2 orange lights near runway seen by young but experienced observer
We moved to the residence at ((number deleted--XXXX)) Emily Drive in Columbus, GA in 1964. It is located near the local airport which services both airlines, general aviation and some military training flights so I was used to seeing aircraft of all types take off from many, many vantage points, including the front living room where I was this Saturday night (i know it was a Saturday becasue my parents and my dad's boss and his wife were playing pinochle in the kitchen as they did every Saturday night). We had a large picture window and as I watched out of it, I saw two orange (not red) lights leave from the vicinity of the runway and rise in a very shallow takeoff. Halfway up, they made a sharp lateral 45 degree jag (not the usual banked turn but a true 45 degree right hand veer in their horizontal course) and immediately made a return to their original horizantal position (that is made a similar but counter 45 degree jag to the left). They then promptly changed attitudes so that their climb was about 60-70 degrees and left the area. There is a road 1 house down from ours that could have casued car tailights to reflect on the glass with a gust of wind making it appear as if they deveated from their path. However, again, the lights were orange, not red as expected on tailights or position lights of aircraft. Additionally, I did not see any vehicles on the second road before or after I saw these lights. I was watching out the window as I listened to albums so was not distracted.
((NUFORC Note: Date is approximate. PD))
We moved to the residence at ((number deleted--XXXX)) Emily Drive in Columbus, GA in 1964. It is located near the local airport which services both airlines, general aviation and some military training flights so I was used to seeing aircraft of all types take off from many, many vantage points, including the front living room where I was this Saturday night (i know it was a Saturday becasue my parents and my dad's boss and his wife were playing pinochle in the kitchen as they did every Saturday night). We had a large picture window and as I watched out of it, I saw two orange (not red) lights leave from the vicinity of the runway and rise in a very shallow takeoff. Halfway up, they made a sharp lateral 45 degree jag (not the usual banked turn but a true 45 degree right hand veer in their horizontal course) and immediately made a return to their original horizantal position (that is made a similar but counter 45 degree jag to the left). They then promptly changed attitudes so that their climb was about 60-70 degrees and left the area. There is a road 1 house down from ours that could have casued car tailights to reflect on the glass with a gust of wind making it appear as if they deveated from their path. However, again, the lights were orange, not red as expected on tailights or position lights of aircraft. Additionally, I did not see any vehicles on the second road before or after I saw these lights. I was watching out the window as I listened to albums so was not distracted.
((NUFORC Note: Date is approximate. PD))
No
Yes
No
No
No
No
No
Off
No
No
Yes
No
No
No
No
Columbus
USA
1minute
1minute
32.48
-84.96
other
GA
Occurred : 2/20/1970 19:30 (Entered as : 02/20/1970 19:30) Reported: 12/20/2003 10:10:57 AM 10:10 Posted: 1/17/2004 Location: Columbus, GA Shape: Other Duration: 1minute Characteristics: There were lights on the object, There were aircraft in the vicinity or aircraft chasing the object
2 orange lights near runway seen by young but experienced observer