Air Force Policy on UFO Reports and Unusual Aerial Sighting (UAS) Reports

This document consists of correspondence between Dr. M. Gottschall and the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) regarding the Air Force's policy on Unusual Aerial Sighting (UAS) reports. In a letter dated November 6, 1992, Dr. Gottschall, who was working on a book titled 'UFO's Over Queensland' and was associated with 'UFO Research Queensland' and 'The Australian Centre for UFO Studies,' requested clarification on the RAAF's procedures for handling UFO reports, specifically those without immediate defense implications. Flying Officer R.R.S. Harris, the Base UAS Officer at RAAF Base Amberley, responded on December 23, 1992. Harris outlined the standard procedure: incoming public calls are directed to the Orderly Officer, who completes a standard questionnaire covering observer details, location, weather, timing, object description, and photographic evidence. These reports are then forwarded to the Base UAS Officer. Harris clarified that only reports suggesting a defense or security implication are investigated further. If no threat is identified, the caller is referred to a local civilian UFO research organization. The document also includes a 'Record of Conversation' between Harris and Gottschall, where they discussed the methods and practices of UAS investigation, noting that 70-80% of sightings are unidentified. Additionally, the file contains several 'Report of Unusual Aerial Sightings' forms (Annex A to ASI 3/A/5) detailing specific sightings from October and November 1992, including observations of bright lights, stationary objects, and objects in formation, as well as a 'Visible Satellite Passes Bulletin' from the Australian Space Office for October 1992, which provided data on satellites to assist in identifying potential sightings.