Robert99

The aircraft was reportedly flown from Reno back to Seattle the day after the hijacking (this would mean Thanksgiving Day). The stairs did not drag the runway until the aircraft was going very slow and the damage to the stairs was minimal. There are pictures on Sluggo's web page (I think it is) of the aft stairs that were taken at Reno showing this slight damage.

Blevins, Would you be kind enough to list ANY qualifications that you have, or had at any time in the past, that you feel qualifies you to lecture Bruce Smith on journalism or any other subject. Blevins, have you ever been employed as a writer or reporter in a position where you were actually paid for your work? How many courses did you take in your junior college days in journalism related subjects? Would the answers to the above questions be "no" and "none"? Your feel free to lecture anyone on any subject but you are unable or unwilling to explain the errors in the book you claim you wrote. Robert99

Jo, same difference either way. Any more of this nonsense and I'll rat you out to Quade! Robert99

Same here, last born means I came to the party when the fun was over and the hangover had set in! Exactly!

Jo, is the above statement original with you? Is it covered by your copyright? Have you had post-doc courses in logic? Robert99

Jo, You are hereby being put on notice that your insults have reached the point where defensive action is required and will be taken if necessary! As a last born boy, I was NOT spoiled! Your continued outbursts along that line will result in complaints to Quade! You have been warned! Robert99

I didn't say that the Southeast Asia 727s were "military aircraft". But they were modified by Boeing and flight tests were conducted on those modifications. That doesn't make the aircraft "military". While I have seen pictures of Air America 727s taxing with the aft stairs down, I have not seen a picture of them taking off of flying with the stairs down in the same manner they were for the FBI tests after the hijacking. However, Cooper plainly told Tina that he knew the 727 could take off with that stair down. Robert99 See Video after the story..... edited to add > this was after 71 but it's interesting video..... http://fromtheflightdeck.com/Reviews/727/World727/ ....looking for the rest of the video.... Smokin, A few decades ago, the Israeli's had a sudden opportunity to fly Jewish refugees from Ethiopia to Israel. The Israelis used every aircraft available to them including El Al aircraft. They removed the seats and really packed the people in and I think one aircraft (maybe an early 747) had more than 500 people on board. At one point, every aircraft available to the Israelis was airborne. The end result? The Israelis got the job done in record time and safely. The orphan airlift in Southeast Asia was chaos with everyone trying to get out of the country. The Israelis were just bring home some of their relatives. Robert99

I didn't say that the Southeast Asia 727s were "military aircraft". But they were modified by Boeing and flight tests were conducted on those modifications. That doesn't make the aircraft "military". While I have seen pictures of Air America 727s taxing with the aft stairs down, I have not seen a picture of them taking off of flying with the stairs down in the same manner they were for the FBI tests after the hijacking. However, Cooper plainly told Tina that he knew the 727 could take off with that stair down. Robert99

There is nothing to suggest that Cooper had any experience with civilian 727 aircraft. But he had experience with or at least access to the flight performance manuals of 727 aircraft. The performance manuals of the Southeast Asia aircraft would probably have been the same as the airline 727s. If he had access to the systems manuals covering the civilian 727 aircraft he probably would not have needed Tina to show him how to lower the aft stairs. He would have studied the aft stairs activation in advance.

While the aircraft was on the ground in Seattle, Cooper had an argument with the cockpit crew. The cockpit crew claimed the 727 could not take off with the rear stairs down, but Cooper told Tina that he knew it could do so. There may have been a slight misunderstanding in the use of the word "down". The cockpit crew apparently thought Cooper meant "down and locked" as in normal ramp operations. Cooper apparently just meant "down but not locked". Cooper eventually relented just to get the aircraft off the ground and the aft stairs remained up and locked for the takeoff. Cooper definitely had problems with the aft stair control panel even after being instructed by Tina on how to use it. Based on other things, Cooper had knowledge of parachutes and aircraft operations. But he obviously did not have knowledge of the aft stair operations in 727 civilian airliners. But Cooper had obtained knowledge of 727 aircraft from somewhere. It appears that the Southeast Asia 727 operations would be the probable source of that knowledge. Since the 727s used in Southeast Asia had been modified and the modifications tested in flight (including aft stairs down), it is probable that the control panel for the aft stairs was different for those specific aircraft and not identical to the control panel in the civilian 727s. If Cooper was in his mid to late 40s as generally claimed, he could have had a complete USAF career behind him before starting a second career with the famous "Other Government Organizations". He could have been a cargo kicker, or aircraft mechanic, or who knows what else. But he definitely knew how to find information in flight manuals and aircraft publications and had access to those documents. My guess would be that Cooper was ex-military in some aeronautical related field, had joined an OGO, spent quite a bit of time outside the USA, and had a "grudge" (not related to NWA) as a result of his experiences. But his parachute experience was probably limited and as someone put it, "he knew just enough about parachutes to get himself killed". Robert99

Jo, I have deleted a lot of your extraneous remarks from the above post. There were many copies made of the original Seattle ATC radio transcripts related to the hijacked flight. In fact, the FBI's copy was not the original one. The Xerox copiers were in mass production prior to the hijacking. Your comments about a fellow that Duane allegedly knew and who allegedly worked in the PDX tower are meaningless. The PDX tower personnel did not talk to the airliner during the flight from Seattle to Reno. Nor did they talk to it after it was hijacked on the flight to Seattle from PDX. The Seattle Air Traffic Control Center handled those communications until the airliner was in Northern California at which point it was handed off to the Oakland Air Traffic Control Center. Why did the FBI delete the position information from the Seattle radio transcripts they publicly released? It could have been a simple CYA action. More idealistically, the FBI might have been trying to prevent other people from attempting to find any remaining portions of the ransom money. After reading your other comments and unless you are just playing some of the games you are so famous for, I would suggest that you get an emergency appointment with your shrink. But I told you that several years ago and things haven't changed a bit have they. Robert99

Jo, You apparently didn't understand a single thing I wrote. The Seattle air traffic controllers knew where the airliner was ever minute it was in their control area. It was their business to know that. Your stories about people on the ground seeing and hearing an aircraft that was two miles above them through several cloud layers and a complete overcast is beyond belief. Why is all of the information necessary to determine the flight path of the hijacked airliner missing from the Seattle ATC transcripts? You claim to have knowledge of the actual flight path. Then just explain why the FBI felt it was necessary to remove that information from the radio transcripts? Jo, you need to read my post again. You are just sticking your head in the sand because it doesn't support your claims about Duane. Robert99

Wasn't Anderson part of the sled re-creation? Not sure if he's alive today, but this is him from {a pic posted on) Father's Day 2012. I have seen statements that Anderson is dead but no date of death was given. Captain Scott reportedly lived near Tucson in retirement and died about 2005.

Jo, We have been over this dozens of times before. And you are one of the first people to deny everything if it doesn't fit into you scenario for Duane being Cooper - which he was not! In reality, the hijacked airliner was under radar coverage from the Air Traffic Control people during its entire flight from Seattle to Reno. These are the people who were responsible for keeping the airliner from running into mountains and/or other airplanes. This is a civilian operated radar system and air traffic control system. There is no need for a military operated radar system to be involved in this exercise. And there is no realistic reason for believing that a military system was involved. In actual fact, the only missing minutes in the airliner's flight path were deliberately removed from the records so that the flight path could not be determined. Efforts have been underway for some time to get the complete flight path records. There is no law enforcement or legal reason for not revealing the actual contents of the radio communications between the airliner and the Seattle Air Traffic Control Center and the phone conversations between the responsible controllers. This information has already been released in its entirety for the communications between the airliner and the Oakland Air Traffic Control Center and its controllers. The above radio communications were broadcast on public radio frequencies that could be, and probably were in this instance, monitored by anyone who cared to do so. The communications between the airliner that were patched to the NWA Operations Center in Minneapolis, plus probably other locations, were over the Aeronautical Radio Corporation (ARINC) frequencies which are an entirely different radio network. After 42+ years of no real progress, the Cooper hijacking is going to remain unresolved until the un-redacted version of the Seattle ATC transcripts are released. Wild-eyed speculations by various people trying to generate support for their "favorite Cooper candidate" are utter nonsense. And unfortunately, Jo you are one of the worst posters on this thread for that type of activity. Robert99

why! ? its off the topic R99 was addressing? Got any opins on the Jimmy Bob Jones ministry? Blevins, The intent of my original post was to point out to those who may have never seen one before that Smokin had a picture of Ted Mayfield with a "non-standard" ripcord position. Since Cossey reportedly modified the ripcord position on one of Hayden's parachutes, and packed it and others involved in the hijacking, it was "Cossey's parachute" in at least one sense of the term. Robert99

True enough. But then those particular parachutes did not COME from Cossey, did they? They were sent by the actual owner...Norman Hayden, via cab driver. Maybe someone should ask him about it. He would probably remember where the pull was located and whether the pull was right or left. I'm going to guess that the pull on chute-not-found-yet was probably identical to the one given to the WSHM, but that's strictly a guess. Blevins, Exactly what do your comments have to do with my pointing out the ripcord location on the parachute Mayfield was wearing in Smokin's attachment? Robert99

Smokin, note that in your attached picture, Mayfield is wearing a mid-1960s era skydiving rig that has the ripcord mounted on the right side of the harness with a RIGHT hand pull off to the right side. One of Cossey's parachutes supplied to Cooper allegedly had the ripcord also mounted on the right side of the harness but with a LEFT hand pull off to the left. Robert99

So Robert you have proof Weber was NOT Cooper! PRESENT IT with the PROOF! Physical Proof. PROOF that is documented. UNTIL then Robert99 - just keep YOUR mouth shut regarding Weber. PRESENT your FACTS! THEY had better be FACTS - with DOCUMENTATION & I do not mean things in this thread. . . . . . . YOUR SMARKY REMARKS ARE NOT CALLED FOR - WHO DO YOU WORK FOR THE CIA, FBI OR SOME COVERT GROUP WHO IS SWORN TO DIVERTING THE TRUTHS? YOU ARE A MAN WHO DOES NOT WANT THE TRUTHS KNOWN! Jo, Contrary to your allegations, I DO want the truth known. And I would be delighted if you posted ANYTHING to support your idea that Duane had ANY knowledge of the Cooper hijacking prior to its actual occurrence. And any documented evidence of Duane actually having experience or knowledge of aircraft, parachutes, etc., would be a plus. Robert99

Jo, I know you incapable of believing it, but Duane was not D.B. Cooper and did not have anything to do with the hijacking. Those facts remain the same no matter how many times you claim otherwise. Robert99

An emergency parachute (back, seat, front, whatever) would have ABSOLUTELY had a pilot chute. They were mandatory. However, the chest pack in the early skydiving rigs frequently (or usually) had the pilot chute removed. The reason was based on the idea that if the reserve had to be deployed with the main canopy basically open, that the pilot chute would weight enough to pull the reserve downward rather than upward. So the rule was to deploy the reserve by hand and do whatever was possible to help inflate it as you paid it out. That is the way it was in my case. I had a big time inversion with the canopy folded into the inner part (between the shroud lines) and about one-third of the normal canopy area supporting me. I was rotating and coming down quite a bit faster than normal. As I tried to pay the reserve canopy out, it caught enough wind to pull the shroud lines right through my hands. I had some nice burns on both hands from that. The lesson learned from that was to wear gloves on all jumps. I normally did but just not on that one. And also carry a pocket knife in an easy to reach pocket just in case you have to cut yourself out of the harness after landing in trees. Robert99

I was told several years ago by a parachute dealer in the Portland area that Cooper's parachute was an NB-6 with the shroud lines sewn to the risers. That is, there were no separable links between the top of the risers and the canopy. The above is a very distinctive feature, or was in the early 1970s, and the NB-6 that I owned until just a few weeks before the hijacking had the shroud lines sewn to the risers. Robert99

Hangdiver, I think you have just proven that the "Feb 46" on the Amboy parachute is NOT a date stamp. On the stamp for your chute (shown in your attachment), the date portion is listed as "Date of MFG: May 11, 1945". I presume cargo parachutes also had date stamps and that they would be done in a similar manner as above. Thus, the "Feb 46", which is isolated from any other markings, is NOT a date stamp, whatever it may be. In any event, the Amboy parachute is not relevant to the Cooper hijacking. Robert99 I found several chutes with stamps on the (see photo) almost all of them are similar to the picture hangdiver produced except one. it's in the upper left corner (yellow) it's a reproduction of a WW2 silk cargo chute? added...the correct photo is on there now Shutter, If the "Feb 46" was suppose to be a date of manufacture, then both your and Hangdiver's illustrations would read something like "Feburaryxx,1946". That is both the day of the month, the complete four digit year, and probably the entire spelling for the month, would be stamped on the fabric. Your illustration further suggests that the "Feb 46" is not a date but just a coincidence meaning something else. Robert99 it seems to be less of a concern for data on a cargo chute opposed to a personal chute. obviously there seems to be a difference in markings. I think the Amboy chute was Feb 12, 1946 not sure though, but it does resemble the cargo chute markings provided in the pic. I have the pic include of the Amboy stamp...it was the 21st not the 12 th. Good. Are we further agreed that since the Amboy stamp is similar to that on a known cargo parachute, and not similar to stamps on known personnel parachutes, that the Amboy parachute is probably a cargo parachute? If so, then the great Amboy parachute mystery can be put to rest as not being related to the Cooper hijacking. Robert99

Hangdiver, I think you have just proven that the "Feb 46" on the Amboy parachute is NOT a date stamp. On the stamp for your chute (shown in your attachment), the date portion is listed as "Date of MFG: May 11, 1945". I presume cargo parachutes also had date stamps and that they would be done in a similar manner as above. Thus, the "Feb 46", which is isolated from any other markings, is NOT a date stamp, whatever it may be. In any event, the Amboy parachute is not relevant to the Cooper hijacking. Robert99 I found several chutes with stamps on the (see photo) almost all of them are similar to the picture hangdiver produced except one. it's in the upper left corner (yellow) it's a reproduction of a WW2 silk cargo chute? added...the correct photo is on there now Shutter, If the "Feb 46" was suppose to be a date of manufacture, then both your and Hangdiver's illustrations would read something like "Feburaryxx,1946". That is both the day of the month, the complete four digit year, and probably the entire spelling for the month, would be stamped on the fabric. Your illustration further suggests that the "Feb 46" is not a date but just a coincidence meaning something else. Robert99

That's too cool Hangdiver. It's obvious why the American Lady Corset Company never made skydiving canopies. 377 377, I must have missed something. Please explain the basis for your statement. Robert99

Blevins, let's get a couple of things straight here. Regardless of what you think about the FBI and everyone else, you are NOT a major player in the Cooper investigation, or anything else in this life as far as I can determine. In fact, the planet Earth seems to be doing a reasonably good job of existing without any meaningful inputs from you. A better use for your talents would be to identify the man on the grassy knoll in Dallas. I feel certain you could come up with a name. Robert99