Within Aviation Cases
How does a pilot UFO report become official?
Pilot UFO reports gain weight from the reporting chain, but CADORS entries are safety records rather than final explanations.
On this page
- From cockpit call to air traffic services
- NAV CANADA and CADORS in the reporting chain
- Why official recording is not official confirmation
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Introduction
When a pilot in British Columbia reports an unidentified light, object or aerial phenomenon, the sighting does not become an official aviation record because anyone has decided it is extraordinary. It becomes a record because Canadian aviation safety systems are designed to document anything that might affect flight operations. A report that begins as a cockpit observation can move through air traffic services, NAV CANADA reporting channels and Transport Canada databases before appearing in the public record. The resulting entry may later be explained, remain uncertain, or simply lack enough evidence for a firm conclusion.
This distinction matters for understanding aviation-linked UFO history in British Columbia. CADORS records and related aviation documents show that something was reported and considered relevant to flight safety. They do not, by themselves, establish what was seen. Transport Canada repeatedly describes CADORS information as preliminary occurrence data rather than final investigative findings. [Transport Canada]canada.cacivil aviation daily occurrence reporting system cadorsThat information is provided in an aviation …Read more
From cockpit call to air traffic services
The process usually begins in the cockpit. A pilot observes an unusual light, object or apparent aircraft conflict and contacts air traffic control or a flight information service. The report may include the aircraft’s position, altitude, heading, weather conditions and a description of what was seen.
For pilots operating in British Columbia, this can happen in a wide range of environments: trans-Pacific routes approaching Vancouver, mountain corridors in the Interior, coastal routes used by floatplanes, or busy terminal areas around Vancouver International Airport and Victoria. What matters operationally is not whether the object is labelled a UFO, but whether it could pose a hazard, create confusion or require air traffic services to assess nearby traffic.
Controllers may then check for known aircraft, radar returns, planned operations, weather phenomena or other possible explanations. If the event is considered reportable under aviation occurrence procedures, it enters the reporting system through an Aviation Occurrence Report (AOR) or related documentation. NAV CANADA’s air traffic services network plays a central role at this stage because it receives and records many of the initial reports from pilots. [Transport Canada+2Transport Canada]canada.cacivil aviation daily occurrence reporting system cadorsThat information is provided in an aviation …Read more
NAV CANADA and CADORS in the reporting chain
A common misunderstanding is that CADORS is where a sighting is investigated. In reality, CADORS is primarily a reporting and information-sharing system.
Transport Canada states that CADORS exists to provide initial information about aviation occurrences involving Canadian aircraft, Canadian airports or Canadian-controlled airspace. The system’s purpose is to identify potential hazards and operational issues as quickly as possible. [Transport Canada+2Open Canada]tc.canada.caTransport Canada4High Altitude Object Incidents - Transports Canada11 Aug 2023 — Transport Canada collects aviation occurrence information through the Civ…
The reporting chain typically works like this:
- Pilot observes something unusual and informs air traffic services.
- Air traffic personnel document the occurrence, often through an Aviation Occurrence Report.
- NAV CANADA forwards occurrence information through established reporting channels.
- Transport Canada creates a CADORS entry if the event meets reporting criteria.
- Additional agencies may become involved if required, including the Transportation Safety Board (TSB), RCMP or other authorities. Transport Canada+2Transport Canada
Transport Canada has noted that roughly 80 per cent of the information used to create CADORS records originates with NAV CANADA occurrence reports. Other information can come from aircraft operators, police agencies, the Transportation Safety Board and other government bodies. Transport Canada
For researchers studying British Columbia UFO history, this chain is important because it creates a documented trail. Unlike many civilian sightings, aviation reports often preserve dates, times, locations and operational context that can later be checked against aircraft movements, astronomical events, weather records or other evidence.
Why official recording is not official confirmation
The existence of a CADORS record is sometimes treated as proof that a UFO event was officially verified. That is not how the system works.
Transport Canada explicitly states that CADORS reports contain preliminary and unsubstantiated information that may later be corrected or updated. The system is intended to provide rapid awareness of occurrences, not definitive conclusions about causes. Transport Canada+2Transport Canada
This distinction becomes especially important in UFO-related cases. A CADORS entry may use terms such as “unidentified object”, “unidentified light” or “UFO” because that is how the event was initially reported. Later information may suggest a balloon, meteor, satellite, drone, known aircraft or atmospheric phenomenon. In other cases, the available evidence may remain too limited to reach any confident explanation. Transport Canada
The reporting system therefore records uncertainty rather than resolving it. A CADORS entry tells historians and researchers that an aviation occurrence was reported. It does not automatically tell them what the object actually was.
What makes aviation reports valuable to British Columbia researchers?
British Columbia’s aviation-linked UFO history contains many reports that entered official channels because pilots or controllers believed they were relevant to safety. The strongest cases are rarely those with the most dramatic descriptions. Instead, they are the ones that preserve enough operational detail for later analysis.
Useful aviation records often include:
- Exact times and locations.
- Aircraft altitude and heading.
- Multiple witnesses.
- Air traffic control communications.
- Information about known nearby traffic.
- Weather and visibility conditions.
- Follow-up reports from controllers or other crews.
These details allow later investigators to compare the observation against ordinary explanations. In some instances, the comparison weakens the UFO claim. In others, the cause remains uncertain. Either outcome is more informative than an isolated anecdote because the aviation reporting chain has preserved evidence that can be examined.
Why the reporting mechanism matters more than the label
Within British Columbia’s broader UFO history, aviation records are valuable because they show how uncertainty is managed inside a safety-critical system. A pilot’s sighting becomes part of the historical record not because authorities have endorsed an extraordinary explanation, but because Canadian aviation procedures require potentially relevant occurrences to be documented.
The key lesson is straightforward: a CADORS entry represents a reported aviation occurrence, not a final verdict. The route from cockpit observation to official record adds credibility to the existence of the report itself, yet the question of what was actually seen remains a separate matter that must be evaluated on its own evidence. Transport Canada+2Transport Canada
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Endnotes
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Source: tc.canada.ca
Title: civil aviation online services applications
Link: https://tc.canada.ca/en/aviation/civil-aviation-online-services-applicationsSource snippet
aviation online services and applications16 Jul 2024 — Reports contain preliminary, unsubstantiated information that is subject to change...
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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-regulationsSource snippet
Transport CanadaEXEMPTION FROM STANDARDS SPECIFIED IN THE...Jan 31, 2009 — Section 807.01 stipulates that the holder of an ATS operation...
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Source: tc.canada.ca
Title: Transport Canada4
Link: https://tc.canada.ca/en/binder/4-high-altitude-object-incidentsSource snippet
High Altitude Object Incidents - Transports Canada11 Aug 2023 — Transport Canada collects aviation occurrence information through the Civ...
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Source: open.canada.ca
Link: https://open.canada.ca/data/en/dataset/a348c1d1-2392-4595-b5e2-c6a244a7e87fSource snippet
Civil Aviation Daily Occurrence Report SystemThe system provides initial information on occurrences involving any Canadian-reg...
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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-4044Source snippet
Transport CanadaCivil Aviation Daily Occurrence Reporting System (CADORS...5 Sept 2025 — The purpose of the CADORS Manual is to outline...
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Source: tc.canada.ca
Title: nav canada s eyes skies ground
Link: https://tc.canada.ca/en/aviation/publications/aviation-safety-letter/issue-4-2023/nav-canada-s-eyes-skies-groundSource snippet
CANADA's “Eyes in the Skies and on the Ground”13 Apr 2026 — NAV CANADA distinguishes between “the big four” instrument flight rules (IFR)...
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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-safetySource snippet
To search for national or regional reports, or to...Read more...
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Source: cadors.ca
Title: CADOR S.CA Podcast
Link: https://cadors.ca/ -
Source: books.google.com
Link: https://books.google.com/books/about/CADORS.html?id=0HALHQAACAAJSource snippet
google.comCADORS: Civil Aviation Daily Occurrence Reporting SystemTitle, CADORS: Civil Aviation Daily Occurrence Reporting System. Author...
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Source: podchaser.com
Title: CADOR S
Link: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/cadors-civil-aviation-daily-oc-161455Source snippet
CADORS - Civil Aviation Daily Occurrence Reporting SystemDescription. Discussion of Civil Aviation Daily Occurrence Reporting System (CAD...
Additional References
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Source: tsb.gc.ca
Link: https://www.tsb.gc.ca/eng/stats/aviation/data-5.htmlSource snippet
Air transportation occurrence dataThe TSB is publishing data from its Aviation Safety Information System (ASIS) on reportable accidents a...
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Source: tsb.gc.ca
Link: https://www.tsb.gc.ca/eng/rapports-reports/aviation/index.htmlSource snippet
Air transportation safety investigations and reportsAir transportation safety investigations and reports. Aerodrome (CJL5), Manitoba, Fai...
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Source: reddit.com
Link: https://www.reddit.com/r/flying/comments/1p6kapq/how_serious_are_cadors_for_your_future_career/ -
Source: bst.gc.ca
Link: https://www.bst.gc.ca/eng/incidents-occurrence/aviation/index.htmlSource snippet
Report an air transportation occurrenceYou need to report the occurrence if you are the owner, operator, pilot-in-command, any crew membe...
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Source: icao.int
Link: https://www.icao.int/sites/default/files/SMI/TrainingDocs/Chapter%205%20Safety%20Data%20Collection%20and%20Processing%20Systems/5.2-09-Canada-Civil-Aviation-Daily-Occurrence-Reporting-Systems-CADORS-presentation.pdfSource snippet
cadorsCADORS. • Civil Aviation Daily Occurrence Reporting System. • Aviation accidents and incidents within the National Civil. Air Trans...
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Source: facebook.com
Link: https://www.facebook.com/VASAviation/posts/numerous-reports-of-mysterious-lights-very-high-very-fast%EF%B8%8Fwatch-full-video-on-yo/937298871735620/Source snippet
😨Numerous Reports of Mysterious LightsPassenger and military plane pilots report 'bright green UFO' swooping through the clouds over Cana...
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Source: science.gc.ca
Link: https://science.gc.ca/site/science/en/office-chief-science-advisor/sky-canada-project/management-public-reporting-unidentified-aerial-phenomena-canadaSource snippet
pilots, cabin crews, and air traffic controllers to report UAP sightings without...Read more...
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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.pdfSource snippet
# $ CADORS MANUAL TP 4044CADORS REPORTABLE OCCURRENCES. 1. Aircraft Accident. Any aviation occurrence resulting directly from the operati...
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Source: researchgate.net
Link: https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Graphical-representation-of-Civil-Aviation-Daily-Occurrence-Reporting-System-CADORS_fig1_379689369Source snippet
aily Occurrence Reporting System (CADORS) reporting process (Canada 2021a)...
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Source: fliegerfaust.com
Title: uap ufo aviation safety pilot reporting data
Link: https://www.fliegerfaust.com/uap-ufo-aviation-safety-pilot-reporting-data/Source snippet
UAP UFO aviation safety: what pilots and ATC need in 2026Dec 28, 2025 — Transport Canada maintains the Civil Aviation Daily Occurrence Re...
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