Interesting conversation.

If the FBI really believed Cooper died in the jump, they would have been focused on finding a body or a missing person. 

They found neither to their satisfaction.

But, if that really, really, really was what they believed, the names Dick Lepsy and Mel Wilson would have crossed their desk.  Sure, Lepsy disappeared years before, and Wilson was a fugitive, but they can't be ignored just for that.  After all, wasn't it in last days of DZ that someone posted a list of all known missing persons around that time somewhat fitting the description and there were only about twelve of them?

I have to wonder if the FBI theory that "Cooper died in the jump" was a bit of a CYA when asked why they hadn't found him yet.

+1 

I see no proof that Cooper had any knowledge of aviation engineering whatsoever.  Its much more likely he was a novice who had just a basic understanding of aerodynamics and aircraft operation.  Picking the 727 as the aircraft of choice is a no brainer.  Anybody with a triple digit I.Q. would make the same selection because of the aft stairs.  That selection would require no more effort than spending an hour at an airport, watching planes on the tarmac.  The fact the CIA was also using 727s is merely a coincidence.

As for tying the money around his waste, how many people would come up with the same solution if they were presented with that problem?  9 out of 10?  Where else would he attach the money?  His feet?  His neck?   

There's no proof that Cooper lived or died, but consider this.  The newly released FBI transcripts show the pilots didn't know where they were when Cooper jumped, but thought they were in the vicinity of Portland's suburbs.  The discovered ransom money was found on/in the bank of a very large river, and showed no signs of being handled since the jump.  Finally, after 40 plus years, no one has produced any compelling evidence that Cooper survived.  You would think that any of the dozen or so "suspects" that were alive after the jump would have kept and shared some type of souvenir something.  After all, this was a very high profile heist, not the kind of theft someone would choose if they did want attention.

People have tried to link something with Cooper. Blevins claims the picture of Kenny coming into his apartment was proof? the bag was too big, the suitcase wasn't even close. the only thing you could say was similar was the raincoat he had on. no loafers, or sunglasses, just a coincidence IMO.

The lack of D-rings made things hard for Cooper (more funny stuff he didn't pickup on!) it could of been tied just under the front chute, to his waist, or possibly a lanyard made from the rope he cut and tied to his leg. that's about it.

I've mentioned in the past that he could of been a frequent flyer, and watched the stairs come down on the tarmac. he could of been a man of idea's. like people who design patents. they are constantly thinking and seeing things most people don't see. I work with a guy like this. he's constantly thinking of things. Cooper could of been someone like this, and not some super duper military trained machine.

Alcatraz pops up once again. here we have two individuals with below average IQ's, but if the story is true. it doesn't make them any kind of military/CIA ops. just some good old boy's who tied a cord to a boat and left the island.,

I see no proof that Cooper had any knowledge of aviation engineering whatsoever.  Its much more likely he was a novice who had just a basic understanding of aerodynamics and aircraft operation.  Picking the 727 as the aircraft of choice is a no brainer.  Anybody with a triple digit I.Q. would make the same selection because of the aft stairs.  That selection would require no more effort than spending an hour at an airport, watching planes on the tarmac.  The fact the CIA was also using 727s is merely a coincidence.

As for tying the money around his waste, how many people would come up with the same solution if they were presented with that problem?  9 out of 10?  Where else would he attach the money?  His feet?  His neck?   

There's no proof that Cooper lived or died, but consider this.  The newly released FBI transcripts show the pilots didn't know where they were when Cooper jumped, but thought they were in the vicinity of Portland's suburbs.  The discovered ransom money was found on/in the bank of a very large river, and showed no signs of being handled since the jump.  Finally, after 40 plus years, no one has produced any compelling evidence that Cooper survived.  You would think that any of the dozen or so "suspects" that were alive after the jump would have kept and shared some type of souvenir something.  After all, this was a very high profile heist, not the kind of theft someone would choose if they did want attention.

A number of airliners in the early 1970s had aft stairs.  However, the 727 was unusual in that those stairs could be unlocked and lowered to some extent in flight.  This piece of information was not widely known even by Boeing personnel.  When Cooper purchased his ticket in Portland, he asked the ticket agent if the incoming airliner (which had not yet arrived) was a 727 and was told that it was.  So Cooper was specifically looking for a 727.

In all probability, it was the CIA or one of its front organizations that paid for the engineering and flight tests that Boeing did to determine the effect of lowering the aft stairs in flight on the flight characteristics of the 727.

Your remark about the airliner cockpit crew not knowing their exact location when Cooper jumped is interesting and very probably completely accurate.  If the airliner had been on the centerline of V-23, or any other airway, all the crew would have to do is glance at their VOR and DME readouts and they would have an excellent idea of their location.  However, Rataczak has publicly stated that when Cooper jumped (or they thought he had jumped) he made a radio call to the ATC people to "mark your maps".

The above means to me that the airliner was not on the centerline of V-23, or even close to it, when Cooper jumped.  In all probability, the airliner was off-airway and being vectored by radar by ATC in order to bypass Portland on the west side at the time Cooper jumped.

Also, when Tina states that Cooper was apparently familiar with parachutes, because he put one on with relative ease, it should be remembered that Tina may have never seen anyone put on a parachute before.

Nevertheless, Cooper knew how to put on a parachute and knew that the aft stairs on the 727 could be lowered in flight.  This means that he had at least some aviation experience and was familiar with the end results of the Boeing/CIA tests related to the 727 aft stairs.

Let me add that tying a 22+ pound money bag around his waist is not a very good idea.  The parachute opening shock could put a 200+ pound impulse load on his spine and that would probably do some damage.  Cooper should have tied the money bag to the parachute harness. 

I see no proof that Cooper had any knowledge of aviation engineering whatsoever.  Its much more likely he was a novice who had just a basic understanding of aerodynamics and aircraft operation.  Picking the 727 as the aircraft of choice is a no brainer.  Anybody with a triple digit I.Q. would make the same selection because of the aft stairs.  That selection would require no more effort than spending an hour at an airport, watching planes on the tarmac.  The fact the CIA was also using 727s is merely a coincidence.

As for tying the money around his waste, how many people would come up with the same solution if they were presented with that problem?  9 out of 10?  Where else would he attach the money?  His feet?  His neck?   

There's no proof that Cooper lived or died, but consider this.  The newly released FBI transcripts show the pilots didn't know where they were when Cooper jumped, but thought they were in the vicinity of Portland's suburbs.  The discovered ransom money was found on/in the bank of a very large river, and showed no signs of being handled since the jump.  Finally, after 40 plus years, no one has produced any compelling evidence that Cooper survived.  You would think that any of the dozen or so "suspects" that were alive after the jump would have kept and shared some type of souvenir something.  After all, this was a very high profile heist, not the kind of theft someone would choose if they did want attention.

+1    And the Ingrams did keep souvenir bills, but got ratted out and had to turn them in via Crystal Ingram; so the written FBI account goes. Tom Kaye didn't mention this in his website account but it's in the same document he vaguely refers to many times as the "Transcript". Mr. Kaye doesn't identify what "the Transcript" is and his use of passages from "the Transcript" is very selective and biased in favor of the conclusions Kaye thinks are correct.

Secondly, you say there is no 'hard evidence' Cooper survived. Likewise, there is no 'hard evidence' Cooper didn't survive.

What there is evidence of is people in similar parachutes having survived high-stress jumps, Cooper money turning up far south of the alleged drop zone, no evidence or a body ever being found in the drop zone after very extensive searches, and Cooper's own urge to live and demonstrate his 'grudge' successfully. Once the decision was made to 'cooperate' with Cooper and he was allowed to execute his plan and leave the ground at Seattle, law enforcement's control of this matter dissolved.

The cooperation afforded Cooper gives him a fair chance of survival to the ground. After that Cooper no longer has the control he enjoyed on the plane. After the passengers had deplaned Cooper himself allowed several opportunities to be taken, or disabled or killed. Nyrop wasn't going to take that chance with his crew. Once the plane was airborne Cooper did everything needed to survive the jump. Then some of his money turns up at Tena Bar years later! Even if he lost the money bag in the air there is no way that money can turn up at Tena Bar without Cooper himself being involved, without a revision in the flight path and/or the drop zone (further south). And you are correct: the money tell us it had not been tampered with but was in the same order as given to Cooper. That suggests that the time and opportunity to deal with the money had not yet happened by the time the money was separated from Cooper, so it suggests Cooper lost the money early after jumping and the hijacking itself. That may also suggest no third party was involved, before the money passed into Nature from Cooper or someone else.

The whole thing is fertile ground for a lot of speculation!           

 

 


 

The question that needs answers is why he said the plane was at the right place & time? why such a tight time frame?

The quote is:

"In response to her query as to why he had chosen a Northwest airplane to hijack, he said ‘he had “a grudge but not against Northwest Airlines” adding ‘that the Northwest plane just happened to be in the right place at the right time’. "

He's saying: .... I am hijacking a plane because I have a grudge and this plane that fits my needs, just happens to be in the right place at the right time’.

As for tightness of time frame? You would have to ask Cooper.

The CIA flights had the stairs removed. basically, the only similarity is jumping out of the back of a 727. he could of still been a load master on one of those flights, or some part of the program.

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The CIA flights had the stairs removed. basically, the only similarity is jumping out of the back of a 727. he could of still been a load master on one of those flights, or some part of the program.

There weren't that many. Wonder if any of them were looked at? My bet is none.

Since the stairs were removed during cargo/parachute detail. would they know the stairs could be deployed in flight? I don't think they would care. they needed them removed so cargo/chutes could exit. the ground crew probably set the plane up. all they had to do is open the pressurized door. the idea still could of came from being on the plane, but I think that's a bit of a  stretch IMO.

Yes, but would he know this being involved with the CIA flights?