 _J_ Federal Agencies Digitization Initiative Still Image Working Group -August 2010 -NOISE- Engineering -Radiometric Distortion - Mebic definition: The deviation of any given spatially imaged point from an aim r adiant energy value relative to the input object. "' Noise Power Spectrum (NPS) Chromatic Noise ~~ Tot.al Noise ~ li Definition: The lnter·color channel radlomell'ic deviations ~ :E Definition : A spatial frequency descriptor of the sources or radiometnc noise or an Imaging relative to an Identified aim component or sysl:em Temporal Noise Fixed Pattern Noise Colo[ Ualformlty Colo[ SFR ualfo[ml!:Y Cdetermlolstlcl Cdetermlolstlcl Ra adorn Baadiagl ~ ~oa·UalfQrm~l Definition: A difference in laroe Oefrnilion: The cfirferentlal ~ ~ ~ Streaking ~ Shading area unlformity/shad:ng spread or light between COior Delinffion : The root Definition : pomt or between color channels channels. ·~~ (detelllllal<tic) (determlai<li<J mean squarl! ck!Yiat\on Deflflit:Jon : One dusters or DerVlitfon: A deVJation in ,!!: :E ( std. devlabon) of both dlmenslonal defective or poorly the elfective "1umlnatJon temporal and fixed patterns corrected pixels over a capture deVHll'S pattern noise for a single color channel field of view; usually with lower mumlnation near the field's outer extent • Temporal noise • Stripes ·Hot, Cold, or ·Vignetting ·Rainbows -COiored edges " ! ·Grain • Banding Dead Pixels • Relative IUumlnation -COior Bleed ~ c. E ·Shot noise ·Streaking • Wounded Pixels -Fringing Ii! ~s ·Read noise ·Blinkers " • White noise I!:' e: RMS deviation or e : Therelative e: The number or e: The perrent deviation e: The percent deviation or e: The ditTerence In SFR .. {; pixel values Jn t:erms or amount or size of defects or several large area several large arl!a chroma response between selected ~ ~ selected metr1c(J.e., variance or noise per unit sensor luminance measurEments measurements owr the rield of color channels. b~ ·~ oounts, clensity, power that a arEa. over the field ot view view relative to the average of units: % deviation in SFR :§ ·c::: . .. Luminance) over an selected spatial units: # of relatilil! to the average of those chroma measurernerts. response relative to the . ::. ii Identified region of frequency band defects/un~ those meas1Jrernents. units: % chroma difference highest measured SFR 1!! ~~o Interest contributes to sensor arEa units: % Luminance (unit less) ( un~ less) ii E the total noise. dJtTerence (unit less) ~ i£ units: oounts, density, units: Tl!D u • Luminance ·Aggressive digital • Poor sensor ·dust on sensor • poorly designed optics • Ollef ray angle (ffiA) • Poor optical des!Qn or ~ signal ampllfic.atlon or c.allbratlon • poor sensor • non·uniform lighting mismatch between optics and performanre :i processing ·dust/dirt on fabrication sensor !~ • Hloh ISO .,,_i ll"""'arny hygkmo -No11-unifurm cuCor coaUngs at ~G selection sensor -poor sensor sensor fabrication. • High throughput .. poor sensor calibration c.. worlcflows calibration Technical Guidelines for Digitizing Cultural Heritage Materials: Cre ation of Raster Image Master Files 11