Dark Eagles: A History of the Top Secret U.S. Aircraft

806

Statement released by John Lear, December 29, 1987, 2–4.

807

APOA's Aviation USA (Frederick, Md.: Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association, 1993), 78.

808

Private source.

809

'Beale's New Black Birds,' Air Combat (December 1993), 42.

810

Private source.

811

Letters, Flight International (January 26-February 1, 1994), 47.

812

Al Frickey [pseud.], 'Stealth — and Beyond,' Gung-Ho (February 1988), 43.

813

Betsy Woodford, 'Phantom of the air tracked by Caltech's seismo-graph network,' Caltech News (April 1992), 9.

814

Micheal G. Crunch, 'Project Aurora: The Evidence So Far,' Aviation News (October 9-22, 1992), 496.

815

Glenn Campbell, 'Area 51' Viewer's Guide, Edition 2.0 (Rachel, Nev.: Psycho Spy Productions, September 8, 1993), 98, 99.

816

'UFO Spacecraft,' Testers New Model Releases, November 1, 1993.

817

Author's printout of computer messages, America Online, June 26 to October 15, 1993. There was quite a controversy over whether it was a good idea to discuss Black projects, like Aurora, in so public a forum. Rereading the printout indicates the material came from published accounts and Black buff rumors. One example of this was a September 19 message that claimed people at the site wear 'foggles' to prevent them from seeing anything other than the project they are working on. Foggles are standard safety goggles with the plastic scratched so you can see only your feet. An escort leads you around. One doubts the KGB or GRU would care.

818

Computer Message, Subject: 'Alien' Craft at Area 51, From: BlackSky, America Online, 93-06-29, 00:43:30 EOT.

819

Computer Message, Subject: Good Idea, From: DougBewar, America Online, 93-08-15, 15:55:09 EDT. The author should note that the vast majority of Aurora sightings (like the vast majority of UFO sightings) were made in good faith. I have talked personally with four people who heard the 'Aurora roar,' and I have no doubt they are honestly describing what they experienced. The problem, as with UFOs, is that the sky has an infinite number of tricks of light and shadow. (The author's 'XB-70' sighting, for example.) It is ironic that in 1983, as the super-high- speed airplane stories were spreading, the real Black airplane was the HALSOL — a plane made of clear plastic and styrofoam, that could be outrun by an electric golf cart.