AN INTRODUCTION TO BUFORA

This document serves as an official introduction to the British Unidentified Flying Object Research Association (BUFORA). Founded in 1964 through the consolidation of the British UFO Association and other groups, BUFORA traces its roots back to the London UFO Research Organisation established in 1959. The association is a non-profit company limited by guarantee, dedicated to the scientific investigation of UFO phenomena. Its primary aims are to promote unbiased research, collect and disseminate data, and coordinate UFO research efforts both within the United Kingdom and internationally. BUFORA maintains an objective approach and does not hold corporate views on the nature of UFOs, though it acknowledges a range of hypotheses, from misidentifications and hoaxes to advanced alien technologies and phenomena beyond the current space-time continuum. The organization is run by volunteers and managed by a Council of 12 elected Directors. Research is conducted through a national network of Regional Investigation Co-ordinators, with specialized sections for Physical Data and Statistical Analysis. The association publishes the BUFORA Journal and the Journal of Transient Aerial Phenomena (JTAP), and maintains a library and lecture series. Internationally, BUFORA is involved with the Provisional International Committee for UFO Research (PICUR) and monitors research by groups such as France's GEPAN and the United States' Project Starlight International. The document also notes the association's efforts to maintain professional standards, including the development of a code of ethics for investigators and the issuance of official identity cards. Despite facing public and media derision, and government reluctance—exemplified by a 1979 House of Lords debate where the Ministry of Defence rejected calls to open its files—BUFORA continues its work, relying on member donations and subscriptions to fund its operations.