FLYJACK

The Hicks placard has what appear to be fastener tears in it.. obviously a decal doesn't need fasteners. DUH.. I was speculating that the fasteners were for the removable panel that the decal was affixed to. If the panel had a decal, was removed then replaced with new fasteners for example,, the decal would now be under the fasteners... You always misread my comments, those tear patterns are not from a decal just stuck on a wall and you are correct, it doesn't match any other decal.. So, where did those tears come from..

I had to go way back in my notes... Originally, I had speculated that Cooper failed to use the main control because it requires a button to pressed on the top of the handle. When that failed he used the emergency system and the placard was attached to the removable door. (that may account for the fasteners) The only indicator light was "not locked".. "Tina noticed the red indicator light on the second officer’s panel indicating Airstair operation. A RED light indicated the Airstairs were unlocked. IMPORTANT- A RED LIGHT INDICATES AIRSTAIRS OPEN BUT NOT LOCKED UP OR DOWN. AN AMBER LIGHT INDICATES AIRSTAIR LEVER IN RAISING POSITION. A GREEN LIGHT INDICATED DOWN AND LOCKED" However, I moved away from that when I found the statements from the FBI and the fact that the FBI had to know if Cooper used the emergency system. The ONLY way this works now is if the FBI knows Cooper used the emergency system and is lying about it. Otherwise, they could not determine if the placard came from Cooper.

The 727-200 is different from the 727-100.. From Northwest maintenance manual.. Northwest 727-51 (100 series) and Northwest 727-251 (200 series) Northwest 727-51 (Norjak) I don't see the emergency system here, doesn't mean it isn't there. Northwest 727-251

Issues. If Cooper used the optional emergency system the FBI would have known. The FBI claimed the placard was noticed missing after the flight test, not before and it may have come from the test or even another 727. Why claim that? Either the FBI couldn't determine it came from Cooper or they did and are lying. I don't think we will ever solve this now.

The FBI had more info and access to resources then than we do now,, publicly for some reason they did not determine or conclude the Hicks placard came from Cooper. They immediately walked back the Sheriff's assertions. There are only two possibilities. The Hicks placard can't be confirmed from Cooper. or... The FBI knows it came from Cooper and they are lying.

Eric Ulis wrote.. "I have no issue with the wording. It is a door whether it's on a hinge or not.Nonetheless, Boeing verified this placard described the use of the emergency airstair release behind the two-hole door/panel." They did? Boeing only described it as being near the aft door.. Is Eric exaggerating again or did Boeing actually verify that?

Is there an echo in here.. I said that it doesn't show the Placard.. Some airlines 727-100 safety cards don't show the optional emergency system, The NW Orient safety card will indicate whether their 727's had that system.

Hicks decal doesn't exactly match either system.. 727-100 Main system.. open access panel and push control lever outward.. Not even close Optional system.. remove panel, break flange and pull red handle.. Close We need to know which model and 727 variant that decal is used on.. there are many different emergency airstair release decals for 727's.. The safety card may tell us if NWA 727's had the optional emergency release system not the placard itself..

The NWA 727-100 safety card would indicate it.. another,, decals don't match Hicks.. Hicks also states "open access door", this system instructions are to "remove" access door and break flange

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.