I realize that more than 20 years has passed, but I'm suggesting that TIGHAR initiate steps to see where the artifact is. Hopefully it still exists.
Before we devote any effort to new technology or whatever, I think it would be a good idea to make the best possible use of what we already have.
Think about it for a moment. Let's say we spent the time, effort, and money to track down the artifact, and let's say we were somehow successful in convincing the provincial authorities to release it to us for research (which they were not willing to do 20 years ago). And let's say that after spending the time, effort, and money on forensic testing we were able to determine that there is something about the artifact that is consistent with it being from a 1927 French airplane, what would we do then? We would look for technology that would help us search for the rest of the airplane.
Ummmm, I
have thought about it. Twenty years have past. Might be new people with a new attitude in charge up there. As I see it, right now the Plane in the Pond theory is a roll of the dice. TIGHAR may have found a piece of the White Bird. If we are allowed to do some testing and it turns out positive, that will
greatly strengthen TIGHAR's case for raising more money for another search. If the testing turns out negative or ambiguous, we really haven't lost anything, either. We might well have the proverbial bird in the hand.
Or so it seems to me.
LTM,
Monty Fowler, TIGHAR No. 2189