I've found that I can now c&p the information provided in answers to questions on the SCU's FAQ page:
"As questions come in pretaining to our studies we will post the relevant questions and answers here. Have a questions? Go to our contact page and submit your question to our contributors.
Frequently Asked Questions Extended
What is this object?
We do not know what this object is. After countless hours of scrutiny and study, we are puzzled because we cannot apply anything conventional (natural or manmade) that seems to provide us an answer, thus it is unidentified. We are looking for other scientists and parties to come forward to assist or otherwise provide helpful commentary.
Why does the report state a different date than what is shown on the video clip?
Aviation times reflect Zulu time which corresponds to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). The video displays the Zulu time April 26th at 1:22 AM at the top left of the initial frames. Converting this Zulu time to Puerto Rico’s local time gives April 25th at 9:22 PM. Puerto Rico uses Atlantic Standard Time and does not use daylight savings time. The local time was also verified by the radar information timeline.
What is the aircraft used to capture this video clip?
It is a De Havilland Canada – 8 (DHC-8). A twin engine, medium range, turbo prop airliner in use by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency which is under the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. During our investigation, we confirmed this information with our witness and the speed of the aircraft matched that of a DHC-8. Many websites related to this event, incorrectly state it was a Blackhawk helicopter or another type of helicopter. It was not a helicopter at all.
Why do you refer to this object as UAP versus a UFO?
Terms like Unidentified Flying Objects and Unidentified Submerged Objects do not apply to an object like this that does both. The UFO term also is often seen as being synonymous with alien spacecraft. We do not know what this object is other than to describe it as an anomalous phenomenon; this object remains unidentified after significant scientific scrutiny.
The object appears to be tumbling, is it?
Appearances can be deceiving, especially in the Infrared world. Infrared images do not record visible light. They render objects emissions of temperature in shades ranging from black to white. Infrared cameras can either use black as being “hot” or black as being “cold”. In this video, the black is assigned as “hot”. The lighter the color is, the cooler the temperature. We do not know if the tumbling appearance is caused by a change in the angular position of the object or by changes in temperature of the object or an actual tumbling.
Was the object seen by others? At one point, the object is seen going in front of cars.
The control tower personnel observed an object as did the pilot. The object was seen as emitting a pink/red light only later to not be able to see it and believed it had turned its light off. No other reports were made to our knowledge. If others did see this, we would like them to contact us. Keep in mind that the object was moving at night with no lights and infrared is not visible to humans. The population in that section around Aguadilla is relatively small. The object’s velocity was approximately 90 mph, effectively invisible and unlikely to attract any attention.
Why is our witness anonymous?
The witness still works for the government and does not want undue attention placed on himself. This is a common aspect of many UFO witnesses who are in sensitive positions and do not want their careers impacted by the attention usually received.
Is this a FLIR video?
Forward Looking Infra Red (FLIR) is a company. We contacted FLIR with images of the camera and they clarified to us that it was not theirs and believed it to be an L-3 Wescam model. We contacted L-3 who confirmed to us that it is their product. It is an MX-15D. This was later independently varified by the auxilary anonymous witness referenced in the report.
Has there been any further videos or sightings of these objects?
There are a number of reports around Puerto Rico and they continue to come in. UFOs and USOs are the common terms for objects seen in the area. We have not identified other sightings that have been investigated and verified where an object is seen in the sky and then enters the water in a similar fashion. If there are any, we hope witnesses will report them to us.
Why have you taken so long to come out with this report?
This team first obtained a copy of the video in November 2013. We wanted to gather as much data as possible and analyze it carefully before releasing this 160+ page report to the media. This team, with varied science backgrounds from different parts of the country, has invested over 1000 man hours in researching and analyzing this video and the events surrounding it. Thoroughness was chosen over expediency since UFOs is a topic that is often overly dramatized by the media.
What are the backgrounds of the team members?
Physics, chemistry, mathematics, and environmental science are some of the key scientific backgrounds of the authors with work experiences in aerospace, defense contracting, and semiconductor technology. Detailed information is available in Appendix A on page 50-51 of the report.
Why have you not verified this incident with the tower logs from the airport?
The tower logs are under the jurisdiction of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
We sent a request for the tower logs and normally the FAA must reply to Freedom of Information Requests (FOIA). However, the FAA has begun to farm out their work to private companies that are not required to answer FOIA requests from the public. In this case the FAA informed us that the information and tower logs were controlled by a company called Robinson Aviation, Inc. RVA Robinson Aviation - Home. As yet, we have received no replies to our information requests sent to Robinson Aviation.
Were you able to interview the tower personnel who saw this object?
No.
The airport manager was contacted and indicated that there was an unknown object seen by the tower but he did not want to be part of an investigation.
Did you ask the USAF for military radar information?
The USAF provided FAA radar information through a FOIA request but were unwilling to supply us any military radar data on the incident. There is believed to be a military radar at the west end of the airport runway but it is not known if it is active. The 141st Air Control Squadron stationed at the airport is also a mobile radar command unit of the USAF.
Did you ask the USAF for help in identifying the unknown object traveling through U.S. airspace?
No. The USAF states that they stopped investigating UFOs in 1970. Of course, any object is an unknown until it is identified including enemy ICBMs, drones, etc. How the USAF differentiates and decides "which" unknown to care about is a mystery. {;}
You talked about the video and the radar information from the Pico Del Este site; was there radar information from the Customs & Border Protection (CBP) aircraft that took the video?
No, the CBP aircraft is used primarily to monitor boat trafficking and its on-board radar is a maritime radar designed to detect ships on the water and is a downward looking radar. This is referenced on page 8 of the report.
What is the difference between primary and secondary radar?
Primary radar uses an actual radar beam that is sent out every few seconds and the radar picks up the beam as it bounces off objects. Secondary radar is more similar to radio and consists of a transponder that sends a signal from a plane indicating the plane's location, altitude, and identity.
What is the history of the Rafael Hernandez Airport in Puerto Rico?
This airport was originally a USAF Strategic Air Command base and was known as Ramey Air Force Base. It was a critical U.S. base during the Cuban Missile Crisis. It is now used primarily as a small commercial airport with a few destinations on the U.S. east coast. There is still a military portion to the airport that consists of a Coast Guard facility, the Puerto Rico Air National Guard, and the 141st Air Control Squadron that is a mobile radar command, control and communications element of the USAF.
How long is the video?
The video consists of 3 minutes and 54 seconds of video imagery of which 2 minutes and 56 seconds displays the object arriving from over the ocean, traversing land, and then disappearing back into the ocean.
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