The way the game works.
To post
The flight path info we have leaves a lot to be desired in terms of precision and accuracy, not to mention the time dimension.
The flight path coordinates were calculated from data tape recorded at the McChord Air Defense Command Direction Venter (DC). The calculation and the plotting were almost certainly done by the McChord detachment of the 84th Radar Evaluation Squadron (RADES). It was their job to do such analyses, and the DC were just users of the system.
The detachment is still there. They might still have the source data or a listing of coordinates for intermediate times, or they may have transferred it to their headquarters (at Hill AFB if I remember right). The FAA should have a copy. If a copy was ever given to the FBI then they have a copy.
Even if all we could find is a listing of coordinates for intermediate times, we could gain some accuracy on the flight path. We could more precisely identify places where latitude and longitude crossed the halfway points between whole minutes of latitude and longitude. If we could get the data that was recorded we could even calculate to precision better than 1 minute lat/lon.
I wonder if W and S know anything about the RADES, but it's very unlikely they would because they were in airlift, not homeland air defense.
R99 misses something extremely important regarding the FBI flightpath plot because he is oblivious to how it came about. The data was hand plotted, probably by the same people who computed the coordinates. That group did this kind of thing probably once a week, sometimes for incidents but mostly for system QA and change evaluations. Their usual method was to calculate coordinates using taped data from a system that tracked probably hundreds of flights per day just in the Washington-Oregon area alone. They tracked every commercial flight. Every flight with a transponder. Basically everything except small private planes at low altitudes. Plus, every radar involved in this tracking was also constantly tracking its own calibration target.
The flightpath was produced by experts. Within the limits of its precision, it is right. Unfortunately, the precision is only one minute of latitude and longitude. And, the times associated with the plotted points may be off by a minute. AND, it appears we don't know accurately WHEN Coop jumped, except that the NWA and USAF people who did the '72 searchzone map thought (with benefit of the "pressure bump" signature on the flight data recorder) that he jumped at about 19 seconds before 8:11.
PS: Your interviews with Cliff are good. I think he did a commendable job given everything going on at the time. I believe his notation about 305 staying within V23 is entirely accurate. I am sure the people with an agenda will try to get some concession from him.
The T33 intercept north of the river is crucial in two aspects. Cliff confirms 305 did not leave V23 in the period he was talking to our T33. It also confirms the angle of descent of 305 from BTG. Those two facts alone confirm Cliff was keeping 305 within V23. There is no chance 305 passed over the Fazio property where the money was found. I’m sorry but I cant help with that. The timeline and when the oscillations and bump were actually called in and to whom, is key.
____________________ USAF retired.
