Klass, Philip

Phil Klass was a UFO debunker who routinely attacked and ridiculed UFO witnesses, contactees, and whistleblowers by any means possible.

Philip Julian Klass was born on November 8, 1919, in Des Moines, Iowa. He graduated from Iowa State College in 1941 with a degree in electrical engineering. He moved to Washington, D.C., where he worked as an aerospace journalist and editor for Aviation Week and Space Technology magazine for 34 years. He is credited with coining the term "avionics" to describe the electronic systems used in aircraft and spacecraft.

Klass became interested in UFOs in 1966, when he read a report by the Air Force's Project Blue Book that dismissed a UFO sighting by police officers in Michigan as swamp gas. Klass was not convinced by the explanation and decided to investigate the case himself. He found that the witnesses had actually seen a bright satellite flare caused by an orbiting spy satellite. He wrote an article exposing the Air Force's cover-up and revealing the true nature of the sighting.

This was the beginning of Klass's career as a UFO skeptic. He devoted himself to debunking UFO claims and exposing hoaxes, frauds, and misidentifications. He wrote seven books on UFOs, including UFOs Explained (1974), UFOs: The Public Deceived (1983), and The Real Roswell Crashed-Saucer Coverup (1997). He also appeared on numerous TV shows and documentaries, such as Nova, 60 Minutes, and Unsolved Mysteries. He challenged many prominent UFO proponents, such as J. Allen Hynek, Stanton Friedman, and Betty and Barney Hill. He even offered $10,000 to anyone who could prove that Earth had been visited by extraterrestrial spacecraft or beings. But as he was party, judge and jury, he had no interest in objective analysis of the facts.

Klass was known for his biased research, his sharp wit, and his uncompromising stance. He was mainly admired by skeptics. He was also hated by many ufologists for his a priori rejections and ridicule of their claims. He also made enemies within the government and the military.

Klass died on August 9, 2005, at the age of 85. He left behind a legacy of controversy and debate in the UFO community. Some consider him a hero who fought against ignorance and superstition. Far more consider him a disinformation agent who suppressed the truth and slandered the witnesses.

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