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Bruce, Here is a good interview lead. A retired 727 captain who also jumped from a 727! Bet he might have some useful info having seen things from the cockpit as a pilot and the ventral door as a skydiver. https://growingbolder.com/blogs/living/recreation/how-and-why-i-parachuted-out-of-a-840939.html Sandy Scott writes: Sandy is on Facebook as Sandy Scott. 377 2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

Watch the tandem exit at the end. Not so violent or unstable. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FFcRT9s-XIU 377 2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

SAT's and AA's affiliation with Langley was amply discussed here long ago when we used to be focused on a possible SE Asia connection. I STILL think Cooper knew for sure that he could exit a 727. Otherwise he was entering an airborne aluminum jail cell that would transport him to a fixed base one. His very specific and wise configuration commands regarding flaps, altitude and landing gear show that he was no aviation novice who might have just assumed any plane was jumpable. He had done his homework. Who knew in 1971 that a 727 was jumpable? Nobody at NWA seemed to know. The Norjack crew called NWA ops. The didn't know so they called Boeing. Boeing of course knew. They had performed flight tests with the door open and stairs deployed. Somewhere those flight tests were described in Boeing technical documentation. Don Kirlin got access to those documents in the 1990s when he sought to use a Boeing 727 for skydives at his World Free fall Convention. He needed them for an STC to allow jumping from a 727. Also an SAT 727 had done successful drop tests in Thailand. Smoke jumpers were recruited by the CIA to work as kickers and other airdrop specialists. I'll bet Sheridan Peterson, a former USFS smoke jumper knew, in 1971, that a 727 could be flown with the door open and stairs deployed. He had worked in technical documentation at Boeing, a job he sought after being unable to get 727 airstair info from Sailshaw who worked for Boeing. 377 2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

Lets all call it squidding like the big boys at NASA do. Lets not quibble and squabble about it. 377 2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

No AMEN because it violates a basic rule of aviation safety to have two words meaning different things that sound nearly the same. 377 2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

I spoke again with my friend who served as a paratrooper in the RVN army. He was aware of the sport jumps made in Saigon from military H 34 helos and made a number of freefalls himself but did not know Sheridan Peterson. I showed him a few photos and he did not recognize Sheridan as someone he had jumped with. I asked him if he knew of or heard rumors of 727 jumps in Thailand. He said he personally was unaware of the 727 jumps but that US military and civilian advisors talked a lot about projects that were likely classified especially when they were drinking. He said the RVN airborne soldiers were known as tough fighters and because of that were on good terms with the US soldiers and airmen and they traded a lot of stories. He was in combat a number of times but never parachuted into battle. He said they were always delivered by helo. He saw a lot of 727s flying in and out of Saigon but doubted that they were used for airdrops in VN as word would have leaked out. He said C 123s, Hercs and Caribous did a lot of airdrops but was unaware of any jet aircraft being used for that purpose. 377 2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

Blevins (above) makes a big deal out of the fact that Cooper was apprehensive jumping without a reserve. Hard to know what Cooper was actually thinking. I wouldn't be worried very much. Chances of a good main opening are very high, especially if it was rigger packed. I am a safety fanatic and would never jump with one chute if I could have two, but one chute is standard for all bailout and ejection rigs. The odds of a good deployment are very high. If Cooper knew about the Thailand 727 jumps I think he'd have given very serious thought to just pulling on the stairs. A night freefall with an asymmetrical load and a poor or zero visual horizon is risky. An initial tumble and spin are likely. A pull off the stairs solves all those problems. 377 2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

As far as I know Bruce there is just squidding and not squibbing, but I am not a parachute lexicographer, just an old jumper. Will be jumping Sunday. Getting pretty close to half a century in skydiving. First jump 1968, when dinosaurs roamed the DZ. The thrill NEVER wears off. It's a heart stopper every time. You are getting pretty good at classical physics Bruce. The 727 exiting jumper speed explanation was OK with Newton. Don't get sidetracked by false prophets. This old saying applies to physics as well as investments: if it seems to good to be true it probably is. Nobody is levitating. Hopping is not levitating. You'll love this one Bruce, but I and Snowmman remain very skeptical that it is a real phenomena. I bet Georger wont be investing in this technology either. http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/187346-nasa-tests-impossible-no-fuel-quantum-space-engine-and-it-actually-works Bruce wrote (about squidding and squibbing) Good one Bruce. Glad we can have some laughs about all of this stuff. BTW Tunguska was, IMO, just a meteor. Not a UFO, not antimatter. I'd greatly prefer an unconventional explanation for the incredible destruction but the evidence just doesn't support it 377 2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

How NASA defined squidding in describing a Mars Lander parachute problem: (emphasis added) http://mars.jpl.nasa.gov/mer/spotlight/20040826.html Not even Red Bull could afford to sponsor a Mars skydive. Some day it will be done, but not in my time. 377 2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

Amazon wrote Those old round canopies had soul. They were like animals. You watched them surge and squirm as they inflated and took their first full breath as sun streamed through the colored panels lighting them up like stained glass windows. Then, peaceful quiet. It's just not the same watching a square inflate. It's rip roaring chaos as they deploy and then it's a noisy flapping fast forward as you steer them home. No church window visual effects, those double surfaces just don't light up much. Its easy to get all misty and sentimental about an orange and white candy striped C9 with a 7TU mod but I sure don't miss those bone crunching landings. 377 2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

Kallend: http://mypages.iit.edu/~kallend/ Jumped with him on a few WFFC loads. Nice guy and very smart. Kallend remembers ALL the math and science I forgot. Snowmman does as well. Bruce doesn't need the old school math and science as he transcends it. I like Bruce. We just disagree about gravity, conservation of energy and few other basics. Bruce writes well and if I hadn't been thoroughly brainwashed in engineering school I'd think that I could eventually stop paying for jump tickets and meet my load at 14K without using an aircraft. 377 2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

R99 wrote: Nope. That's what I initially thought until I watched the Thailand 727 jump video. The slow inflation of those canopies surprised me. I thought the openings would be slammers. They certainly were not. "Squidding", as I understand it, refers to the shape of the inflating canopy which resembles a squid with the suspension lines as tentacles. A fully open round canopy resembles a jellyfish not a squid. The Thailand canopies had no special gear to make them squid. They just did. Those Thailand 727 jumpers didn't have slammers. In fact, their "squidding" openings look pretty gentle to me. I've never seen or even heard of a 26 Conical or a C9 failing structurally unless it was UV damaged. They are both built very very strongly. I would bet the farm that either could easily withstand Coopers exit and deployment with zero damage. And yes, I do understand that the energy dissipated in deployment goes up as the square of velocity. These canopies were just way overbuilt. The civilian sport and emergency canopies weren't built nearly as robustly. You agree Amazon? 377 2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

Bruce wrote If that works Bruce, just find the other twenties. Work out a split with the insurance company and live large. My twenty will decline in value but it would be worth it to see you solve the case and prosper. Then sail on a few gold laden Galleons that wrecked en route to Spain. Come back to the present and salvage the booty. If Ramtha were real JZ Knight would be wealthy beyond belief and wouldn't have to rip off gullible followers to finance her excesses. The squidding deployment deceleration seen in the Thailand 727 jumps would, IMO, work on a C9 or USN 26 ft Conical. It would prevent catastrophic shock loading of the canopy. If Cooper pulled on the stairs at 727 speed with gear down and flaps 15, he didn't tumble and he didn't blow up his ride. I still have a Navy 26 Conical. It saved my life when I had my first malfunction in the early 70s. I'd be willing to prove my point by rigging it in a backpack and volunteering Snowman or Amazon to jump it from a 727 flying in the Cooper configuration. Saw a souped up 727 (winglet mods) on the ramp at Minneapolis last week. It was owned by Kallita Charters. They are disappearing fast. No more 727s fly scheduled US passenger routes. 377 2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

Cossey packed the chutes. As an FAA licensed rigger he would have filled out packing cards which remain with the chutes in special pockets designed to hold them. He would have entered, among other data, the date of the inspection/repack and his name and FAA number. The packing card would have listed the type and size of the canopy. He also would have threaded a ripcord pin and pin receiving cone with breakable twine and sealed the joined ends with a lead seal bearing symbols that would uniquely identify him. 377 2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

From FBI report: I thought Norman said the canopies were identical and were purchased by him at a surplus store in WA. The FBI report has Norman saying one was a 28 ft (presumably C9) and the other a 26 ft (presumably Navy Conical). 377 2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

Blevins wrote If he Why so many lawsuit threats in the Cooper Votex? It's not like we are running into each other with cars. It's just e-talk. Nothing more. No dents, no ambulances. No money. Just talk. Sheesh. 377 2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

Galen Cook's favorite literary promoter on YouTube. http://youtu.be/Glqwxh_fDXE The author of the book DB Cooper's Parachute will present but the book has nothing to do with DBC. 377 2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

Sky King Sky King Do Not Answer. Heard regularly by nuke bomber crews on their HF SSB radios. Farf knew what they meant. I can only guess. Listen: http://youtu.be/gA75IWDwKlA 377 2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

Could this picture be of Georgers car? License plate could, among other interpretations, read I love Blevins. See attached. 377 2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

Jo Let's see your picture of the home brew radar truck. 377 2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

Blevins wrote Not enough to make much difference. If wind was 15 mph uniformly from exit to landing, drift under a C9 canopy descending at 18 feet per second would be approximately 2.3 miles. 377 2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

See link and pics. Sold for $40,250 at a recent auction in CA. Track anything, go anywhere, perfect. Might be a little noticeable on the roads but paint US Army logos on the side and dress up like soldiers and the cops would assume you were part of the search. http://www.auctionsamerica.com/events/feature-lots.cfm?SaleCode=LC14&ID=r0051&Order=price&feature=&collection=&grouping=&category=Cars 377 2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

R99 COMMENTS: +1 Useless as wind drift indicator at night under those conditions, but might a flare have been used to signal an impending exit to someone on the ground? Could be seen for a very long distance I imagine. Not precision navigation by any means but it might give a ground accomplice a rough idea of where to go for a rendezvous attempt. I found another photo of my leg pack which would be similar aerodynamically to Cooper's possible attachment of an improvised carrying sack for the loot. The asymmetrical drag was very noticeable and took some compensating but didn't result in a wild uncontrolled tumble. See pic below. Jerry Thomas disagrees about the consequences: (from Seattle Times article November 26, 2011): 377 2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

Coleman Francis can hold his own with any bad movie directors. His movie "The Skydivers" is just atrociously bad. Bad acting, plotless, bad cinematography, etc. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Skydivers There is some skydiving footage including an eerie and poorly shot night/evening exit from a Twin Beech shot from another plane flying alongside. Of course the movie so bad that it's cool, like "The Room" I imagine. I'll see if I can rent The Room. Welcome Sveddy. Nice to have another jumper on this forum. 377 2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

Bradley Collins obviously has a sincere belief that his late father Jack was DB Cooper. Jack isn't a bad suspect actually IF everything Bradley writes is true. Jack was a seasoned skydiver, knew the Pacific NW area, was a pilot and had a brother Bud who was a Northwest Airlines 727 captain. Jack had money problems and wasn't averse to a few scams to keep his cash flow coming, e.g. taking out disability insurance policies and then having a series of bone breaking minor skydiving landing accidents that got the insurance money coming in. Bradley also writes that his Dad disappeared for five days spanning the Nov 24 1971 DB Cooper skyjack date. It would be interesting to see if this absence can be independently verified. According to the author, Jack was promptly questioned by the FBI after the skyjack but nothing further happened. It would be interesting to know why the FBI apparently ruled him out as a suspect. BUT the author publishes an alarming series of incorrect or twisted facts that even a cursory Google search would have caught, so it makes the reader question the accuracy of everything in the book. Much is made of Bradley's recollection of conversations with his Dad and overheard conversations involving his Dad. Are these recollections accurate? The reader is left to wonder Examples: 1. The author writes that Howard Hughes headed NWA and cites Hughes's death as a pivotal point for his Dad and his Uncle as it marked a loss of possible forgiveness for DB Cooper, whose caper Bradley imagines would have amused "Uncle Howard". Howard Hughes owned Air West, not NWA. Air West never became NWA. Hughes played major roles in TWA and Air West but had no ownership or control of NWA ever. The author even fantasizes about Hughes playing cards with his friends and chuckling about the skyjack caper. 2.The author publishes a vivid account of a conversation with his father just prior to the skyjack in which his father discusses an upcoming unusual night jump and demonstrates a wrist watch that with the press of a button becomes an illuminated altimeter. To the best of my knowledge, and I have researched this, no such watch existed in November of 1971, the date of the skyjack. Either the author imagined it or he misdescribed it. 3. The author writes about a WW 2 surplus AT6 aircraft flown by his father and brother and writes that it could fly nearly 400 mph and climb to 30,000 feet. Even with postwar engine upgrades and mods no T6 could match these specs or even come close. Nobody knows more about squeezing performance out of T6s than Reno air racers do and none of them have even come remotely close to 400 mph. The record is about 247 mph. Ceiling is roughly 21,000 ft. 4. The author recounts a skydive demonstration jump in bad weather where his father ended up caught in power lines above a body of water. He describes his father using a knife to cut all the lines and then drop into the water below. Bradley is confusing the term "cutaway", which describes a skydivers release of the main canopy by activating mechanical riser releases with an actual cutting of lines with a knife to accomplish the same purpose. It's probably an innocent mistake in which vague childhood memories and the passage of time have blurred the facts but it calls into question how accurate the author's recollection are. The author speculates that his father Jack recruited Bud to be the ground man who would meet him on terra firma after parachuting from the skyjacked NWA 727. Its a long story but the author implies that Bud's later suicide was a direct result of his involvement in the crime. Why a well paid NWA airliner captain would risk a felony conviction and loss of his prestigious career for $100,000 (half the loot) is puzzling to say the least. The author's account of how Jack would find Bud after jumping from the 727 at night is naively simplistic. Bud would simply blink his car headlights, Jack would see them, and they would meet up and drive away. Since Cooper had no direct control over the flight path and only a rough idea of his location from visual clues such a rendezvous would be highly improbable. Miracles do happen though, look at how close some other skydiving skyjackers landed to their intended destination, e.g. Richard McCoy and Rob Heady. Sure I am nit picking, but accuracy is very important in non fiction. That said, the story is both interesting and entertaining. Jack was quite a character and it's fun to read about his life. In spite of all the book errors Jack Collins seemed to have the skills needed to be Cooper. Does the author present any probative evidence to support the title: My father Was DB Cooper? The answer is no. It's all circumstantial and speculative. Bradley Collins needs to clean up the errors and republish the book if he expects his claim to be taken seriously. Can I rule out Jack Collins as DBC? No, I can't, but he joins a long list of fathers, husbands, brothers etc whose surviving relatives are convinced that DB Cooper was a family member. 377 2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.