Cylindrical UFO sighted in France in 1981

Summary

In October 1981, two witnesses in Ollioles (France) observed for one minute a cylindrical object silently moving across the sky. The case, initially classified as D (unexplained), was later reviewed by the GEIPAN, which reclassified it as B (likely misidentification with an airplane). Although the witnesses did not see wings or ailerons, which generated some strangeness, further analysis showed that the relative position of the sun, the observer, and the aircraft could have hidden the wings due to light reflection. Additionally, the object's trajectory coincided with an air corridor near the Marseille airport. Another factor to consider is that the witnesses could not accurately estimate the object's distance, a common error in such observations.

The possibility of a weather balloon was also considered, but meteorological data ruled it out due to wind patterns not matching the observed direction. Despite the seemingly mysterious description of the object, the GEIPAN concluded it was a confusing observation of an airplane. This case illustrates how perspective, sunlight, and lack of aerial identification experience can generate testimonies that appear inexplicable, but which, when analyzed with modern tools and experience, resolve reasonably.