FLYJACK

Or, maybe she never gave it back...

Bad news, I was scheduled to get key FBI docs in a few weeks, they have indicated there will be a 6 month delay..

Sort of, the claim is that he offered a tip from his pocket to all stews later.. Flo gave Cooper the change but he didn't tip at that time.. the whole thing doesn't make sense, somebody is lying or covering up something. Cooper orders drink. Flo gives him drink he pays with $20, she doesn't have change will bring after she serves other passengers Flo gives change, no tip Tina asks for and gets ransom money, returns it and says no tips allowed, company policy. Cooper offers all stews tip money from his pocket. They split a few bucks during a hijacking? no, They reject, claim no tip policy. Cooper offers Flo and Alice ransom money before they leave, they reject claim no tip policy. IMO, the claim that Cooper offered tip money from his pocket to all stews is BS to embellish Cooper offering them ransom money rejected by the no tip policy.

He paid with a twenty but Flo didn't have change and brought it to him later. before the stews left the plane he offered all three a tip from his pocket... I find this hard to believe, other reports have Cooper offering Flo and Alice ransom money before they left. To offer small tip money for three stews to split just sounds made up when he had already given ransom money to Tina which she claimed she returned because they weren't allowed tips.. then he later offered ransom money to the other two stews.. To offer tip money to be split three ways sounds like an embellishment by Tina to back up her excuse to return the ransom money.. According to Tina, she had already told him that company policy was to not accept tips. So, it just doesn't make sense any way you look at it.

Cooper probably ordered from a drink menu like this.. he had the option of a beer but picked Bourbon. What does that indicate about Cooper. back in 1971 Bourbon was the #2 hard liquor drink.. This is the Northwest inflight drink menu.. several years earlier. There are many Bourbons available and several soft drinks including 7up.. no straight soda

Do you what a type A-3 soft top pilot chute is..

FBI part 68 is up.. https://vault.fbi.gov/D-B-Cooper /d.b.-cooper-part-68-of-68/view

More evidence Cossey got Cooper's chutes wrong.. He either lied or assumed. His first and consistent description of the chute Cooper took was sage green nylon container and sage green nylon harness model NB6. Cossey's description. Cossey describes Cooper's chute. He claims he actually made it for Hayden. Later, he claimed he never heard of Hayden and it was his personally chute. That doesn't match what Hayden claimed.. Cossey re-packed the chute but Hayden bought it at a surplus shop. He said the pilot chute was type A-3 "soft top".. Anybody know what a pilot chute type A-3 "soft top" is? Here, the FBI states Cooper's chute was olive drab container and tan cotton harness. This description is consistent in FBI files and predates Cossey's initial description. Further, Cossey explains the dummy chute, he cut it in half, sewed it together and no mention of daisy chaining. Cossey said he had the serial numbers in his records but he never produced them.. My conclusion is Cossey initially assumed the chute was his sage nylon/sage nylon NB6 chute then lied about it to cover up his error. For the chutes, Cossey was the go to for the FBI and to admit he was wrong would have undermined the case and completely discredited Cossey. There was never any corroboration for Cossey's description. That means the FBI was looking for the wrong chute and potentially eliminated chutes found that may have been Cooper's.

Interesting interview, but Ted Braden was not Cooper. He doesn't fit the description and profile. Braden clearly had the skills and was a badass but he looked like one as well, he had a very unique look. His hair was receding and straight, not curly/wavy/marceled. He had blue eyes. Stews told the sketch artist Cooper had a protruding lower lip, Braden did not. Cooper got giddy when he got the money, a badass like Braden wouldn't have. Cooper was not a hardened badass soldier, he was military but not a real tough guy. Other than being a badass with skills there is no evidence for Braden and he doesn't match the description/profile. Some of these suspects are unique people with great stories that elevate them within the Cooper discourse.. but that doesn't make them Cooper.

The crew (305) did include the knapsack when they conveyed Cooper's demands. Perhaps it wasn't stressed enough..

Game this out,, the dummy reserve. Why? Why would Cooper take it or toss it? If he took it whole, he would have had to tie it to himself,, unlikely. If he used it to carry money then there would have been some part left in the plane. It doesn't make sense that he opened it, removed the chute/parts then tossed those chute/parts. There would have been something left in the plane. That leaves the idea that Cooper tossed it whole. Why? It was reported that Cooper inspected the chutes, all were sealed except the dummy chute. He may have tossed it because it wasn't sealed and may have been tampered with. Another reason may have been as a test. Toss it off the back to check the fall/drop before he goes.

Eric Ulis does a vid arguing his western flight path theory.. he gives three points. #3. Wrong - Eric argues that a 727 is physically incapable of following the "FBI" path,, he fails to understand that this path was drawn from plotted points. It isn't precise and can be smoothed within the plotting error to fit a 727 flightpath. Eric has misinterpreted the path, it was a series of plots (minutes) that a guy just drew a line to connect them. It is not the planes actual path. He also claims the path was the trailing fighter, but the path doesn't match a trailing fighter.. #2. Wrong - Eric argues nothing was found therefore the path was wrong,, This is a false statement, the accurate statement is that the FBI has not indicated anything was found. Two problems with this argument. First, we don't know nothing was found, something may have been found but never turned in or recognized by the FBI. Second, not finding anything doesn't prove the path was not accurate. #1. Wrong - Eric argues the TBAR money find 8 miles west proves the path was wrong. This is a logical fallacy. We can't prove beyond some theories how the money have arrived on TBAR with the "FBI" path and Cooper's DZ.. Eric is using an unknown to reject the "FBI" path that has lots of supporting evidence. I have three good theories that can put the money on TBAR, maintain the "FBI" path and Cooper's DZ. There may be others nobody has thought of.. because we can't prove how the money got to TBAR doesn't negate the "FBI" path and the supporting evidence. Dan Gryder in the comments claimed the plane was on autopilot.. that was reported erroneously in the FBI files... Bill Rataczak said he was manually flying the plane. Dan is wrong, Eric is correct. Here is a smoothed flightpath... it may not be exact but it is within the plotting error and a path that a 727 could do.

None of the money outside of the TBAR find ever turned up in circulation,, Based on his estimated age he is almost certainly dead by now. All the other 727 hijackers survived their jumps.. Statistically, the probability of surviving the jump is high, the probability of spending the money into circulation in the US is low. He may have lost all or most of the money in the jump and survived.

Another point.. At the time, the FBI claimed the money came from one bundle, that is the three packets of 100 bills were in one rubber banded bundle just as it went to Cooper. The FBI could have compared the TBAR serial numbers with the original unsorted money list. That list was in physical order, the public list we have was re-ordered alphanumerically. With the original unsorted list it can be determined which packet of 100 the TBAR bills came from. All the bill serial numbers for those 3 packets could have been identified from the list.. and the three packets must have been sequential for the FBI to claim they were from one bundle. Checking the TBAR bills against the original unsorted list would have confirmed 3 packets of 100, 300 bills = $6000. Unfortunately, we don't have that original unsorted list of bills in physical order.

The money was sent to the FBI lab and they estimated 285 bills.. That doesn't mean 285 identified serial numbers so there is no full TBAR S/N list even at the FBI. Years ago some additional S/N's were identified from fragments, not more bills just more serial numbers. The FBI kept 14 and rest were split between Globe Insurance and Brian who gave some to Tosaw. Perhaps others took some bills.. but the majority went to Globe and Brian. I have ID'd around 80-85 TBAR serial numbers but there are many more pieces out there that do not have S/N's. The bills I have ID'd include all the ones Brian auctioned and any that have crossed the internet in images or were in the FBI files. This bill is signed by an agent and being such a good example is rare and valuable.

There is no actual TBAR bill list,, Eric must mean the FBI bill list.. I haven't seen this one before,, it is new for the TBAR list I have which is probably the most comprehensive other than Snowmman's list which he stole from me... Anyway, it is a very good example, I wonder where it came from.

yes, it is on the FBI list,, I have about 85 bills/numbers identified as being TBAR bills but not that one..

Where did that bill come from, it isn't in my TBAR list.

This is the money spot... 1973 money spot money spot (red dot) a fair distance N of 1974 dredge spoils map Sept 1974 left shows 1974 channel dredge spoils (Aug - Sept 1974), Sept 1975 on right spoils less prominent

Mitchell sat a bit further away and had a different angle, lower. Tina mostly sat next to Cooper and a turkey neck may not have been as noticeable from close up and higher. Mitchell didn't mention the protruding lower lip but the stews did. They were closer and saw his profile.

Cooper was described by the stews to the sketch artist as having thin lips and a protruding lower lip, that is rare. Mitchell noted a turkey neck. The stews and Mitchell would have got a good look at Cooper's profile. Frank Sturgis does not, he wasn't Cooper for many other reasons. No protruding lower lip. Richard Floyd McCoy does not match the description of Cooper, too young, no turkey neck thicker lips and no protruding lower lip.. lots of other reasons. What about that bulge on the back of his head. McCoy has a protruding adam's apple, a unique neck posture and blue eyes.. Look at that crazy neck posture..

That is what I was thinking.. The only thing he can add is something in the FBI files we don't have.. but he isn't talking until he leaves.

So, my take on the Gunther book is that somebody contacted him claiming to be Cooper, the letters are legit. Gunther researched the case and wrote about it in the hijacking description but embellished some.. The Clara part was mostly fiction between "Clara" and Max there is no way to extract the truth.. Gunther writing style is novel form of creative writing making impossible to sort this out.. Either the real Cooper or a hoaxer.. It looks like both the first '72 letter and the '82 letter to Himmelsbach were typed by the same person based on formatting though different typewriters, both appear to be male based on language. That letter to Himmelsbach was probably legit because Himmelsbach could deny he ever received it when Gunther published his book. Either Gunther faked it and sent it to H or "Cooper/Hoaxer" did.. that is risky for Gunther so unlikely he did. Therefore Cooper/Hoaxer likely sent that letter to H and probably a male, not Clara. That letter was a pleading to H to accept the story and give credibility. "Cooper/Hoaxer" tried to convey inside info. He mentioned the name "Dan", it was in the newspapers but not widely used. He mentioned that Cooper did not wear loafers, ONLY newspapers reported that he did, he didn't. He is trying to communicate to H that he knew some inside info. He also claimed to be Clara so the info was not 100% reliable. Another interesting point is that "Cooper/Hoaxer" initially wanted money for a charity then later stated that was a ruse and he did want money. At this point "Cooper/Hoaxer" wanted money, if the real Cooper then it indicates he lost the ransom during the hijacking.. Then Clara never wanted money but wanted to tell a story and claim Cooper was dead.. if the real Cooper with a female accomplice they wanted it public that Cooper was dead, Hahneman was about to get out of prison. There are few really interesting Hahneman coincidences.. One big one is that Mark Penzer told Gunther he was asked by the "Cooper/Hoaxer" to go to the Pan AM building NY at 1:00 PM to a phone booth with a specific telephone number, he went and it was there. He never got a call, but thought Cooper was watching him. So, the "Cooper/Hoaxer" must have known NY very well unless Gunther made up that part. The Pan Am building is half a mile from where Hahneman was staying at the time.. Gunther also stated the Clara calls were coming from NY in '82 at the time Hahneman was in prison. Hahneman had a sister but I haven't been able to track her location. He gave me a name let's say Paul Cotton or something like that.. Clara recalls.. So, the name may have been completely fabricated, however, Hahenman worked for NASA and Tom Cotton was a director for NASA at the time. There are other things but all could be just coincidences. My conclusion, somebody contacted Gunther, could have been Cooper or a hoaxer.. Gunther embellished and fabricated much of it.. it is an interesting hypothesis, I don't know how it can be resolved.

I am not a fan of the suction dredge theory per se, - I can't see the money going through and ending up in that condition. Extremely unlikely. - The diatoms mean the money was in the water spring/summer only, that leaves a narrow band of time for entry into the water and then dredged onto shore. I have read accounts that TBAR was replenished constantly,, not just 1974 from channel operations. The TBAR shoreline right at the money spot looks to have been replenished before the famous 1974 dredge operation and after Sept 71.. Remember, the 74 dredge operation shows South of the money spot, this is exactly at the money spot. September 1971 on the left and Jul 1973 on the right. The water looks the same.. What does this mean.. it appears that between September 1971 and July 1973 there was beach replenishment on TBAR right at the money find spot. The 1974 dredge operation was south of this spot, there is speculation is was spread out but who knows. The dredging records don't indicate any channel dredge operation during this time but there may have been beach replenishment and reports are that it was frequent. It is possible the 1974 dredge operation had nothing to do with the TBAR money and an earlier beach replenishment (Sept 71 - Jul 73) operation occurred prior to the money arrival. The layer found by Palmer under the money was this one not the 1974 one.. Another possible theory (of many) I have is that the money went down the South Fork Lewis during historic floods in 1972 and was clamshell dredged from the Columbia barged upstream and used for beach nourishment. Not my favourite theory.. But I do believe the 1974 channel dredge operation is a red herring. Sept 71 and July 73

Industrial chemical sales (clerk) isn't a very good fit for the tie particles. He had to have the FBI files for the section that he describes the hijacking.. not the stuff from Cooper/Carla... Either from an FBI agent or FOIA and newspapers.. it is obvious when you read it that he patched together information, got some stuff wrong and made some up..