Richard F. Haines — biographical reference
Condensed 2026-05-29 from Wikipedia, CUFOS, and the Rice University / Archives West finding aids. Biographical reference for haines-narcap-perception-scientist.
Dr. Richard F. Haines — American experimental/research psychologist specializing in human perception and aviation human factors. PhD in Experimental Psychology, Michigan State University (1964); NIH predoctoral research fellow.
NASA career
- Research scientist at NASA Ames Research Center, 1967–1986 — work on Gemini, Apollo, Skylab, and Space Station projects (vision, perception, cockpit/display human factors).
- Chief of the Space Human Factors Office, NASA Ames (1986–1988) — directed the AX-5 prototype EVA suit, Space Station Freedom habitability research, and spacecraft window design.
- Retired from government service 1988; taught psychology at San Jose State University; scientist at the Research Institute for Advanced Computer Science (RIACS).
UAP work
- Co-founded NARCAP (National Aviation Reporting Center on Anomalous Phenomena, 1999) and served as its Chief Scientist — a sober, aviation-safety-framed effort to collect and analyze pilot UAP reports.
- Wrote NARCAP’s 150+ page report on the 2006 Chicago O’Hare UFO sighting.
- 40+ years of work on pilot sightings, photographic-evidence analysis, and close-encounter data; co-authored (with Jacques Vallée) the Journal of Scientific Exploration analysis of the 1971 Costa Rica photograph.
- A CUFOS board consultant. His ufology papers are archived at Rice University’s Woodson Research Center.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_F._Haines; cufos.org; Archives West / Rice University finding aids.