That is my take, also, based upon what Bill said to me in my interview with him.

For those who would like to review my conversation with Bill, including why he no longer wishes to speak with me, I have the full story posted here at the Forum, at the Mountain News, and in my book there is a full chapter dedicated to Bill's commentary.

As I have said numerous times throughout this forum, I have become concerned about a difference between the narratives put forth by the crew and many passengers. As part of that dynamic, I have grown increasingly skeptical of Bill Mitchell.

The salient issue is when the crew asked the passengers to move forward. Bill indicated to me that he moved early in the flight. However, all the other passengers that I've spoken with say they moved upon approach to Sea-Tac for landing. Further, they describe a rowdy passenger needing to be subdued during the flight,  and say they moved around the cabin as they circled Seattle and used the rear lavatory, and even joked with DBC and Tina.

Further, Bill won't talk with me, presumably because I wrote that Duane Weber's ears are something that he would remember if Duane was DBC, and that Jo lambasted him on the phone afterwards. Yet, his "ear" perspective is well-known. Further, Bill does agree to talk with other journalists, such as Tom Colbert, and worked extensively with LMNO and the HC people. I don't get that. Bill has never explained his selective silence to me, nor has he responded to my offer to send him a copy of my book.

As a result, I think Bill views me and my probing questions to be too problematic for him. Perhaps he has to defend himself and his relationship with me too often to the FBI and others. Bill feels defensive to me. I feel he considers me to be toxic somehow.

Quote

If that parachute really had been red and yellow, I think Gunther would have been correct.

That was my point a while ago. If the FBI investigated this book they should have known Clara was telling the truth if these so called facts from the book were true and pressured Gunther to reveal his sources so they could round up Cooper, or the location of his body but that didn't happen, so here we are decades later trying to credit this book?

Mark Bennet wrote: "If that parachute really had been red and yellow, I think Gunther would have been correct."

And no way was an FAA TSO compliant surplus emergency canopy, whether 26 ft Navy Conical or 28 ft C-9, colored red and yellow.

Skydivers used to dye surplus canopies to make them look more "commercial". Surplus canopes were widely referred to in skydiving circles as "Cheapos" and had a stigma.  It was OK to dye mains, which were not FAA regulated, verboten for reserves or emergency canopies which had be be FAA TSO compliant. But even the dyed main canopies never looked red or even close to red. You cant make a primary color by dying other colors.

Riggers in my area were super picky about surplus emergency and reserve canopies. Any non FAA TSO compliant mod resulted in them refusing to pack it. Master Rigger Perry Stevens (who packed McCoy's chutes) refused to pack my newly aquired 26 ft Navy Conical reserve because it had a late issue Navy mod that was not listed in the FAA TSO. I had to pay him to remove the Navy mod (yellow nylon flutter tabs sewn to the skirt anchored at either side of the line attach points) before he would pack it. No way would he or any other riggers in my area ever pack a dyed surplus reserve or emergency canopy.

Might the red and yellow info, if supplied by the FBI, have been deliberate misinformation?

377

Greetings, I'm new here and don't see a thread for introductions.  I've been following the forum since the History Channel show last year.  I have no experience in aviation, parachutes, hijacking or probably anything else that might help solve the case but I do enjoy following along and learning, and I do live near that Peterson guy if you want me to go rough him up .  I do have a pilot friend who, when I mentioned Cooper, said he flew with a guy who was long suspected of being Cooper.  He dug out this photo, the guy is in the blue shirt (unfortunately facing away).  Care to guess who it is or should I tell you?  Oops. I see if you do a google search it tells you who it is...

Photo attached but doesn't show in preview, hopefully comes through.   

Oh, and also a dumb question:  is it possible they found red or yellow parachutes to give to Cooper to spot or ID him?