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Map Showing Unknown Radar Returns Near Orlando Airport.
(Red Triangles Show Unknown Targets & Arrows Indicate Direction of Movement)
(Added February 7, 2011 - Read Radar Summary)
Winter Park is in Central Florida
About 10 Miles Northeast of Orlando.
Date of Sighting: December 8, 2010
Time of Sighting: 8:20 AM EST
Location of Sighting: Winter Park, Florida (See Map)
Description: I was checking our orange tree for possibly freeze damage when I noticed two fighter jets so close that they called my attention. Then I saw 3 round white or silver objects. The jets were going after the objects. I called my wife right away. Then she told me "to get my camera. I took some Pictures, but the objects were far away and two of them left really fast and the other one stayed for about 10 seconds then left northeast. I will send the photo.
Note: I spoke to the witness. He was out checking his orange grove for frost damage. He was quite surprised by what he saw. He first saw the military jets coming from the southeast. He then noticed the three white (or silver) objects. The objects were stationary. The jets appeared to be pursuing the objects. When the jets approached two objects streaked away and the other one vanished. The witness speculated that the jets were from Patrick Air Force Base which is in the local area. (He stated in his written report that the third object moved to the northeast.) He said that the jets continued traveling to the northwest after the objects departed. I requested that the witness send the photo. Any updates to this case will be posted.
Radar Summary (Added February 7, 2011): An analysis of radar data obtained from the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) did not show the military jets described by witness. There were jets in the area, but they were flying very high (near 40,000 feet). An aircraft on approach to Orlando Municipal Airport was the only low flying aircraft at the time of the sighting. (See radar map at the top of page.) However, radar did show some slow moving returns moving to the northeast. The speed of movement was between 10 and 80 MPH. These returns could be the object(s) seen by the witness although they were not in the direction where the witness saw them. They were moving northeast (consistent with the witness report). More analysis may be conducted of the radar returns. It is quite unlikely that the returns were due to a helicopter because a helicopter would be sending a transponder signal in "Class B" airspace near a major airport. The radar data were filtered by the FAA to exclude weather and other targets (birds) so these unknown returns were not likely due to these causes.
