FLYJACK

We don't know where the 63 upgrade kits went to. 407 passenger only.. but 571 total.

No indication how many didn't have it. 91 - 727-100C pass/cargo 164 - 727-100 passenger 63 - modification kits sold = 318 total This is it, outer decal does not match Hicks We need to determine if NORJAK even had this optional emergency release system...

Emergency system, remove covers = two.. a cover and a break away flange The FBI would know if it was used. They could be holding back info??

That doesn't mean all (every) passenger aircraft had the system, it means the 164 Boeing 727-100 with it were "all passenger aircraft". 91 were cargo/passenger and modification 63 kits sold.

The most frustrating thing are those holes,, a decal doesn't need to be mounted, the 727 interior decals do not have "fasteners"... it is a big clue for the history of that decal..

If you look at the Hick's decal, based on the tears it looks like it came off from the top down slightly left to right..

Hick's led the search for Cooper in 1971.. He knew the flightpath and the location he claimed was virtually right under it. The sheriff was his neighbour.. This thing is OUTTA CONTROL NOW.. I had speculated earlier that Hick's may have lied about it, maybe it was ripped off a 727 as a souvenir..

It was found in a bush?? 7 years later.. "sitting on a bush"

We haven't even confirmed that NWA 727's had the emergency airstairs option.. Look for the early NWA 727-100 safety card not the 727-200 one, I found only the front page...

The FBI noticed it "missing after the flight test, not before" "could have dropped off any passing Boeing 727" "could have dropped from the plane during re-enactment..six weeks later" "known to fall off on the runway" The new FBI file states that there was also a test 2 days after NORJAK and decal(s) came off.. Is the FBI lying or not?? They had the blueprint location.. why say this.. Maybe the Boeing guy got it wrong and found decal BAC27DPA-182, instead of BAC27DPA-152.. it was also an emergency airstair decal/marker on the interior control panel but not the same as the Hick's placard.

yes, the 737 airstair does fall open.. it just has a fold in it. It s an emergency exit, it needs to have the option of opening without power.

True, the 727 airstair is different, the 737 folds out but you make an error.. The Hick's placard is generic and says nothing about freefall.. Emergency Exit Handle, Aft Airstair to Operate, Open Access Door, Pull on Red Handle. Lock Wire Will Break When Handle is Pulled.

They do drop.

yes, but it was new in the 70's.. There were even instances of it popping open.. I tried to eliminate this thing as a possibility and couldn't.. you just can't prove a negative.

On that system the handrail is manually attached at the top after airstair is lowered.. it has to be manually detached before retraction. That is the emergency retraction. Of course the retraction is electric.

We aren't concerned with retraction.. You are trying to prove a negative, you can't.. I already looked into this. You don't know all the options and variants for the 737 Aft Airstairs. The only way to solve it is to contact Boeing.. and get a plane model and variant list for that part number.

What is your point? It was near the Aft Door on the 727.. that includes that optional access door and tells us zero about a 737. I covered all this is my post.. We need to determine exactly which plane models and 727 variants that decal was on, exact location and whether NORJAK even had that decal/system. You seem to have a problem with that?

Clearly, you are confused and did not read my post. I stated what many of the parts lists indicate for the Hick's placard part number. Until we have the facts we can't eliminate those as possibilities. You are assuming that the companies just added those models. They might have, you don't know. I don't 100% eliminate possibilities (myth busted) based on assumptions, you seem to have a history of it. It is not rational. If we get the facts, we can eliminate it.

I don't have problem but you seem to be confused. They said inside the AFT door on the 727. That panel is inside the AFT door. Boeing never said anything about a 737... if it is used or not. I guess you never read my post on the matter.

I am not suggesting this... If NORJAK did have the Hick's decal "type" and it did have the optional emergency release system it would have to be behind the removable emergency door with the two finger holes. There is another break away panel behind it. Clearly, the Hick's placard does not match the outer decal. Point is, this isn't settled. We need more work here. I have found at least three different emergency release decals/part numbers for 727's, there may be more. We still don't even know which one the NORJAK plane had.

The 737 Aft Airstair is different. Electric but can freefall..

You don't know that, you are assuming. It may be true or not. You don't bust a myth with assumptions..

Wow,, lots of assumptions there, I thought you were a facts only guy. The 737 combi did have optional aft airstairs, the side rear door. They were called "Aft Airstairs".. the "overwing exit" you refer to is not related to the 737 optional "Aft Airstairs".. misfire,, It isn't myth busted,, not yet. We need more work here. The "normal" emergency exit was in the main box on many 727's but it wasn't a "pull on red handle", it was a push the main lever "outward".. all documentation indicates it is integrated into the main handle and is pushed out. It had a different decal/text and different part number from Hick's. The part number is actually one digit different. ..-182 not 152..

The hand pump is irrelevant, they all had that. How is the myth busted that it could be from another aircraft?? I have to give credit to Eric Ulis for contacting Boeing.. "He just called back after about two hours of research and stated it is an interior placard affixed on the inside by the aft door.” Unfortunately, I have to take it back for his abuse of critical thinking.. We still don’t have enough info to claim the Hick’s placard came from Cooper. The 727 series has an aft entry and aft exit door (rear side)… which one.. we’ll assume the rear but this needs clarification. There are still some issues that need to be sorted. The new info from FBI files.. The Hick’s placard part number is Boeing BAC27DPA152 … listed for (707, 727, 737) A NWA crew took the plane up for testing 2 days after the hijacking and claimed they lost decal(s). A second decal was found which according to NWA employees is 99% the same type from a NWA 727, we don’t know which decal this one is. The facts: The FBI claimed the Hick’s decal could have fallen from any passing 727 or from the test two days later. They have more info than we do, why make that claim?? The 727 passenger variant has two different emergency airstair systems and at least three different decals. The normal system doesn’t match the Hick’s placard text and that decal is a different part number, you push the main lever outward. The other is an optional separate emergency release mechanism. This one has an outer door with finger holes which is completely removed, that decal does not match the Hick’s placard. Behind that door is a flange which is broken off to access a red handle which is pulled inward. That almost matches the Hick’s placard but not exactly. the Hick’s placard says "open access door” all documentation says “Pull door inward. To release stairs, break plastic flange and pull red handle." We don’t know which system the NORJAK plane had and we don’t know which 727 variant had the Hick’s placard type. It does not match the normal system and isn’t a perfect match for the optional system. These are the only two systems documented for commercial passenger 727’s. There were many other 727 variants. The Hick’s placard has tear holes in the corners. No internal decals found have those holes.. including the other emergency release decals. First, we need to determine which plane variants had that decal, where exactly they were located and how they were mounted. 707?, 737? and whether the Norjak plane had that decal type and exactly where it was mounted.. Second, the FBI comments are odd and inconsistent. If the plane was tested two days later and some decals came off, for them to come off during NORJAK they had to be replaced and that would be noted. They claim the decal may have come from that test? It is a light decal, vinyl/plastic. (Why the tear holes?) Conclusions.. There are several possibilities, The Hick’s placard type was never used on the NORJAK 727 variant and came from another 727 variant or perhaps a 737. (had an optional side aft airstair) If NORJAK did have that decal type.. The Hick’s placard came off during the test two days later. or The FBI is lying to protect confidential info that only Cooper would know. The FBI docs do not indicate any missing decals or access panels in Reno after inspections. If NORJAK had that decal the only place it would be is behind the outer optional emergency access panel.. it would be attached to a flange inside which is completely removed to access the “red handle”. Perhaps, Cooper did pull the optional emergency system and the FBI is hiding that info. If he did then the placard would have been attached to a plastic break away panel slightly larger than the decal. That would mean the decal came out of the plane attached to a "heavy" plastic panel. This was my first “guess” regarding the Hick’s placard. However, the FBI would have to be lying here as they would know if the emergency handle cover was pulled or accessed. and as I previously pointed out,, Eric and Robert’s placard drift calculations were self serving garbage.. My calcs were a drop at 2-3 ft/sec, that is for the decal only, no plastic panel and the range accounting for the decal possibly missing 1/3rd from altitude.. the wind direction and speed at that location is not known contrary to Eric and Robert’s assertions. It is a guess and the variable assumptions involved make a drift calculation meaningless. If it were still attached to the panel then descent rate changes dramatically. Eric and Robert will continue to spin this into an alternate flight path narrative, none of the placard evidence indicates that, NONE.

Well, he probably chose an empty row as far back as possible when he entered. After the hijacking was initiated the stews moved the passengers forward, if he didn't happen to have the rear row initially he could have moved back then.