DB Cooper

[FLYJACK 727]

Back to Cooper...

I have a new working theory about TBAR.. something to think about.

What if the dredge layer below the money identified by Palmer was not the 1974 layer but a pre-NORJAK dredge layer..

Willow Bar dredging frequency was 4x out of 5 years prior to 1972.

I recall reading about TBAR dredge deposits prior to NORJAK..

Not all would be deposited on TBAR,, but if we assume that layer was pre-NORJAK it makes more sense.

The money would have been below the 1974 layer which would have been eroded away in the 6 years to 1980 exposing the money at the surface.. There was no added material after 1974..  that extended time would maximize erosion. If the money was on top of the 1974 dredge why did it take 6 years to expose it,, doesn't really make sense.

If that 1974 dredge was on top of the money it rationalizes the money being covered in 1974 and in place for many years until 6 years of erosion exposed it..

I like it.. it makes more sense.

Edited February 5 by FLYJACK

[georger 248]

  On 2/5/2025 at 1:25 AM, FLYJACK said:

Back to Cooper...

I have a new working theory about TBAR.. something to think about.

What if the dredge layer below the money identified by Palmer was not the 1974 layer but a pre-NORJAK dredge layer..

Willow Bar dredging frequency was 4x out of 5 years prior to 1972.

I recall reading about TBAR dredge deposits prior to NORJAK..

Not all would be deposited on TBAR,, but if we assume that layer was pre-NORJAK it makes more sense.

The money would have been below the 1974 layer which would have been eroded away in the 6 years to 1980 exposing the money at the surface.. There was no added material after 1974..  that extended time would maximize erosion. If the money was on top of the 1974 dredge why did it take 6 years to expose it,, doesn't really make sense.

If that 1974 dredge was on top of the money it rationalizes the money being covered in 1974 and in place for many years until 6 years of erosion exposed it..

I like it.. it makes more sense.

I love your tenacity!

[FLYJACK 727]

Good job Ryan,,  

You have slightly walked back the previous certainty claim of an Orchards jump..  smart move. Cooper jumped at 8:11, give or take few seconds.

Something that has been overlooked even by most experts...

Cooper asked for fronts and backs, that is a front reserve and back main.. He received a front dummy, front reserve and two back reserves.. not mains. So, he did not receive what he had requested or expected. I assume he did not know that he jumped with a back reserve, unlikely, they are designed to reliably open and get you to the ground... they are not steerable. Experts say easy jump no problem they would do it,,  but would they do it with a back reserve???  You land where the drift takes you, in a wet PNW night..  Jumping in those conditions with a main is brave or stupid, jumping with a reserve is crazy..

A reserve is more reliable but not controllable.

That raises the likelihood of Cooper landing under canopy but also raises the potential for a hard landing and injury.

Point is, he effectively asked for a main but jumped with a back reserve.

 

 

 

Edited February 6 by FLYJACK

[FLYJACK 727]

It's official,,  Skip Hall is the new Duane Weber,,, 

The Forrest Gump of Cooper suspects...

[CooperNWO305 155]

  On 2/6/2025 at 6:40 PM, FLYJACK said:

It's official,,  Skip Hall is the new Duane Weber,,, 

The Forrest Gump of Cooper suspects...

Vince Peterson’s daughter is demanding an apology from Eric. And of course there is discussion about the “new” tie particles like they just discovered the Holy Grail. 

[FLYJACK 727]

  On 2/7/2025 at 1:57 AM, CooperNWO305 said:

Vince Peterson’s daughter is demanding an apology from Eric. And of course there is discussion about the “new” tie particles like they just discovered the Holy Grail. 

Uranium and Thorium aren't that rare and were in many things in the late 60's.

Death, taxes and random Cooper tie theories...

[FLYJACK 727]

Since Cooper jumped with a back reserve and would not have had an accurate take on the wind his drift was up to potentially about 5 miles, depending on his pull elevation.

A 5 mile drift makes the potential LZ 78.53982 sq. miles.

Almost 80 sq miles is massive. We have a wind estimate and can reduce that to maybe a third but Cooper likely wouldn't have known that when he jumped.

That indicates Cooper did not jump to a specific pre-determined area. It was random or ad hoc. There was no precision involved.

Cooper did not jump to an accomplice..

Cooper did not know where the plane was going to be.

IMO, his initial plan was not to jump in the PNW.. he jumped early to avoid being on the plane in Reno.

 

A question for jumper's..

Cooper asked for mains but received back reserves, he looked over the chutes and chose the newer "military" one.. Would an experienced jumper be able to tell that they were reserves? Would an experienced guy like Braden know or check that they were mains? Does the fact that Cooper jumped with a back reserve after inspecting the chutes tell us anything about him or his experience?

 

 

Edited February 7 by FLYJACK

[FLYJACK 727]

Elephant in the room,,,

[randy233 8]

  On 2/7/2025 at 5:17 PM, FLYJACK said:

Elephant in the room,,,

It's not the elephant in the room. I think there is a good chance that if Coopers identity is ever discovered his name is José Gonzáles rather than Joe Smith.

[FLYJACK 727]

  On 2/8/2025 at 2:53 PM, randy233 said:

It's not the elephant in the room. I think there is a good chance that if Coopers identity is ever discovered his name is José Gonzáles rather than Joe Smith.

I call it the "elephant in the room" because many people even high profile Cooper researchers try to dismiss, diminish or even ignore it. This blindspot has gone on for years.

Clearly, he is a Caucasian with a Latin/Olive/Swarthy appearance..  one of the best clues we have.

 

[randy233 8]

  On 2/8/2025 at 3:18 PM, FLYJACK said:

I call it the "elephant in the room" because many people even high profile Cooper researchers try to dismiss, diminish or even ignore it. This blindspot has gone on for years.

Clearly, he is a Caucasian with a Latin/Olive/Swarthy appearance..  one of the best clues we have.

 

Yes, this is definitely overlooked and often ignored.

I remember reading the eyewitness accounts for the first time and the fact that Cooper had an olive/latin appearance was something I hadn't heard before. Just like the fact that the suit jacket he wore had a brownish, almost reddish color and not black like how he is often portrayed in documentaries.

[georger 248]

  On 2/8/2025 at 3:31 PM, randy233 said:

Yes, this is definitely overlooked and often ignored.

I remember reading the eyewitness accounts for the first time and the fact that Cooper had an olive/latin appearance was something I hadn't heard before. Just like the fact that the suit jacket he wore had a brownish, almost reddish color and not black like how he is often portrayed in documentaries.

and he has been watching/monitoring from some place for: the right plane in the right place at the right time - his words. Plane cant land anywhere in the USA! (his words). Nothing so far about the FBI targeting-questioning Spanish populations ... anywhere? The FBI uses "Latin" in its descriptions but doesnt seem to target Latins for inspection. Who were the Latin populations in and around Portland at the time ? Or Seattle ? Latins that worked with ordinance and rare metals ? ... someone totally off the radar!  A loner. Someone the FBI would dismiss because he doesnt fit their preconceived profile. Someone off the grid ?

Edited February 8 by georger

[FLYJACK 727]

  On 2/8/2025 at 8:06 PM, georger said:

and he has been watching/monitoring from some place for: the right plane in the right place at the right time - his words. Plane cant land anywhere in the USA! (his words). Nothing so far about the FBI targeting-questioning Spanish populations ... anywhere? The FBI uses "Latin" in its descriptions but doesnt seem to target Latins for inspection. Who were the Latin populations in and around Portland at the time ? Or Seattle ? Latins that worked with ordinance and rare metals ? ... someone totally off the radar!  A loner. Someone the FBI would dismiss because he doesnt fit their preconceived profile. Someone off the grid ?

In the FBI files there were suggestions to target "Latin" groups but no follow ups in the files so far...

The FBI did use Latin/Olive when screening suspects.

Doing some research on dark olive complexion, they turn dark olive quickly when exposed to sun, a tanning process. The PNW in November is NOT a sunny environment which indicates that Cooper being dark/olive was likely NOT from the PNW.

[georger 248]

  On 2/8/2025 at 9:09 PM, FLYJACK said:

In the FBI files there were suggestions to target "Latin" groups but no follow ups in the files so far...

The FBI did use Latin/Olive when screening suspects.

Doing some research on dark olive complexion, they turn dark olive quickly when exposed to sun, a tanning process. The PNW in November is NOT a sunny environment which indicates that Cooper being dark/olive was likely NOT from the PNW.

Thats an interesting point! ( The PNW in November is NOT a sunny environment which indicates that Cooper being dark/olive was likely NOT from the PNW.)   so is his encounter with a flight 305 a chance event? He is passing through the area ?

[FLYJACK 727]

  On 2/9/2025 at 3:39 AM, georger said:

Thats an interesting point! ( The PNW in November is NOT a sunny environment which indicates that Cooper being dark/olive was likely NOT from the PNW.)   so is his encounter with a flight 305 a chance event? He is passing through the area ?

It suggests that Cooper was recently in a strong sunny climate in November...  that is not the PNW.

I assume he chose that flight, just that he was not local or at least not recently.

Point is, his dark/olive "tan" would not have been caused by the PNW climate November 24. It was likely obtained elsewhere.

[olemisscub 521]

  On 2/8/2025 at 3:31 PM, randy233 said:

Yes, this is definitely overlooked and often ignored.

I remember reading the eyewitness accounts for the first time and the fact that Cooper had an olive/latin appearance was something I hadn't heard before. Just like the fact that the suit jacket he wore had a brownish, almost reddish color and not black like how he is often portrayed in documentaries.

It seems quite clear to me that he absolutely had some sort of ethnic flavoring. Every witness who gave a description of his complexion, which was the majority of the witnesses, said he had a dark complexion or specifically used the term olive. And you can't excuse it away by claiming low cabin lighting or something because Dennis Lysne said the same thing and he saw him inside the bright terminal. Plus, I consider Flo our best witness as for his appearance and she says "Latin descent". So there's just too much smoke coming from that fire to ignore it.

Whenever I create Cooper's for my videos I always do my best to make sure he has some sort of quasi-ethnic flavor to him. 

[olemisscub 521]

We’ve had a fair amount of olive suspects, although even that it is lacking too often. Yet, unless I’m missing someone, the only people ever discussed who come to mind where they could pass, or arguably could pass, as looking quasi-Latin or NA to a stranger are Hahneman, Hall, Catalano, Levario, and Burnworth. 

[c99acer 7]

  On 2/8/2025 at 9:09 PM, FLYJACK said:

In the FBI files there were suggestions to target "Latin" groups but no follow ups in the files so far...

The FBI did use Latin/Olive when screening suspects.

Doing some research on dark olive complexion, they turn dark olive quickly when exposed to sun, a tanning process. The PNW in November is NOT a sunny environment which indicates that Cooper being dark/olive was likely NOT from the PNW.

Don't think you can eliminate PNW candidates because they aren't hanging out on a beach or at more temperate climes in the fall. People that work outside during the winter are subject to skin-freezing windburns and radiation from snow reflected UV rays. Ever heard of 'glacier' glasses? Outdoor gear in the early 1970s wasn't the same as today!

[FLYJACK 727]

  On 2/9/2025 at 5:43 PM, c99acer said:

Don't think you can eliminate PNW candidates because they aren't hanging out on a beach or at more temperate climes in the fall. People that work outside during the winter are subject to skin-freezing windburns and radiation from snow reflected UV rays. Ever heard of 'glacier' glasses? Outdoor gear in the early 1970s wasn't the same as today!

Yes, you can. 

I live in the PNW,, in November it is mostly cloudy and rainy and on the odd sunny day the sun is very weak. Temps are very rarely freezing. People do not tan at that time unless they are up in the freezing snowy mountains.

You can argue Cooper was climbing on the top of Mount Baker in November and got a snowburn but that is another example of using an extreme outlier.. it is possible but extremely unlikely. 

So, unless Cooper was skiing or ice climbing recently in the PNW, he was not from the PNW.

With a very high probability Cooper was not in the PNW for very long before the hijacking. He obtained his recent dark/olive complexion elsewhere.

This is how you have to evaluate the evidence when you don't have 100% facts..

If you emphasize a rare possibility, you get nowhere and go in circles. You can always find an exception to anything.

Beyesian analysis and probabilities is the only way to move forward..

Portland average high November 53F average low 40F

average snowfall 0

Edited February 9 by FLYJACK

[randy233 8]

  On 2/8/2025 at 8:06 PM, georger said:

and he has been watching/monitoring from some place for: the right plane in the right place at the right time - his words. Plane cant land anywhere in the USA! (his words). Nothing so far about the FBI targeting-questioning Spanish populations ... anywhere? The FBI uses "Latin" in its descriptions but doesnt seem to target Latins for inspection. Who were the Latin populations in and around Portland at the time ? Or Seattle ? Latins that worked with ordinance and rare metals ? ... someone totally off the radar!  A loner. Someone the FBI would dismiss because he doesnt fit their preconceived profile. Someone off the grid ?

But... he used the American sounding name 'Dan Cooper' when he bought the ticket. If he was clearly Latin wouldn't he have used a Latin/South-American name instead to avoid suspicion? 

[FLYJACK 727]

  On 2/9/2025 at 6:22 PM, randy233 said:

But... he used the American sounding name 'Dan Cooper' when he bought the ticket. If he was clearly Latin wouldn't he have used a Latin/South-American name instead to avoid suspicion? 

Huh...

[randy233 8]

  On 2/9/2025 at 6:27 PM, FLYJACK said:

Huh...

Dan Cooper is an English name right? If he was Latin wouldn't he have used a Latin sounding name?

Edited February 9 by randy233

[olemisscub 521]

  On 2/9/2025 at 6:19 PM, FLYJACK said:

 

With a very high probability Cooper was not in the PNW for very long before the hijacking. He obtained his recent dark/olive complexion elsewhere

While I agree he likely wasn’t living in the PNW at the time because it would be unwise for a hijacker to pull this heist near where he’s living, I’m not sure why are having to deduce that Cooper obtained his complexion anywhere other than genetics. If a Hispanic or Italian, or whatever type ethnicity may be born with that skin tone, is living in a non-sunny climate, their natural complexion isn’t going to fade away. 

No doubt their complexion can get darker in a sunny environment just like everyone else, but they aren’t going to lose whatever complexion they were naturally born with just because they are not in a sunny environment. Do all the Italians living in the Bronx lose their complexion in the winter? Of course not. 

Not trying to start some huge argument with you, just pointing out that I don’t think we can deduce that he had just been somewhere sunny just because he had an olive/dark complexion. 

[olemisscub 521]

  On 2/9/2025 at 6:29 PM, randy233 said:

Dan Cooper is an American name right? If he was Latin wouldn't he have used a Latin sounding name?

Ticket agents aren’t thinking about things like that. 

[FLYJACK 727]

  On 2/9/2025 at 6:36 PM, olemisscub said:

While I agree he likely wasn’t living in the PNW at the time because it would be unwise for a hijacker to pull this heist near where he’s living, I’m not sure why are having to deduce that Cooper obtained his complexion anywhere other than genetics. If a Hispanic or Italian, or whatever type ethnicity may be born with that skin tone, is living in a non-sunny climate, their natural complexion isn’t going to fade away. 

No doubt their complexion can get darker in a sunny environment just like everyone else, but they aren’t going to lose whatever complexion they were naturally born with just because they are not in a sunny environment. Do all the Italians living in the Bronx lose their complexion in the winter? Of course not. 

Not trying to start some huge argument with you, just pointing out that I don’t think we can deduce that he had just been somewhere sunny just because he had an olive/dark complexion. 

Sure, we can infer it... it isn't 100% but it is a strong likelihood.

Cooper was described as dark/olive/swarthy and Latin appearance.. that is caused by the sun, they get dark quickly when exposed to strong sun, that is their genetic trait. The witnesses noticed it so it had to be obvious (other than Mitchell).

Cooper was a Caucasian with a dark olive complexion. That is a reaction to the sun. It is a suntan.

They do go lighter when not exposed and darker in the strong sun.. people are not exposed to strong sun in November in the PNW.

I have pics of Hahneman and he is dark others looks light,, Skip has pics where he looks light. Dark olive complexion is a suntan.

Two of my friends growing up, one is Italian and one Greek,, their parents moved here. So, legitimately Mediterranean. Both got noticeably dark olive in the summer sun, very fast.

Edited February 9 by FLYJACK