I did a side-by-side pic of Richard Lepsy and the composite sketch of the Unsolved Mysteries that Florence Schaffner described.

I need to correct a bit of information, and that is about the location of ripcord handles on pilot emergency rigs. On modern ones, the handle is on the left, consistent with sport reserve handles. But back in the days of front-mount reserves, I was under the impression that they were on the right, consistent with sport mains. That was mistaken. Something caused me to re-think that, so I dug a little, and consulted a rigger friend. Turns out that on backpack pilot bailout rigs, the ripcord handle has always been on the left. With that in mind, not sure what the modification would have been that Cossey claimed to have made. The pictures of Hayden's rig, the handle is up by the shoulder. Perhaps it was originally lower on the harness.

Oops, sorry.

Unless I am mistaken (dont think I am) ... Cossey's original claim was 'the chute was his for his personal use and he modified the ripcord handle 'for himself' - something only HE would know. He claimed the chute was his personal chute rigged for himself (only) - that the chute was sent to Cooper by mistake. Cossey never mentioned Hayden at all.

Behind all of this the FBI has its own version of who supplied the chutes and the name Hayden is in play!

If Cossey was rigging/packing a chute for a customer Hayden, why would he change the ripcord handle to some non-standard configuration at all! ?

Cossey's story never did add up. If the chute always belonged to Hayden and not to Cossey, then Cossey is lying, or leaving out vital facts at least in his public statements.  (and crazier than a bedbug!)  If Cossey's role with the chute given to Cooper was only as rigger for a chute belonging to Hayden, why would Cossey twist the story for the public claiming he was the "owner" of the chute given Cooper?  I assume Hayden paid Cossey for his repacking/rigging job - is that verified? 
   

Unless I am mistaken (dont think I am) ... Cossey's original claim was 'the chute was his for his personal use and he modified the ripcord handle 'for himself' - something only HE would know. He claimed the chute was his personal chute rigged for himself (only) - that the chute was sent to Cooper by mistake. Cossey never mentioned Hayden at all.

Behind all of this the FBI has its own version of who supplied the chutes and the name Hayden is in play!

If Cossey was rigging/packing a chute for a customer Hayden, why would he change the ripcord handle to some non-standard configuration at all! ?

Cossey's story never did add up. If the chute always belonged to Hayden and not to Cossey, then Cossey is lying, or leaving out vital facts at least in his public statements.  (and crazier than a bedbug!)  If Cossey's role with the chute given to Cooper was only as rigger for a chute belonging to Hayden, why would Cossey twist the story for the public claiming he was the "owner" of the chute given Cooper?  I assume Hayden paid Cossey for his repacking/rigging job - is that verified? 
   

Part of my original error was seeing the location of Hayden's ripcord and thinking that it had been modified. If Cossey's statements about a modified ripcord pertained to his own rig, then so be it.

In general theory, it would be possible, and not all that unusual, for a customer to ask his rigger for such a modification. Body type combined with the confines of his particular cockpit, and personal preference, might warrant a ripcord mod. Such a mod would have to be performed by a rigger to be legal. And sure, the customer would pay the rigger for his work, much as one pays a mechanic for working on a car.

It sounds like Cossey made a lot of questionable, conflicting statements. It sounds like he didn't take a lot of people too seriously, and perhaps made off statements to jerk peoples' chains. It seems clear that the FBI got two back rigs from Hayden. It seems less clear, but possible, whether they got any from Cossey, and if so, which ones were actually given to Cooper.

A modified ripcord location making for a difficult pull doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me. Most harnesses are of pretty similar construction. Ripcord handles are generally on the main lift web, that's the part of the harness that goes over your shoulder, down past your ribs, and into the hip juncture. Not really an alternative option for that, just higher or lower. They are all in a pocket, that's what holds them in place. Those pockets were elastic, at some point they became velcro-closed. Most ripcord housings go over the shoulder, and the ripcord is best pulled in a downward fashion. Not many, but some housings come from lower on the side, from about the bottom of your ribs, and the ripcord would be better pulled in an upwards direction. An experienced jumper would note the difference. Someone with no experience wouldn't KNOW the difference. In either case, the user would just note how it is and pull accordingly.

When I spoke with Coss in 2009, he said the NB-6/NB-8 was his personal parachute. He also said that he had made significant modifications to it, such as relocating the ripcord and putting the handle in a pocket.

As a result, he said the handle would be hard for a whuffo to find, and the "pull" would be a two-directional effort - out and up, away from the shoulder, and then upwards. He reiterated that a whuffo would have trouble with that two-step process.

Cossey further claimed that he sent the NB-6/NB-8, and a personal "luxury civilian" main, to DB Cooper as per Al Lee's direct request.

Note: Cossey changed the NB designation every time I talked with him, alternating between an NB-6 and an NB-8. Initially he said it was an NB-6 overstuffed with a 28-foot canopy. By the time of our last phone call, circa 2012, he said it was an NB-8, filled with a regular 28-foot chute.

As for Hayden, Cossey never mentioned him until I did in our last phone conversation when I asked about the controversy of who owned what. At that time, Coss said Hayden was "full of shit."

Hayden, for his part, told me that he had never met Cossey, nor had they ever spoken. How Hayden got his chutes packed by Cossey was never explained by either gentleman.

When I told Hayden that Cossey was saying that he (Hayden) was FoS, Norman replied, "Well, Cossey is full of beans." Norman continued and said that he wanted no drama with Cossey, and soon afterwards broke off all communication with me.

Twp diff stories - Hayden, for his part, told me that he had never met Cossey, nor had they ever spoken. How Hayden got his chutes packed by Cossey was never explained by either gentleman.

Either Cossey packed Hayden's chutes or he didn't.

The packing card shows he packed Hayden's chute. Hayden said he never spoke with the FBI so how did they get the description of his chute, NWO?

Opening the chute at the museum is the only answer to all of the misinformation..

I believe the "Infamous America Podcast" of DB Cooper is the best audio over view of the case.  The narrator is excellent.  He also does a fabulous job on the 1919 Black Sox scandal, when the Chicago White Sox fixed the world series.  Its like 8 parts.   The Cooper Podcast is 3 I believe.  If you have not listened I would say do it.  It really puts you there.

Just listened through those podcasts, high production value... Covers the entire case with an inch of depth. Not sure members on this board would benefit...

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Just listened through those podcasts, high production value... Covers the entire case with an inch of depth. Not sure members on this board would benefit...

The Infamous America podcasts?  Anyway, I think its really good as there is so much junk out there also.  Myself, I do not buy that he died in the jump.  If he was not able to deploy the chute, and no matter whether he hit land or water, that suitcase is going to be smashed open.  Red cylinders would be all over the place whether the bomb was real or not and most of us believe it was a fake.  A good looking fake of course.  Had to make believers out of them.  I am a firm believer he survived the jump.  Whether he was one of the many suspects?  Who knows.  It would be something if he were found alive.  The money is the only key now.  No Raleigh butts so the money has to be found.

I am a firm believer that Cooper died in the jump as well as the Western Flight Path (as it is now called).  If Cooper threw the briefcase and other items out of the aircraft, they would be scattered over about a 75 mile stretch of woods and water.  About the last 10 miles or so on the WFP and north of Tina Bar would be directly over the Columbia River itself.

Also, the above is the only explanation that can be done by natural means and doesn't require a miracle or two to get the money to Tina Bar.