Shape: Sometimes a regular triangle but some reports mention rounded corners.

Sound: In general there is no sound associated with the reports, every once in a while a loud rumbling noise is heard. The Flying Triangle is normally silent unless one is directly underneath it and it is flying slow and low.

Lights: These can be divided into three groups: white flashes, coloured flashes and orange glow. One of the most outstanding "trademarks" of Flying Triangle reports are brilliant, almost blinding white flashes. These usually, but not always occur when the craft rapidly accelerates or decelerates. These often occur in pairs as it appears the craft often hovers or flies very slowly for 5 minutes or so before taking off in a flash at tremendous speed only to "stop on a sixpence" 5 seconds later. Several witnesses saw two closely timed flashes, some distance apart. Besides these flashes, several witnesses saw flashing red and blue lights. Note that normal aircraft operating at night have continuously flashing anti-collision and navigation lights, which are red, white and green. These are never extremely bright and do not go on only every 5 minutes or so. Whatever the Flying Triangle is, it does not conform to standard aeronautical practice! There are numerous variations between observed lights coming from FT's but blue and red are quite common, along with green, yellow and white. Lights in the tips are also a common feature as is a white light on the leading tip and an orange one in the centre. Finally the yellow/orange glow that direct observers of the craft saw, just prior in two cases, to its taking off in a flash. Again this is standard for the FT, it would appear that the orange/yellow glow could represent some form of "Charging-up" of the air around the craft to enable rapid acceleration.

The observed lights are singular and multiple.

Electro-magnetic disturbances : Some witnesses report that the air seemed charged with static, which may be indicative that the motive power for these craft is not conventional jet power.

Speed : It would appear that the FT craft operate in two modes: hovering or slow (50 - 100 knots) and extremely fast (speed unknown but appears to disappear "in a flash" with no appreciable transition between the two (seemingly inertia-free). Again this is not conventionally possible either in terms of propulsion devices or in terms of the inertial effect on possible crew members (the g forces would, in a conventional aircraft, cause a blackout or even totally squash the crew not to mention the probability of wrecking the machine itself!).

Operating height : For some reason these craft spend most of their time flying at very low altitude. Typical phrases are "just above the roof-tops", "behind the hills" and so forth. Given the speed that these craft operate at when accelerating (which most estimate to be well in excess of Mach 1 - yet no sonic boom!) this would appear to be extremely dangerous, yet there is no evidence that there is any way the crew (if any) can see where they are going - no cockpits are sighted and the edges of the craft appear to be solid. Logos or insignia are not seen, Neither are any aerials, masts or other normal distinguishing features. A further consideration is that if, as seems likely, the craft operates within an intense electro-magnetic field, then conventional magnetic compasses, radar and radio would be appear to be useless, so how the craft navigates and tracks other craft in the area and communicates (if it indeed does so) remains a mystery. It is possible that navigation is by an inertial system and that some form of laser or microwave-based digital pulsed communication system is involved. This may also account for the lack of IFF transponder response which has been alleged in other encounters with the craft.

Size : Many witnesses have seen craft of this type and shape ranging in size from 30 feet to 700 feet in length. In some cases even quoted as "the size of a football pitch"! The accuracy in judging the size would greatly depend on an accurate judgement on the height of the craft above the observer. This can be particularly difficult against a dark sky with no other point of reference especially if the craft perhaps has some special kind of non-reflective 'stealthy' coating.

Time and Date : Although these craft have been seen in daytime and summer, they are most commonly seen in the evening during the hours of darkness in autumn and winter.

Conclusion

There are two schools of thought about these craft. Either they are "Our Secret Technology", that is they are terrestrial in design, manufacture and operation or they are extra-terrestrial in some or all of those aspects.

There can be no doubt that whichever is true, the Flying Triangle is more typical of other "UFOs" than it is of any publicly known terrestrial aircraft type in either design, propulsion or use. All of the reported characteristics of the FT are familiar to anyone who has studied the 'UFO' phenomenon and their variously differing designs and characteristics. This similarity would suggest a common source and/or propulsion system.

Nearly all "UFOs" manage to combine the ability to move practically silently, apart from a humming/whirring noise when very close to the observer; the ability to change speed and direction in an instant; a range of speeds from hovering and very slow upwards to extremely fast - some claim above Mach 10; they often give off electro-magnetic effects, including interference with TVs and radios, car electrics etc; they are often seen to be inside a glowing (usually red/orange/yellow) field of presumably electrically charged/ionised air; their arrival and departure is often spectacularly bright and rapid and so forth.

In short all these craft, including the Flying Triangle, appear to be propelled by an some form of electro-magnetic device which also could possibly act as an anti-gravity force-field providing for inertia-free acceleration/deceleration and flight. Rather than this speculation being a flight of fancy (forgive the pun), it is understood, for example, that ARCO together with Japanese scientists test-flew an aircraft 150 miles in Canada in 1987 using a microwave energy source and that theoretically, an aircraft powered in this way would be able to fly almost indefinitely provided the power continued to be beamed at it. It is worthy of note that many reports of the 'next generation' stealth aircraft suggest that they are remotely piloted vehicles (RPV's) with virtual reality control from the ground, via satellite or from conventional aeroplanes such as the AWACS-type 747 - more probably a combination of the three. This would alleviate the problems associated with high g-force effects on pilots.

It seems bizarre that if this is terrestrial technology that has been around for 50 years, at least, nobody has been found to be manufacturing or designing such craft (or paying for them!) Similarly, they might need to be crewed (unless remotely controlled) and certainly maintained but again nobody has come forward to claim to have done so. Furthermore, before such craft would have been built the underlying technology and scientific theory would need to have been publicly discussed to ensure that the project was viable.

With regard to the Flying Triangle in particular, these have been around for at least 10 years in their present designs, and have been very widely reported when flying around - yet where do they come from, where are they based? It is believed that British Aerospace have prototype scaled-down versions of this design operating from Wharton in Lancashire, but they are a mere 30 feet long and have only been flying for a year at the most. It seems most unlikely that BAe would build full-scale aircraft of such an unconventional design, operate them and then only afterwards, build the scaled down prototypes! A conjecture that is not generally considered by other researchers is that the Flying Triangle flight characteristics and styling are partly or wholly modelled on the assumed manoeuvres and physical form of extra-terrestrial craft - whether real or otherwise. The reasons for this possibility could be either to divert public attention from a top secret military project with obvious earthly origins and/or to purposefully reinforce a manufactured public belief system in an extra-terrestrial 'reality'. For whatever reason the latter may be so, we can only guess as to why. There does seem to be a mounting body of evidence to suggest that widespread covert forces exist to spread counter dis-information to actually reinforce an ET reality. This double-bluff is contrary to the popular belief that the UK, US and other governments are attempting to hide the reality of an extra-terrestrial presence. However, regrettably, this alternative theory is not readily absorbed by the growing body of biased researchers who seem bent on 'proving' an extra-terrestrial connection. It may turn out that they are being used to perpetuate the myth - only time will tell!

FT in the UK

It is interesting to note that in 1987 there was some public concern over a British Aerospace facility in the Hafren Forest in Powis due, in part, to anomalous "strobe-like" lights being seen over the hill tops in the area. BAe refused at the time to inform the locals about what was going on but did say that they had chosen the site (in a disused quarry in the middle of a huge forest) due to its distance from domestic and industrial electromagnetic "smog". We are currently investigating whether BAe is still operating at the site and its purpose - it certainly wasn't or isn't a conventional airfield or manufacturing site!

However, it is possible that the UK Government has given permission to another government (USA?) for the Flying Triangle craft to be test-flown over Wales and elsewhere in exchange for technological know-how or additional defence facilities. It maybe that given the apparent massive discharges of electro-magnetic energy coming from this type of craft that it is not permitted to fly in certain countries, but that the UK is once again acting as the USA's hand-maiden. With the UK's secrecy laws and culture of denial in the civil service it would be easier to maintain a "plausible denial" of FT operations here.

Other considerations include: if they are of terrestrial origin who has given them permission to fly so low over populated and rural areas, with a propulsion system that is guaranteed to be spotted by anyone who is out and about (hardly stealth!) and so low that when it "flashes" it practically blinds any motorist who has the misfortune to be nearby. Further, to operate in British skies it would need to have been granted a certificate of air-worthiness, which should be publicly available for inspection.

On the other hand some reports of 'close encounters' with purported Flying Triangle "crews" have suggested that they are flown by USA military personnel, but how reliable these reports are is a matter for conjecture and beyond the scope of this report. Elaborate hoaxes may not be beyond the bounds of possibility.

So, what to conclude? We are reluctant to suggest the extra-terrestrial hypothesis in the absence of any positive evidence but we cannot confirm the terrestrial alternative for similar reasons. However, a terrestrial alternative does seem the most likely and logical explanation given the evidence available to-date. Until further evidence is produced, the jury must remain out on the true nature and origin of these craft. One thing is most definitely certain - they exist and they are here!

Current Investigations

We are currently researching the possible propulsion system and power source/s of the Flying Triangle and hope to publish a further report on this subject in the future. We are willing to exchange information with others in this field and would welcome contact with like-minded researchers.

Our local M.P. Mr Cynog Dafis (Plaid Cymru), has expressed an interest in our preliminary report and has agreed to actively pursue the matter further. It is hoped that the issue will be raised through the House of Commons Parliamentary Questions procedure.

Source: The UK Ufo Network electronic magazine, Issue 75, June 5th 1997
By: Adam Whaley & Richard Alexander, West Wales Paranormal Group.
Date: 23rd May 1997