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Jo wrote Gotta hand it to you Jo. You actually have me anxiously awaiting something that I know won't live up to your spin and hype. You are really good at this. You've had years to perfect it. OK I'll wait "a few more weeks". BTW, unexplained assets or income doesn't put Duane or Kenny or anyone else on the plane. Duane was a crook. Crooks steal, con and chisel. Duane's source of funds to purchase new cars is likely to be something far less exotic than Norjack loot. I wonder if Duane pulled any life insurance fraud? That would be a lot more productive than tapping purses and wallets. Nobody would be more surprised than I if Duane was proven to be DBC. I can't say it's impossible, but it's darn close. 377 2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

That is one HELL of a powerful video. The author is comparing what's going on now in Iraq and Afghanistan to the scene from Full Metal Jacket where they play the The Bird by the Trashmen. Frickin' genius. Posted to my lame-o FB page. Jamie Cooper will do the sound track for the remake of FMJ. 377 2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

It's surprising how small a pressure differential it takes to cause structural damage. Some mechanics working on a biz jet "temporarily" plugged a cabin pressure relief valve trying to find a leak. They forgot about the valve, and left an air compressor on while searching for leaks. The plane was a write off. I think the cabin only got to 15 PSI or something like that. I think max limit was just over 8.5 psi. 377 2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

We all get torqued when the FBI dismisses a suspect without running prints or DNA, but think about this: Solving Norjack, even at this late date, would be a HUGE feather in the cap of an FBI agent: instant and lasting fame. I don't think any agent would miss a chance to be a major hero. If a DBC candidate looked good intially, an agent would likely dig a bit deeper. I wonder if they have some piece of information or evidence that is not known to the public that they can use to rule out certain suspects without digging deep. Vicki's father sure seems to be worth a deeper look and they just summarily dismiss him, allegedly on appearance. Sheridan, on the other hand, warrants repeated FBI questioning and isn't ruled out until he gives a DNA sample. Marla's uncle also merits some uncharacteristically fast FBI DNA work. What explains this? Better minds than mine are represented on this forum. What might the FBI have that could explain the seemingly irrationally disparate investigative attention paid to various suspects? 377 2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

Good grief. The "back door" we were talking about is aluminum and located on a 727. Vicki thinks you are hunky Farflung. Nobody else's opinion should matter. 377 2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

Georger wrote: Snowmman? Does he walk among us again? 377 2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

Vicki's "Confidential" comic book graphic is excellent and will bump one of Farflung's works off of my refrigerator. Vicki, can you swear to me that Farflung played no role in its creation? Are you willing to stand in line with Jo at Jerry's strip mall polygraph salon? You can get your nails done while you are being questioned. 377 2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

Orange wrote: Farflung has indeed sharpened his knife lately. 377 2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

Jo writes Well then kiss your solved case claim goodbye Jo because the FBI will ignore you. You wrote:"this process will have to go THRU the FBI...at their request." Are you saying that the FBI is requesting that you work with them? I find this hard to believe. Please explain. No prosecutor is going to offer immunity without first seeing all the cards your informant has. Your informant won't show the cards without first getting immunity. Its an endless loop. Typically informants want immunity on everything they have ever done and the prosecutor MIGHT offer limited immunity covering only a narrow subset. Blanket immunity incuding tax evasion for your informant? Forget about it. Won't happen. You also write: " ...he had zero to do with the skyjacking nor did he know Weber/Cooper during those yrs." OK, so how does his information solve Norjack if he had nothing to do with it? How can his "recant" of something he told the FBI solve Nojack? Does he have a hot $20, one that wasnt in the Tena Bar haul? If all he has is talk then don't waste your time Jo. You said you had the case solved, but now you waffle. You say you need the FBI's help, which won't be forthcoming. You'll blame the FBI which is what you always do when you can't come up with hard evidence. Another endless loop. If you have evidence produce it. The FBI isnt the only law enforcement agency you can go to. Local police would love to play a key role in IDing DB Cooper, instant fame. But first you'll have to convince them that your info is worth investigating, and that's where you typically stumble and fail. I havent grown hostile to you Jo, I still am glad you are here. I just take you to task for overblown promises and endless teases about IDing Cooper. So at least tell us this: if the FBI did what you seek, would it end up showing that Duane was Cooper? Is that the end of your Norjack story? 377 2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

Jo wrote By protection I assume you mean protection from prosecution. The FBI can't grant immunity. They are investigators not prosecutors. They can help secure an offer from the US Attorneys office but they can't grant it. Check with a criminal defense lawyer and you'll likely find that the statute of limitations has run on everyone associated with Norjack except Cooper himself. Are you implying that Cooper is still alive? I doubt it. Any solution that rules out Duane is ignored. If you've solved the case simply tell us what your evidence is. By tieing it to future cooperation you will solicit from the FBI, who will predictably ignore you, you leave yourself the usual out. Blaming the FBI has long been part of your MO. Your story probably involves airplane salvage work. It probably involves someone who knew Duane and can connect him to this. It probably lacks any physical evidence linking anybody to Norjack. If I am wrong simply tell us what evidence you do have. Otherwise it's just another tease Jo. None of your teases have panned out. Not one. Why should we expect this one to be different? Tell me why immunity is needed Jo? Cooper is the only Norjack criminal who needs it. The others, if there are any, are protected by the statute of limitations. Ill bet the FBI won't be interested in your story Jo. So what's your next move if they ignore you? What is plan B? 377 2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

I dont see one in a fast look through my 727 manuals. At airshows I've seen USAF C 5 crewmen pop out of a hatch at the top of the vertical stabilizer to get a good view of the airshow above. I don't thing the 727 vert stab is thick enough to accomodate a similar travel access. 377 2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

Georger wrote So how does one discriminate between Jo teasing and Jo relaying gossip? And yes, spring her leak. You offered and I accept. Jo's last post doesn't say we are almost there. She says we ARE there. Of course she leaves wiggle room by saying she needs FBI cooperation. Unless Jo produces unambiguous substative evidence, the FBI will ignore her then she'll blame them for her inability to deliver. Yawn... Jo, why tease? Every undelivered promise further undermines your credibility. You haven't solved the case. Why claim that you have? And dare I predict that your solving of the case ties Duane to Cooper? In your mind there is no other solution. You've posted elsewhere as Mrs. Cooper. That says it all. Bruce, who I like, loses me when he strays from Newton and Einstein. I am one of those old fogies who foolishly believes that gravity can't be defeated on any large practical scale. That's why I pay $20 to the DZO to go to 14,000 feet rather than pay to take a Maharishi University levitation course. That's why I wear two parachutes rather than leaping bare and chanting an increasingly desperate mantra as I go past my backwards thinking buddies with deploying canopies. Bruce, you are sidelined with a blown head gasket in your truck. Forget remote viewing. If you can't use paranormal powers to fix it then borrow some tools and get a repair manual. It's a tedious job, but the parts are cheap. If the head isn't warped (a machine shop can check it for flatness) or the block cracked you could be back in business for the price of the head gasket, some manifold gaskets and sealant. Harbor Freight has cheap tools including torque wrenches for accurately tightening the head bolts. Then drive to Windsor and interview Sheridan Peterson. 377 2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

Jo wrote Yawn. This claim is not really worth the attention of the Tease Police, but it's a slow day on the beat. You haven't solved the case Jo. Why imply that you have? Is teasing in your DNA? 377 2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

Hominid, Several people on this thread have been unable to determine the exact flight instrumention that was installed on NWA N467US, Boeing 727-051 model, which was delivered in early 1965. However, it appears to have been just basic instrumentation including a RMI, HSI, and a state-of-the-art Attitude Indicator which did not have any Flight Director capabilities. If you run across the precise NWA 727 instrumentation please post it to this thread. Long ago on this forum a debate was happening over whether the NWA 727 had radio teletype (RTTY) gear aboard. I was nearly certain that it didn't but nearly isn't good enough. I located a retired NWA 727 pilot who was flying in 71. He confirmed: no RTTY, no HF radios. I asked while I had this gentleman in a dialog whether anyone had further questions. Nobody stepped forward. 377 2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

Jerry, I can't do what you suggest ("please make a decision and stick to it"). Too many uncertainties remain in the case. You are 100% sure Cooper died on the jump. I am not at all certain either way. That's why I go back and forth. Show me proof that he died. The money is circumstantial evidence that is more consistent with Cooper dieing than living and escaping, but it's far from proving he died. Sorry if my uncommitted stance and posts irritate you. I just can't take a firm position on whether Cooper survived. You are free to express your opinions. They don't bother me. How did the Mustang do going cross country in the summer? That's a hell of a test for an old car. No probs? Hope Shelley babies it 377 2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

377, The elevator trim tab breaking off would not cause the aircraft to pull 21Gs, and the the wing spar and everything else would have failed long before things got past about 10-12Gs. Did you see the pictures where the tail wheel was not retracted? Also, the cockpit was clearly visible in some of the pictures and there was no sign of the pilot. I'll wait for the report from the investigators but I'll bet there were several problems that figured into the accident. I found the report of 21Gs very hard to believe too. Maybe it was a sensor error. Still, years ago a P 51 racer flying on the deck had a similar failure. It lost the elevator trim tab and a violent pitch up immediately followed. Although not recorded, the G forces were strong enough to black out the pilot who recovered consciousness at 9000 feet and was able to control the plane and land it. Jimmy Leeward, the pilot in the recent crash, reportedly hated wearing a shoulder harness. That could explain why he isn't seen in the cockpit right before impact. He may have been slumped over and unconscious. Jerry, I am not so sure Coopers gear choice points to inexperience as a jumper. If I were going to deploy immediately after exiting a high speed acft (over 150 mph) I'd take the military bailout rig over a sport rig whose canopy was likely placarded for use under 150 mph. Those military C9 canopies are waaay stronger than a Paracommander. The choice could have been rational or random. We will probably never know. Personally I'd have taken the military rig and pulled right off the stairs. I know the canopy could take it and by avoiding freefall I also avoid tumbling out of control and posdibly going in as a no pull. If I knew about the Thailand 727 jumps I'd know that the sleeveless military canopies "squidded" thus giving reasonably slow inflations and avoiding a big opening shock. Still, it's all a guess as to why Cooper did what he did. 377 2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

That's code for something. Jo, can you decrypt it? Ralph H (who I believe flew P 51s in the military) might be interested in the telemetry from the P 51 racer that crashed at Reno. When the elevator trim tab broke off the plane did a violent pitch up pulling 21 Gs!!!! I'm amazed the wing spar didn't fail. Tough plane. Awful tragedy. 377 2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

I am pretty sure Farflung flew something really big where you could lose 4 engines and still have 50% of your power remaining. His use of the word TACAN instead of VOR/DME just screams military pilot. I'd hook Farflung to the polygraph after Jo is finished and just say the word STANEVAL to him. If you see a reaction then he's USAF for sure. There are female "cargo cults" near Clark AFB that build big crude B 52 shaped wooden structures (like duck decoys) hoping to lure Farflung back. Farflung is very modest. Most military pilots aren't ten words into a conversation on any subject before they reveal their "hunkier-than-you" status. Can you imagine an independent guy like Farflung flying around with a payload of multi megaton nukes? Gives me a chill. You just know he could have found the arming switch that is at the end of all those code input safeguard devices. Glad he didn't decide to execute foreign policy decisions on his own. 377 2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

Cook is to Blevins as Blevins is to Georger as Jo is to Jerry as Snowmman is to Quade. If I could just do the math. Help me Orange. Describe the matrix. I used to know how to take determinants. Certain people incite hyper critical responses in certain others. Its not uniform. What is the code? 377 2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

I have to answer because I have just eaten some of my all time favourite food which is indeed widely acknowledged to be brain food ---> SALMON! Mmmmm Sammmings....MMMMMM How I spent Labor Day

Orange wrote Me too. It's hell. I wish he'd refocus on nun lust and pay less attention to our logic. 377 2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

Faflung wrote Is she any less attractive to you Farflung post convent? Do you like her out of habit? You are right about the failed link in all these evidence chains. Sigh. Loadmasters are all about securing payloads and delivering them intact and undamaged. I doubt if we'd be finding any loot at Tena Bar if DBC had been a loadmaster. No sir. A loadmaster would have been completely prepared to handle the loot. So Quade still reads the forum. Quade, let Snow back for a week and see how it goes. Nobody will think less of you if you do. Why not give it a shot? Most bans are not permanent. You've let people back who committed worse sins than Snow. 377 2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

True, Orange. I happen to work with a retired USAF loadmaster (C5, C 141, C 135 etc). He confirms what you say. Ckrt favored that loadmaster angle too. I always wonder if he knew something more about that than he was revealing. 377 2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

A curious excerpt from Peterson's book, and oddly out of place in a book centered on Viet Nam, but the author apparently felt compelled to include it. Grecco is the hero and central character. The book ends with Grecco making a nihilistic near suicidal solo jump into hilly enemy territory worrying all the while about terrain clearance. I think he even offers the pilot a twenty. Oh, and Grecco drinks Bourbon. It doesnt make him DBC but it's damned curious. 377 2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.

Orange wrote: Can you point me to where Peterson explicitly denies that he was DBC? He says things like "The FBI thought I was DB Cooper" but I cant find any evidence that he has ever denied the suspicion directly, it's always oblique and tangential. The reason I ask is that Peterson seems to be the opposite of a compulsive liar. Even his wildest skydiving claims turn out to be the unembellished truth when you dig deep. Mayfield is also a perfect Cooper on qualifications but he doesnt match the sketch in my opinion. Mayfield had the criminal history, for sure, and had mad skills as a jumper. JT raises some interesting points about DBC having trouble lowering the stairs by himself and his insistence that they take off stairs down. That might point to a lack of familiarity with the 727 stair operations, but it also might have been done to mask expertise that would have centered FBI attention on a select few suspects that knew about the Boeing 727 stair details. Not even the flight engineer knew that the plane could be flown stairs down. By insisting that the 727 take off with the stairs down DBC might have been trying to prepare for a very quick exit near the airport. Its all speculation. The choice of chutes is provocative and frustrating too. It could show expertise about which canopies could withstand a high speed deployment, or it could have just been a random selection of what looked like the simplest easiest to use rig. I hope Bruce or Geoff can interview Peterson while he is still healthy enough to converse. Even if Pete denies he was DBC and even if he wasn't DBC he might have some interesting info on whether the Air America 727 jumps made in Thailand were widely known in the Viet Nam community of jumpers. I STILL think DBC KNEW FOR SURE that a 727 could be jumped successfully. Otherwise he might have been entering a cylindrical aluminum prison cell. If the story of him asking for 15 degreees of flap, gear down and an altitude ceiling is true, then he was plane savvy. Whuffos think flaps are up or down, and most wouldnt know that the degree of extension is variable and measured in degrees. I put some stock in Tina's account that DBC put on the rig like he knew what he was doing. Give an NB6 or NB8 (Cagey Cossey has said both) to a whuffo and they will struggle to figure out how to put it on and what to thread or connect. Still, it's possible that DBC had never jumped, never worn a chute and was gambling that he could jump from a 727. That's what makes this case so intriguing. ALL the clues are ambiguous, even the found money. Meanwhile the Cooper Vortex, the Maelstrom of aviation mystery, swirls and beckons. My hunch is that before I die we will know for sure who Cooper was and the wreckage of Amelia Earhart's Lockheed will be located. I am 62 and in good health so God willing I should have a few more decades to see it happen. Jo keeps ignoring my nudges about her latest big tease. So far its all hype and no show. No big deal, that's her well established MO. I just want her to know that we remember those perpetually unfulfilled promises. I still welcome her presence on our forum. Her tenacity just increases as Duane's DBC star fades. Perhaps Georger can make a better gravitational collapse stellar analogy. 377 2018 marks half a century as a skydiver. Trained by the late Perry Stevens D-51 in 1968.