VULAINES-SUR-SEINE (77) 12.11.2021

On 12 November 2021 between 18:08 and 18:25, a witness on his terrace with his two daughters noticed two very bright white points to the south-southeast, at about 20° elevation, beside and level with the Moon. They remained stationary, then after 10–15 seconds faded out one after the other. Only one account was collected. GEIPAN finds moderate evidential substance: one reporting witness, the other two observers being children, and no photograph or video (see investigation report). The investigation concludes probable landing lights or other powerful lights from two aircraft, probably military. Supporting features are their star-like brightness and white colour, consistent with aircraft landing lights or helicopter searchlights; and their modest 20° elevation, allowing a beam’s visibility cone to align with the viewing direction. Some helicopter searchlights can be aimed independently. A brief head-on alignment can make aircraft landing lights visible from far away before a heading change moves the beams out of view. Independently aimable helicopter searchlights need not depend on the aircraft’s heading. Great distance, temporary motion toward the witnesses and brief duration could conceal movement. A gradual turn would produce gradual fading. A large joint military exercise ended that day in eastern France, involving Mirage 2000s, NH90, Gazelle and Tigre helicopters, and an A400M from Orléans-Bricy BA123. Although far from the observation site, two aircraft returning to base afterward could have been involved. However, GEIPAN lacked return-flight times and routes and could not obtain air-traffic radar charts for that date. Classification B: probable lights from military aircraft.