Posted on 03/21/2006 5:06:47 PM PST by blam
Big boys' toys end riddle of the UFOs
By Catherine Elsworth in Los Angeles
(Filed: 21/03/2006)
A spate of flying saucer sightings that alarmed residents of Orange County, California, and attracted attention from UFO researchers worldwide have been traced to the garages of a local heart surgeon and engineer.
For the past few months, police have been logging reports of mysterious discs hovering and weaving over Aliso Viejo and nearby towns.
In one sighting, recorded on a UFO research website, a witness reported seeing four craft studded with bright blue lights "dance around one another in the night sky".
But now the men behind the UFOs have revealed that they are radio-controlled models and that night flights are not just to shock people but also help sell the craft.
Dr Gaylon Murphy, a cardiovascular surgeon from Aliso Viejo, and Steve Zingali, an engineer in Mission Viejo, built the fleet of carbon fibre-reinforced foam flying saucers in their garages.
The discs are 3ft in diameter, about 1in thick, weigh less than 17oz and can reach 40mph powered by a tiny electric motor. The flashing lights are fitted around the edge of the disc.
"We fly them in formation. It's pretty funny," Dr Murphy told the Los Angeles Times. "People stop, people scream; one cab driver ran his car off the road."
The men have already sold four flight-ready saucers for $1,000 (£570) each.
Not everyone has found the displays entertaining, however. Erik Strong, the manager of a restaurant in Aliso Viejo, accused the duo of scaring his staff by making the discs hover near the restaurant.
"It looked like something right out of a movie, a little too real," said Mr Strong.
Local police chief, Lt Richard Paddock, said the men were not breaking the law. "These guys have really done something quite controversial, scary to some people, quite fun in the eyes of most, and who knows where it's going to go," he said.
I want one!!!!
Cool.
How is the electric motor propelling these things? Is there a propeller on the top and its like an RC helicopter? Are they gliders? What gives them lift if not wings or a helicopter-type propeller? This article is sorely lacking in detail.
"We fly them in formation. It's pretty funny," Dr Murphy told the Los Angeles Times. "People stop, people scream; one cab driver ran his car off the road."
I always wondered what happened to those guys when they grew up.
Ditto!
Putz. He oughta give these guys a couple bucks so they can tow a banner that says something like "We flew fifty light years just to eat at Erik's".
I want one
Close encounters
A fleet of foam-core saucers began showing up in Aliso Viejo more than a year ago. The lightweight "UFOs" are flown by remote control. A flight-ready model costs about $1,000.
Composition: 1/4 –inch thick Dow Corning waterproof foam board body, reinforced with carbon fiber rods
Power: 7.4-volt lithium battery, 3800-6800 Himax motor
Weight: 17 to 18 oz.
Speed: Up to 40 mph
Maneuvers: Can fly inverted, do loops, prop hang (hang vertically), roll (with aileron model)
Source: Steve Zingali
Unny Ufts
The 3-foot hovering disks developed by two Orange County hobbyists have sparked a wave of 'flying saucer' reports to authorities.
By Lynn Doan
Times Staff Writer
March 18, 2006
Move over, Roswell. South Orange County is recording its own share of UFO sightings.
Several residents have reported sightings to the Orange County Sheriff's Department in recent months. And word has even reached a Canadian UFO researcher who has posted information about the incidents on his website.
In one case, witnesses reported seeing glowing disks zigzagging through trees and hovering above the Aliso Viejo Town Center at night. About a yard in diameter and studded with flashing lights, the four UFOs dance around one another in the night sky.
LOL!!!!!!! This is HILARIOUS!!!
:)
Here is a good site is anyone is interested in learning rc e-flightline.com they can set you up.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.