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How a pilot sighting becomes official

A Nunavut pilot sighting can become an official aviation record through air traffic reporting, NAV CANADA and Transport Canada processing.

On this page

  • From cockpit report to air traffic services
  • NAV CANADA's role in CADORS entries
  • Why official logging is not final proof
Preview for How a pilot sighting becomes official

Introduction

When a pilot in Nunavut reports an unusual light, object or aerial phenomenon, the sighting does not go straight into a public database as a confirmed mystery. Instead, it moves through a reporting chain designed for aviation safety. In many cases, the first concern is practical rather than extraordinary: could the object affect aircraft operations, airspace awareness or flight safety? If the event meets reporting criteria, air traffic services personnel and aviation authorities may create an entry in Transport Canada’s Civil Aviation Daily Occurrence Reporting System (CADORS), where it becomes part of the public aviation record. [Transport Canada+2Transport Canada]canada.cacivil aviation daily occurrence reporting system cadorsTransport CanadaThe Civil Aviation Daily Occurrence Reporting System …15 Jul 2021 — Air Traffic Services (ATS) operations certificate h…

Report Chain illustration 1 This process is particularly important in Nunavut. The territory’s vast distances, sparse ground observation networks and heavy reliance on aviation mean that pilots are often the first people to notice unusual activity in the sky. As a result, pilot reports have become one of the most significant sources of officially documented UFO-related observations in the North. [Nunatsiaq News]nunatsiaq.com65674pilots spot possible ufo above nunavuts northern baffin island24, as they flew from Iqaluit to the Mary River mine in north Baffin Island.Read more…

Air traffic control audio: Pilot reports unusual lights over Quebec on Feb. 12, 2023

Channel: daniel otis

Open on YouTube

From cockpit report to air traffic services

A pilot who sees an unidentified object will typically report it through normal aviation communication channels. Depending on the circumstances, that may involve speaking directly with air traffic control, a flight service station, company operations personnel or other aviation authorities responsible for monitoring flight activity. The key point is that the report begins as an operational observation rather than a paranormal claim. [Transport Canada]canada.cacivil aviation daily occurrence reporting system cadorsTransport CanadaThe Civil Aviation Daily Occurrence Reporting System …15 Jul 2021 — Air Traffic Services (ATS) operations certificate h…

In a Nunavut scenario, a flight crew might report:

  • An unexpected light at cruising altitude.
  • An apparent object crossing a flight path.
  • A bright object whose position or movement cannot immediately be explained.
  • A possible balloon, drone, meteor or aircraft that cannot be positively identified at the time.

Controllers and aviation personnel record the information they receive, including location, time, altitude, aircraft involved and any immediate safety concerns. If the occurrence falls within reporting requirements, it enters the broader aviation occurrence reporting system. Canadian regulations require holders of Air Traffic Services (ATS) certificates to report specified aviation occurrences to the Minister according to CADORS procedures. Department of Justice Canada+2Department of Justice Canada [laws-lois.justice.gc.ca]laws-lois.justice.gc.caDepartment of Justice CanadaCanadian Aviation Regulations (SOR /96-433)807.01 The holder of an ATS operations certificate shall report t…

For readers examining Nunavut UFO history, this means that the appearance of a sighting in CADORS usually indicates that it was serious enough to be reported through official aviation channels. It does not mean investigators have determined what was seen. [wwwapps.tc.gc.ca]wwwapps.tc.gc.caOpen source on gc.ca.

Report Chain illustration 3

Air traffic control audio: Pilot reports unusual lights over northern Canada on Jan. 30, 2023

Channel: daniel otis

Open on YouTube

NAV CANADA occupies a central position in the reporting chain because it operates Canada’s civil air navigation system and handles much of the country’s air traffic services activity. Independent aviation references note that NAV CANADA is the main provider of CADORS occurrence information, supplying the majority of reports entered into the system. [Skybrary]skybrary.aeroCivil Aviation Daily Occurrence Reporting System (CADORS)Under the Canadian Aeronautics Act, there is a mandatory requirement for…

The reporting flow generally works as follows:

Thrilling Pilotviews into Nunavut, Baffin Island

Channel: Just Planes

Open on YouTube

Report Chain illustration 2

  1. A pilot or controller observes or receives information about an unusual occurrence.
  2. Air traffic services personnel document the event.
  3. Reportable information is transmitted through established occurrence-reporting procedures.
  4. The information is entered into CADORS and distributed to relevant aviation stakeholders.
  5. Additional review may occur if the event raises safety, security or operational concerns. Transport Canada+2Transport Canada

Because many northern routes cross remote regions with little ground-based observation, pilots often provide the primary evidence. A CADORS entry may therefore contain only the details available from cockpit observations and radio communications. In some cases there is no radar confirmation, photograph or physical evidence attached to the initial report. open.canada.ca

This limitation is especially relevant when readers encounter CADORS records describing unidentified objects over Nunavut. The database preserves the report, but the amount of information available for later analysis can vary considerably.

The 2018 Baffin Island example

The best-known Nunavut example occurred on 24 November 2018, when pilots aboard a Nolinor Aviation Boeing 737 reported an unidentified object while approaching the Mary River mine area in northern Baffin Island. The event became publicly known because it appeared in CADORS. According to contemporary reporting, the entry suggested several possible explanations, including a weather balloon, meteor, rocket or other unidentified object. Nunatsiaq News

The case illustrates the reporting chain in action. The pilots made an operational report, the information entered the aviation occurrence system, and the resulting CADORS record became accessible to journalists and researchers. The official record demonstrated that trained aviation personnel reported something unusual. It did not establish what the object actually was. Nunatsiaq News

For students of Nunavut UFO history, this distinction is crucial. The most valuable aspect of the record is often not the mystery itself but the documented fact that a report was made through official aviation channels.

Why official logging is not final proof

One of the most common misunderstandings about CADORS is the assumption that an official record confirms the reality or nature of an object. Transport Canada repeatedly cautions that CADORS reports contain preliminary information and should be treated as unconfirmed and subject to change. The system exists to identify potential hazards and share occurrence information quickly, not to deliver final investigative conclusions. wwwapps.tc.gc.ca+3Transport Canada+3Transport Canada

This matters because a CADORS entry can begin with very limited information. A pilot may have only seconds to observe an object. Distance, size and speed can be difficult to judge in darkness or over featureless northern terrain. Later analysis may point towards a meteor, atmospheric phenomenon, satellite reflection, balloon or another conventional explanation. In other cases, insufficient information remains to reach any firm conclusion. Transport Canada

As a result, a CADORS UFO report should be read as evidence that:

  • A witness reported an unusual aerial observation.
  • The report entered an official aviation-safety process.
  • Authorities considered the occurrence worth recording.

It should not automatically be read as evidence that an exotic craft, unknown technology or extraordinary phenomenon was confirmed. Transport Canada+2Transport Canada

What CADORS records contribute to Nunavut UFO history

Within Nunavut’s UFO record, CADORS entries are valuable because they create a documented trail that can be checked against dates, locations, flight paths and later explanations. They provide a level of transparency that is often absent from anecdotal sightings. At the same time, they remain only the first stage of documentation. open.canada.ca

For historians, journalists and researchers examining unusual aerial reports in the territory, the reporting chain itself is often as important as the sighting. A pilot observation becomes noteworthy not because CADORS proves what was seen, but because the system preserves an official record of what was reported, when it was reported and how aviation authorities initially handled the event. Transport Canada+2open.canada.ca

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Endnotes

  1. Source: tc.canada.ca
    Title: civil aviation daily occurrence reporting system cadors manual tp 4044
    Link: https://tc.canada.ca/en/aviation/aviation-publications/civil-aviation-daily-occurrence-reporting-system-cadors-manual-tp-4044
    Source snippet

    Transport CanadaCivil Aviation Daily Occurrence Reporting System (CADORS...5 Sept 2025 — The purpose of the CADORS Manual is to outline...

  2. Source: nunatsiaq.com
    Title: 65674pilots spot possible ufo above nunavuts northern baffin island
    Link: https://nunatsiaq.com/stories/article/65674pilots_spot_possible_ufo_above_nunavuts_northern_baffin_island/
    Source snippet

    24, as they flew from Iqaluit to the Mary River mine in north Baffin Island.Read more...

  3. Source: open.canada.ca
    Link: https://open.canada.ca/data/en/dataset/a348c1d1-2392-4595-b5e2-c6a244a7e87f
    Source snippet

    Civil Aviation Daily Occurrence Report SystemThe system provides initial information on occurrences involving any Canadian-registered air...

  4. Source: wwwapps.tc.gc.ca
    Link: https://wwwapps.tc.gc.ca/Saf-Sec-Sur/2/cadors-screaq/rd.aspx?occdtefrom%3D2010-01-01%26occdteto%3D2024-02-25%26srchfldcd%3D6%26txt%3DUFO%26srchtype%3D3%26rt%3DWS%26hypl%3Dy%26cnum%3D2011O0003=

  5. Source: wwwapps.tc.gc.ca
    Link: https://wwwapps.tc.gc.ca/saf-sec-sur/2/cadors-screaq/rd.aspx?cno%3D%26dtef%3D2017-06-25%26dtet%3D2017-06-27%26otp%3D-1%26ftop%3D%253e%253d%26ftno%3D0%26ijop%3D%253e%253d%26ijno%3D0%26olc%3D%26prv%3DAB%26rgn%3D5%26tsbno%3D%26tsbi%3D-1%26arno%3D%26ocatno%3D%26ocatop%3D1%26oevtno%3D%26oevtop%3D1%26evtacoc%3D3%26fltno%3D%26fltr%3D-1%26cars%3D-1%26acat%3D-1%26nar%3D%26aiddl%3D-1%26aidxt%3D%26optdl%3D-1%26optcomt%3D%26optseq%3D%26optxt%3D%26opdlxt%3DResults%2Bwill%2Bappear%2Bin%2Bthis%2Blist%26mkdl%3D-1%26mkxt%3D%26mdldl%3D-1%26mdlxt%3D%26cmkdl%3DC%26cmkxt%3D%26rt%3DQR%26hypl%3Dy%26cnum%3D2017C2958=

  6. Source: skybrary.aero
    Link: https://skybrary.aero/articles/civil-aviation-daily-occurrence-reporting-system-cadors
    Source snippet

    Civil Aviation Daily Occurrence Reporting System (CADORS)Under the Canadian Aeronautics Act, there is a mandatory requirement for...

  7. Source: tc.canada.ca
    Title: Transport Canada4
    Link: https://tc.canada.ca/en/binder/4-high-altitude-object-incidents
    Source snippet

    High Altitude Object Incidents - Transports Canada11 Aug 2023 — Transport Canada is aware of the recent sightings and events of Unidentif...

  8. Source: tc.canada.ca
    Title: report incident affecting airport aerodrome safety
    Link: https://tc.canada.ca/en/aviation/operating-airports-aerodromes/report-incident-affecting-airport-aerodrome-safety
    Source snippet

    an incident affecting airport or aerodrome safety8 Jun 2023 — Transport Canada's Civil Aviation Daily Occurrence Reporting System (CADORS...

  9. Source: tc.canada.ca
    Link: https://tc.canada.ca/en/aviation/reference-centre/exemptions-canadian-aviation-regulations-cars/exemption-standards-specified-cadors-manual-made-pursuant-section-80701-canadian-aviation-regulations
    Source snippet

    FROM STANDARDS SPECIFIED IN THE...31 Jan 2009 — Section 807.01 stipulates that the holder of an ATS operations certificate shall report...

  10. Source: tc.canada.ca
    Title: Search Civil Aviation Daily Occurrence Reporting System (CADORS)
    Link: https://tc.canada.ca/en/aviation/aviation-accidents-investigations/emergencies-incident-reporting
    Source snippet

    and Incident Reporting - Transports CanadaJan 7, 2020 — The Transportation Safety Board of Canada is the official source of aviation...

  11. Source: nunatsiaq.com
    Link: https://nunatsiaq.com/stories/article/our-top-10-stories-of-2018/
    Source snippet

    Our top 10 stories of 201831 Dec 2018 — The top news story of 2018 on Nunatsiaq.com: a UFO sighting in northern Baffin Island...

  12. Source: laws-lois.justice.gc.ca
    Link: https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/regulations/SOR-96-433/page-111.html/page-33.html
    Source snippet

    Department of Justice CanadaCanadian Aviation Regulations (SOR /96-433)807.01 The holder of an ATS operations certificate shall report t...

  13. Source: laws-lois.justice.gc.ca
    Title: Department of Justice Canada Canadian Aviation Regulations (SOR /96-433)
    Link: https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/regulations/SOR-96-433/page-111.html/page-56.html
    Source snippet

    Department of Justice CanadaCanadian Aviation Regulations (SOR /96-433) - Justice Canada807.01 The holder of an ATS operations certifica...

  14. Source: books.google.com
    Link: https://books.google.com/books/about/CADORS.html?id=0HALHQAACAAJ
    Source snippet

    google.comCADORS: Civil Aviation Daily Occurrence Reporting SystemTitle, CADORS: Civil Aviation Daily Occurrence Reporting System. Author...

Additional References

  1. Source: reddit.com
    Link: https://www.reddit.com/r/flying/comments/hbrcih/cador/
    Source snippet

    Cador: r/flyingAll a CADOR is is an official report of some kind of incident. It can be about an airspace or runway incursion, a bird st...

  2. Source: researchgate.net
    Link: https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Graphical-representation-of-Civil-Aviation-Daily-Occurrence-Reporting-System-CADORS_fig1_379689369
    Source snippet

    Graphical representation of Civil Aviation Daily Occurrence...Download scientific diagram | Graphical representation of Civil Aviation D...

  3. Source: bst.gc.ca
    Link: https://www.bst.gc.ca/eng/incidents-occurrence/aviation/index.html
    Source snippet

    Transportation Safety Board of CanadaReport an air transportation occurrenceYou need to report the occurrence if you are the owner, opera...

  4. Source: youtube.com
    Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-j6HAGD8BR8
    Source snippet

    Thrilling Pilotviews into Nunavut, Baffin IslandJustPlanes in the cockpit of a FIRST AIR ATR-42 bound for Pangnirtung, Nunavut on Baffin...

  5. Source: cabinradio.ca
    Title: canadian north crew reports lights in sky over yellowknife
    Link: https://cabinradio.ca/120760/news/yellowknife/canadian-north-crew-reports-lights-in-sky-over-yellowknife/
    Source snippet

    Canadian North crew reports 'lights in sky' over Yellowknife11 Feb 2023 — The crew of a Canadian North flight in late January reported un...

  6. Source: icao.int
    Title: 5.2 08 Annex A CADORS Reportable Occurences for CANADA
    Link: https://www.icao.int/sites/default/files/SMI/TrainingDocs/Chapter%205%20Safety%20Data%20Collection%20and%20Processing%20Systems/5.2-08-Annex-A-CADORS-Reportable-Occurences-for-CANADA.pdf
    Source snippet

    # $ CADORS MANUAL TP 4044CADORS REPORTABLE OCCURRENCES 1. Aircraft Accident. The aircraft receives a Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidanc...

  7. Source: youtube.com
    Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6JgyhoCyi8
    Source snippet

    Air traffic control audio: Pilot reports unusual lights over Quebec on Feb. 12, 2023...

  8. Source: youtube.com
    Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yuwQMa0xL28
    Source snippet

    Air traffic control audio: Pilots report 'triangles' over Canadian prairies on Jan. 19, 2024...

  9. Source: canadacommons.ca
    Link: https://canadacommons.ca/artifacts/30345867/air-traffic-organization-occurrence-reporting/31245707/
    Source snippet

    It emphasizes a systemic approach...Read more...

  10. Source: facebook.com
    Link: https://www.facebook.com/NunatsiaqNews/posts/pilots-report-ufo-sighting-over-nunavuts-northern-baffin-islandreport-made-to-no/10156398137969442/
    Source snippet

    rt made to NORAD following Nov. 24 sighting...

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