View Full Version : Happy D.B. Cooper Day!
redtail
24th Nov 2001, 17:01
http://www.startribune.com/stories/709/850495.html
http://www.startribune.com/stories/462/849240.html
Gotta hand it to the guy for having style, unlike the audacious upstarts of today.
[ 24 November 2001: Message edited by: redtail ]
The big skydiving boogie up in Quincy, Illinois used to have the "D. B. Cooper" jump. They had a 727 cargo plane with the airstair removed and a plywood bulkhead with a jump door installed. They could take something like 200 skydivers up, but they had to go out one at a time.
The story I heard was that some skydivers got too eager and jumped during the climb (250 kts) instead of the jump run (~120 kts). Their harnesses survived but their jump-suits were blasted clean off!
Rollingthunder
24th Nov 2001, 18:23
Last credible report was that he was deaded, wasn't it?
[ 24 November 2001: Message edited by: Rollingthunder ]
javelin
24th Nov 2001, 22:55
And I got banned from the British Parachute Association for jumping out of a Cessna 120 - is there no justice in this world ?! :(
ScruFFi
25th Nov 2001, 00:01
that's ços you jump a javelin !!!! ha ha :-) :)
Steepclimb
26th Nov 2001, 14:12
Huck,
That 727 must have had it's D B Cooper flap removed. Most 727's have a little vane which prevents the airstair door opening in flight.
A legacy of in honour our Mr Cooper introduced after the famous departure.
Boss Raptor
1st Dec 2001, 13:46
Most but not all 727's had the Cooper Vane...as I understand it it was not a mandatory mod. but was carried out by most US operators...however as an example Iberia's 727 (73-79 deliveries)do not have it...
Easy to remove anyway just a vane attached to a sprung loaded bolt...I think of Mr. Cooper everytime I look at my rear airstairs and the 'Cooper Vane'. I always new there was a story behind it but no one knew the guy's name until I spoke to an old guy at Mojave...even a song about it apparently...
Just where did he go or wht did happen to him, gets you thinking?!
:D
Would be nice if everyone that flies the 727, knows at least a little bit of the history of this wonderful air creation.
i.e. Cpt. Gibsons "high dive" and D.B.Coopers "sky dive".
seupp
About the Quincy 727,
The Cooper Switch acts as a aerodinamical-mechanical stop to prevent the airstair to open not only inflight but above certain speed (do not remember the actual number), so if you remove the airstair, you dont have to worry about the switch.
I attended the ´95 WFFC in Quincy and I have the chance to jump out the 727 and also from a Connie as well!.
After T.O. they opened the back door in order for the A/C to be unpressurized, we were 180 skydivers and we make 2 jumpruns, 90 exited per run, one by one, I was very lucky to the first in one of the runs and I exited the 727 at about 200 Kts. Nice shock but there is no way for you to shred you jumpsuit.
It was one of the most memorable skydives I have ever done.
By that time I was F/O in a 727, and in the jump with was a friend of mine who was a 727 Capt. so imagine what happened after when we where on duty flying togheter and we leave the plane via the airstair, all the passangers got a funny look when we where a top of the stairs in full uniform saying: Ready, set, goooo..... :D
TowerDog
3rd Dec 2001, 17:13
Canven:
Why didn't they put some flaps down and slow the thing down to a lot less than 200 KIAS?
I think the first jumps out of a transport jet was Norwegians skydivers on a "Busy Bee" B-737-200 some 15 to 20 years ago.
Aft side door, perhaps both. Forgot the details, but knew some of the guys.
Company now long out of business...
TowerDog,
In order to minimize the rotation times they line up into the jumprun at about 220-230 kts. 1 to 2 miles from the exit point, and then they start to slow down, but when you are the first sometimes you get lucky!; nobody minded that!!
I spoke with the pilots and they told me that their goal at first was to put it at 150 kts. with flaps 25, but with 200-180, the rotation went quicker.
Regarding who was first, I think that there must have been many "firsts", some people in Deland, Fla. told me thay they did it in the ´70´s in an army research, but..., the only prep we did to jump out of it was: "when you hear GO!.. run and jump....", that is all you need (The big grin come with it) :D
[ 04 December 2001: Message edited by: Canven ]
gravity victim
7th Dec 2001, 20:19
Tower Dog,
My ex-girfriend's brother flew the Busy Bee 737, which was indeed used for freefall loads, by Norwegian Special forces and civvies. Operating procedures were all in the book and included draining aft toilets to prevent them freezing up...