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From: Minna Laajala - UFO-Finland <ufofinland@saunalahti.fi>
Date: Thu, 15 Jul 1999 20:08:49 +0300
Fwd Date: Thu, 15 Jul 1999 22:21:02 -0400
Subject: Re: Finnish UFO Hoax


The following announcement is translation from Matias Paatalo's
original report.

Finnish UFO Hoax

Reported encounter of a UFO and a Finnish Air Force Hornet
fighter plane in Lapland is a hoax.

The case in brief:

In the winter 1999 it was reported (e.g. UFO ROUND UP Volume 4
Number 1 January 5, 1999), that Finnish Air Force F18A-Hornet
encountered UFO in Lapland (Northern Finland) on March 31 year
1997. The pilot had told that he observed a UFO in the air
around Inarinjarvi (The Lake of Inari). The bright object was
disk-shaped and orange-colored. It was alleged that the object
was also observed by Lapland's radar-control. Pilot's radio
communication broke off and there appeared some
electrical-system malfunctions on Hornet. According to the story
the Air traffic control gave the permission to fire, but F 18A
Hornet's 20 mm cannon weapon system jammed unexplainable. UFO
disappeared at the speed of 4,5 Mach to the east.

This story is possibly intentional misinformation intending to
annoy UFO researchers or the Finnish Air Force. The story can't
stand the following facts:

1) Man can only guess why someone is started to act as a
ghost-pilot and call up crisis intervention hotline. The real
Hornet pilot wouldn't do in that way. Exceptional hard
selecting-tests proves that.

2) Hornets in Finland are type F18C and F 18D, not F 18A as the
story tells.

3) The pilot is not known by name at Finnish Air Force files.

4) Hornets came to Lapland wing not until 11.1.1999.

5) Cannons aren't used on training flights in Finland.

6) If event would be true that would be currently informed along
with a statement.

7) Any report about encounter between UFO and Hornet
doesn't exist.

The background of the event

Mysterious phone-call came to a helping service-phone last year.
The duty officer got a call from a man who introduced himself as
a Finnish Hornet-pilot and have met UFO at Lapland. The man was
anguished because of the experience. He was also asking how
should be proceeded because of the event. He also stated his
name and a major to be his military rank.

Completely indefinite, unstudied and relied only to telephone
conversation the rumors about the event started to move. They
also reached critical UFO researchers, who were naturally
interested in the reality of the event. Checking started.

The name of the caller was found. The man himself has not been
found. Existing of the pilot and the name that was told are odd
to Defence Force. The checking from the Air Force staff from
Tikkakoski made sure, that non Hornet-pilot with that name is in
the Finnish Air Force. Defence Force's medical superintendent,
medical colonel Matti Ponteva keeps up the possibility, that the
"pilot" sufferers from mentally problems. "The motive of the
call is difficult to estimate, because the person remains
unknown. Genuine Hornet-pilot he couldn't have been", assures
Ponteva.

Investigations in both Lapland's Wings and Finnish Air Force on
the staff indicates that event in question hasn't been reported
during the mentioned time. Lapland Wing's commander colonel
Sippo Ryynanen affirms also that any Hornet plane units has not
been there at that time, and thus no any Hornet could have been
in the air. Hornets brought to Finland are type F18C and F 18D,
not type F 18A, like the story says. Hornets came to
Lapland-Wing not until 11.1.1999. Cannon shot aren't shoot on
training.

"If actual UFO-meeting would have taken place, then we would
find flight-and control-reports, extract from the minutes of
pilot's interview, formal statements, conclusion and the summary
of technical staff. Pilot can observe rare phenomena in the
atmosphere, but this described case is completely baseless. I
heard about this not until now. If case would happened that
would be known here", says colonel Ryynanen. Currently
information system along the Air Force has any reason for
conceal these kinds of events. They are mainly nature's own
lights but unknown phenomena can be among others. Universities
examine many new phenomena, so formal and critical
UFO-researchers do get information as needed.

Finnish Air Force's the staff information service major Kalevi
Reiman says he has seen the story in the Internet. He confirms
case as totally groundlessness, so the ghost-pilot has been
active. The same answer is given also from the Armed Forces.
There information service Erkki Paukkunen wonders the caller's
behavior.

Rumour still spreads in the Internet

The story is now spreaded on the Internet and already got
international attention. The Air Force on the staff is annoyed
about the groundless UFO-rumour. Information service major
Kalevi Reiman says: "If actual UFO-Hornet-conflict would have
occurred, that would be known certainly on the Air Force on the
staff and would be told to researcher, and a statement would
also been given to the public".

Science and UFOs younger investigator Sampo Puoskari finds the
case extremely regrettable because the reputation of UFOs as a
target of serious research get even worse. "This is clear
indication so that those who spreads UFO-Hornet-story on
Internet hasn't spiritually spine and sense of responsibility.
Story of conflict is spread in Internet already to tens of pages
without that these propagators anyhow are bothered to examine
the case", says Puoskari.

Interviews made by Matias Paatalo:

- Lapland's Wing commander Colonel Sippo Ryynanen

- The staff of Tikkakoski`s information service major Kalevi
  Reiman

- information service of the General Staff Erkki Paukkunen

- Science and UFOs research group's researcher Sampo Puoskari

- Defence Force's medical superintendent, medical Colonel Matti
  Ponteva


UFO-Finland
www.ufofinland.net (only in Finnish)
ufofinland@saunalahti.fi