FLYJACK

Why would Cooper want to jump where he started? We know he rejected US airports for refuelling and gave no flight directions.

Yes, he said going to Mexico City or any place in Mexico, can't land in US for any reason. So flying dirty the plane could not make Mexico.. Either Cooper made an error or his flying dirty demand was misunderstood. I lean heavily to his demand misunderstood because it was relayed via Tina.

Yes, I know. Cooper demanded nonstop to Mexico not Mexico City. Flying dirty was the problem. How does he make that error.. Most likely, he didn't. My theory is that he initially wanted it to fly dirty when the airstairs were lowered inflight not from takeoff and he would direct the plane location and lowering of airstairs inflight. When Reno was in play he wanted airstairs lowered on takeoff to jump ASAP and that means fly dirty from takeoff as well. That is what happened but not his initial plan. This means he wanted to jump futher south.

Yes, this is mostly subjective so I won't claim you are wrong,, I try to use Bayesian analysis for these Cooper case "uncertainties" and it has worked very well so far. #1. The puddle jump idea is sound reasoning but not confirmed by the evidence. Hahneman hijacked a longer flight but had it land at a nearer location. He also delayed the flight by having it land again to get a different denomination. But if Cooper's original LZ was much further south an earlier flight may produce a night jump. #2. After Reno was in play Cooper wanted stairs open on takeoff but he agreed to up, he had difficulty getting them down and that delayed his exit. Most believe he wanted to jump ASAP.. I differ only that this was his not his initial plan. There is no way he targeting his LZ, he had no pre knowledge of the planes location. This is almost universally accepted by Cooper experts. #3. The Sky Chefs matchbooks don't prove it but supports the theory. UAL did publish the plane models.. if Cooper flew into Portland that is a huge risk to carry the "bomb" real or fake.. another reason I think that flight was his first target but aborted. #4 Chutes coming from McChord was an error conveyed to the crew. Cooper never asked for chutes from McChord. So, using Bayesian analysis I use what is most probable not what is possible.. the possibilities do not advance the case. You are expressing a long held belief that Cooper wanted the longest distance to jump early and a greater search area.. I don't accept this, there is no evidence for it and it is pure speculation started years ago. I have another theory which is detailed and I have expressed many times before. I don't want to go down that rabbit hole but briefly Cooper's demands were conveyed to the cockpit via Tina. Cooper never intended the plane to fly dirty all the way, it was a miscommunication via Tina, He intended the plane to fly dirty when the airstairs were lowered inflight which was his initial demand. There is no way Cooper made a demand to fly to Mexico nonstop knowing that was not achievable and would be rejected, he believed it could make it. He had aviation knowledge and there is no way he made an error in range. Additionally since he gave no flight directions, I believe he was going to that later in the flight but when Reno came into play he decided to jump ASAP. He also rejected large US airports for refuelling, why if he was jumping in the PNW anyway. He was still thinking he was going to be on the plane when it stopped for fuel.

I have been at this case for over 10 years now and have never had any idea or theory for how Cooper got to PDX or selected 305.. I had just assumed he planned 305.. maybe he did, but maybe not. I am 100% convinced that he did not plan to jump in the PNW and it was an early jump due to the plane landing in Reno. The problem I always had was that the plane flew North to Seattle then he demanded South fly to Mexico burning excess fuel. His request to fly to Mexico form Seattle being out of fuel range is also significant. The Sky Chefs matches indicate he may have flown into PDX.. not proof. But, when I thought about it, there is nothing that actually confirms he planned 305, we all assumed it. To your points. My take, #1. Yes, Cooper wanted a night jump. So did Hahneman, he hijacked much earlier in the day but delayed the plane to ensure a night jump, his flight was longer. Again, I believe Cooper wanted to jump much later and further south. #2. I do not believe Cooper wanted to jump in the PNW or that he had a specific V23 LZ. He decided to jump ASAP before the plane landed in Reno. Cooper's LZ was ad hoc. #3. UAL owned Sky Chefs, flew into Portland and had 727's listed on its schedule. Cooper was likely from back East.. Does anybody think Cooper didn't do a dry run on a 727. #4. There is no indication he wanted chutes from McChord. The crew erred telling him they were coming from McChord to which he responded. Cooper was familiar with McChord but that had nothing to do with obtaining the chutes. Admittedly this is a theory,, he flew into PDX on a 727 possibly UAL, that was his initial hijacking plan but was aborted perhaps due to perceived sky marshals. At PDX he chose 305.. There was no indication at all how he got to PDX,, taxi, bus, walk, hotels, ride from a friend, nothing panned out. So, how does he get to PDX with a Sky Chefs matchbook.. either he flew in or he got it at the airport or from Tina.

Shutter's website looks to be gone..

yup, but I don't believe he planned a PNW jump... it was due to Reno being in play.

On Cooper's drink(s)... Bourbon and 7up Tosaw said two drinks.. He was charged $18,, and drinks were $1 Darren actually figured this out,, It was one glass/cup with two ounces/drinks..

I kind of agree Cooper would likely have arrived at PDX with smokes and matches... though not certain it is less likely he bought them at PDX. It would have been interesting if Tina said how full the cigarette pack was..

It is typical that matches are grabbed with a new pack of cigarettes.. If the ICS matches ran out early they were "old"... not purchased with the cigarettes. The Sky Chefs might have been the ones Tina grabbed, not really clear and Cooper may have bought both matches and cigs at the airport though the FBI checked that. If Cooper did not get the matches from Tina or the Portland airport, it suggests he flew into Portland Airport. It doesn't prove it but it that would be the most likely scenario. Both matches were available at airports and flights. UAL ran 727's into Portland. Speculation,, Cooper got the Raleigh's and Sky Chefs on earlier at an airport or UAL Boeing 727 flight into Portland but aborted the hijacking for some reason.. Tried flight 305. This is my #1 theory for Cooper getting to PDX. The matchbook doesn't prove it but it supports it.

You missed the point.. people typically pick up matchbooks when they buy cigarettes. The first matchbook ran out before the cigarette pack. So, it was an "old" book. not grabbed with the pack of Raleigh's. If the Sky Chefs book was not supplied by Tina then it was a new book supplied by Cooper and he likely picked it up when he last bought cigarettes. So, it is most likely the Sky Chef matchbook (if not supplied by Tina) was grabbed when Cooper bought the Raleigh's.. And Sky Chefs were available in Airport lounges, hotels and on many airlines flights as well Cigarettes. If Tina didn't supply that Sky Chefs book and Cooper didn't buy the Raleigh's at the Portland airport then it indicates he probably flew into Portland.

yup, I have identified the museum rig container as an early 1940's Pioneer P1 B-24... it was primarily sold to the public but some military pilots used it. The canopy and harness were updated. The NB-6's were a mid 50's rig.. Hayden thought his chutes were similar.. So the chute container Cooper used was likely a WW2 era olive drab military version... there were many very similar rigs manufactured.

Cigarettes were available on plane flights.. Cooper didn't get them from flight 305... he could have obtained them and the matches from a previous flight. Sky Chefs was owned by United Airlines. There was a United Airlines flight on a 727 to Portland earlier in the day.. What if Cooper took a UAL flight on a 727 to Portland earlier in the day but aborted the hijacking, then in Portland took the opportunity to try flight 305 to Seattle. He never left the airport.

It is a big one... 60 years gone. it was just recovered but I am leaving it up to them to go public with the story.

The cigarette vending machine is a dead end... we can't determine anything from it. It didn't even have Raleigh's at the time of the image.. (just the Raleigh ad) BTW,, I have never been a smoker but my father was and I remember him using these machines,, I have a vague recollection of matches being available through one of the selections,, could that last one #13 be matches???

This parachute thing is complex,,, Cossey claimed the chute left behind was described to him after the plane landed, but not confirmed anywhere. He was interviewed in person at the FBI office on the 26th.. the FBI had the packing card for the Museum chute. There was no detailed description from Cossey for the museum chute early, it was from Hayden. Cossey even later described it as his sport rig and that it was returned to him. It was not. Hayden described the missing back chute as olive drab and tan cotton harness.. Cossey described it as sage green nylon and sage green nylon harness, NB6's are sage green.. not olive drab. Also, the details from the packing card for the missing back chute don't match Cossey's description. But the key is that Cossey had nothing to do with obtaining the chutes from Hayden. He did not know the back chutes were from Hayden until days later. Cossey was contacted and arraigned for all 4 chutes to be picked up from Issaquah. Emrich was to send all 4 but was contacted and told they had secured the backs and only send the two fronts.. Cossey would not be aware of this and assumed his back chutes were used by Cooper. He would have learned of his error within a day or so, but never corrected it. He never supplied his packing records, there is no corroboration for Cossey's NB6 claim. Cossey interview circa 2010.. Cossey is not telling the truth, he telling us what he believed at the time.

Not Parliament.. or Embassy.. 1 Kool 2 Marlboro menthol 3 Lucky Strike 4 L & M 5 Kent 6 Salem 7 Newport Menthol 8 Pall Mall 9 Viceroy ?? 10 Marlboro 100 (lights?) 11 Belair 12 Tareyton 13 Doesn't look like the machine offers Raleigh's.. the Raleigh/Belair sign at top is just an ad, the TRUE cigs aren't offered either. At least at the time this image was taken.

I have a couple different ones.. but haven't finished. Hahneman's regular brand was not B&H.. He probably ordered them because they were a premium brand not available in Honduras. McCartney's Hofner was found about a year ago in a local pub owner's attic.

No, we don't know that Raleigh's were his go to brand.. If Cooper regularly smoked a brand not available or potentially sold out he may have defaulted to Raleigh's... I'll go through them when I get more time... I found another missing guitar,, a big one.

Interesting.. here is a task... Identify all the 13 brands available.

20 cigarettes per pack and 20 matches per book..

Right.. so smokers grab matches when they buy cigarettes.. The ICS matchbook was depleted before the Raleigh's, not grabbed when the Raleigh's were purchased, that means Cooper likely bought the Raleigh's and grabbed the Sky Chefs matchbook at the same time (if it didn't come from Tina). But, Cooper paid for his drink with a 20... Cooper likely bought the Raleigh's and grabbed the Sky Chefs matchbook at the same place.

This is typical for this case.. vague and inconclusive. I don't know what to think.. the FBI believed the matchbook came from elsewhere but if Tina grabbed another matchbook then there were three... if Tosaw was accurate on that point. The FBI could have misunderstood Tina.. But, the bottom line researching the Sky Chefs matchbook is that they were likely available in hotels, lounges and on flights.. if it was not from Tina or Portland Airport then it suggests Cooper flew into Portland and he was not a local.

Yes, two of them are about sketch B.. But the stew comments are not the cause for sketch B, the real point is that the FBI was wasting time with suspects who were too young or not a swarthy/latin complexion. They felt the sketch was not getting good tips.. It was suggested to have the sketch artist reconnect with the stews to create a better sketch.

Sky Chef lounge at PDX?