Category: Archives

What is a Report of Investigation?

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What is a Report of Investigation?

The ROI is a document that is meant to provide all the information on a case that we are able find, and checklist indicating what avenues of investigation we explored (or did not explore). The strongest hypotheses for explanation of the sighting are enumerated and their strengths and weaknesses discussed. For researchers, the ROI is the best source for data about each case.

Here is an example of an ROI for case: 13-093-1

Why aren’t all ROIs available on the API website?

Before 2018, in an effort to save space on the server, we did not publish ROIs on the API website. However, we now publish .pdf files of ROIs after they have been redacted of witness personal information. ROIs from before 2018 may be also be published for the more interesting cases.

Are ROIs provided upon request?

Yes! All ROIs, when the investigation is complete, are available upon request. We note, however, that witness personal information is not provided. If you are a responsible investigator with whom we have a written agreement on investigational ethics,  and you wish to interview the witness, we will, in most circumstance, ask their permission to pass the full ROI on to you.

A review of Aerial Phenomena by Examiner.com

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Posted by Jack Brewer, 21 Aug 2013

Original Link

“You can tell when something is not moving forward anymore: when the doubts you have about it don’t go away,” writer Antonio Paris quoted author Jeffrey Eugenides as stating to begin the final chapter of Paris’ book, ‘Aerial Phenomena: Reviving Ufology for the 21st Century’. It was easy to envision why Paris chose that particular quote, as by that point in the book it was abundantly clear he had much more reason to doubt the legitimacy of stories circulating around the UFO community than believe them.

Antonio Paris is the founder and director of Aerial Phenomenon Investigations (API). According to its website, API is dedicated to conducting systematic investigations, research and analysis regarding UFOs and other aerial phenomena. The group is poised to bring more science and credibility to the study of UFOs.

Though Paris’ book is just a 150-page easy read, it offers readers clear and specific explanations as to how API approaches an investigation and the tools it uses. A former soldier, former special agent for the Department of Defense and having earned two science-related degrees, Paris designed a six-step investigative process that employs scientific principles and sound research practices. The resulting procedures guarantee uniformity, continuity and the creation of a functional – and accessible – data base.

A large portion of the book is dedicated to sharing the specific results of 50 cases, the investigations of which were conducted over the course of a year and involved some 2,000 hours of work. The vast majority of the cases were solved for all practical purposes. A small percentage defied currently available explanations, yet simple lack of information obviously contributed to that being the case to a large extent. Paris documented how most UFO sightings and related reports were misidentified terrestrial objects, natural phenomena, hoaxes or outbreaks of hysteria.

The author explained how his experience at attending UFO conferences and public meetings allowed him to observe a community stagnating in fantastic yet unsupported claims. Paris subsequently found UFO organizations to be poor sources of accurate information while promoting sensational speculation. Such organizations had tendencies to conceal collected data and avoid cooperating with one another, individual researchers and the public at large. In one circumstance, Paris explained, “I was offered a leadership position in another UFO group, but the offer was conditional: I would have had to dismantle API.”

As one reaches the final pages of ‘Aerial Phenomena: Reviving Ufology for the 21st Century’, they might well empathize – after his experience with certain questionable members of the UFO community and his extensive investigations that time and time again showed nothing of profound interest – if Antonio Paris were to ask UFO Land, “Is this all ya got?”. However, he portrays neither cynicism nor sarcasm as he brings his book to a close with visions of moving ufology forward, sincerely seeking cases of interest while apparently committed to conducting transparent and credible research.

While some readers might find themselves disappointed there are no sensational stories within the book, others are certain to find themselves refreshingly pleased with the fact. The author provides realistic case documentation and candid assessments of ufology, circumstances that, along with his organization’s commitment to scientific investigation, would make it quite interesting should he ever inform us he has identified a situation of particular interest. Readers should find themselves motivated to point API in the direction of what genuine unknowns might be out there.

‘Aerial Phenomena: Reviving Ufology for the 21st Century’ by Antonio Paris is currently available on the API website and through Amazon.

About Jack Brewer:

Jack Brewer’s interest in the paranormal and subsequent many years of navigating the UFO community led him to become convinced healthy skepticism was often sorely lacking. His research and writing integrate objectivity and relevant facts into assessments of the all too prevalent fantastic UFO dogma. His interests include such topics as alleged alien abduction and the intelligence community, which have been explored on his blog, ‘The UFO Trail’. Contact Brewer at brewer.jack@rocketmail.com.

Michael Frawley’s Book Review of Aerial Phenomena

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Aerial Phenomena: Reviving Ufology for the 21st Century by Antonio Paris – a book review by Michael Frawley

UFO.  What does it mean?  UFO stands for Unidentified Flying Objects.  The key emphasis being on the word UNIDENTIFIED.  But often people, including myself, have tied the acronym UFO to extraterrestrials.  This is not the case as you will learn by reading Aerial Phenomena: Reviving Ufology for the 21st Century, written by Antonio Paris, founder of the Aerial Phenomenon Investigations Team, published in November 2012.

First a little about the author.  Antonio Paris is a native New Yorker, from the city of New York, born and raised as well as attended college.  From there he joined the military as an Army intelligence officer for two tours in Iraq.  After his terms of service he decided that the Army was more of a chapter in his life.  He then moved to WashingtonD.C. and became a special agent for the Department of Defense in counter intelligence for three of four years.  He then decided that he could do the same thing for a consulting firm in the private industry.  He has worked for the same defense contract company, called Booz Allen Hamilton, ever since. A current Maryland resident, he commutes to D.C. every day.

Will you find all sorts of fascinating stories about visitors from outer space in this book?  The answer is no.  What you will find is a break down of the investigative process using a ‘nuts and bolts’ (as the author is fond of saying) core method.  That is, using scientific process to research and explain aerial phenomena sightings.

As Antonio explains, he and the API team are not out to debunk stories about unidentified flying objects or other aerial phenomena.  Rather their goal is to inform, educate, research, and investigate credible sighting reports.  This book breaks down the process from beginning to end of the investigative process that API uses to confirm or explain unusual reports.

Paris explains in his book what the investigative process is about, how the information is gathered, put to the test, and tools used when looking into these phenomena.  The book also gives detailed accounts of specific reports that the team investigated first hand, noting the account of the witness or witnesses, processes that were deployed to re-create a phenomena, how the information was gathered, and conclusions that were drawn based on the information provided.  Each case is noted as identified or unidentified based on the findings of each investigation.  Some of the API’s cases remain unresolved.  Many are resolved with a note as to how the phenomena actually occurred.

I’m not going to cite any of the details of these investigations from the book.  After all, that’s why the book was written!  Suffice to say that this book is not only a must read for the UFO investigator, but in my opinion, the methods devised by Antonio Paris and the API team apply to any investigation of the unexplained.  I highly recommend this not only for UFO researchers, but for paranormal and monster researchers as well.  Their scientific method can be applied to each field.

I find this to be a great book.  For the experienced investigator it’s a good reference and reminder to stay grounded and look for the facts.  For the enthusiast it’s a fun book of real life events and can help separate facts from fantasy.  The API team is self funded and sales from the book go to fund the research, and field investigations that the Aerial Phenomenon Investigations Team conducts.

– Michael Frawley

Article at I Must be Hallucinating

Advance Technologies and Analytics

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Unlike other UFO organizations, at Aerial Phenomena we exploit a wide array of advance technologies, computer software, and analytics throughout the investigative process. Some of these tools, for example, include weather data, astronomical observations, advance photo forensics, orbital mechanics software and local radar data. The team, moreover, is trained in deploying and using various trace evidence detection equipment, including radiation, electromagnetic disturbances, and magnetic effects.

Aerial Phenomena set to speak at the National Capital Area Skeptics

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On September 21st, 2013 Antonio Paris from Aerial Phenomena will meet with an army of skeptics from the DC Metro area. His presentation will focus on API’s investigative process as it applies to UFO investigations, specifically, the recent investigation into an alleged UFO crash site in New Mexico.

The National Capital Area Skeptics, commonly referred to as NCAS, is an independent 501(c)3 nonprofit, educational and scientific membership organization that promotes critical thinking and scientific understanding. It was founded in 1987 in the Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia area. According to their website, NCAS are advocates for science and reason, actively promoting the scientific method, rational inquiry, and education.

This is a free event. For more information and directions visit NCAS.