[JoeEOD]

Parachutist magazine did a great multipart series on the D. B. Cooper story last year. Check it out on the USPA web site and hit the Parachutist button. You'll find it in the most commonly viewed list.

This news story should have never risen to the level of news. I got my Rigger's license in the early 70's and at that time the FAA regs required a silk parachute to have the lines cut off -even if never used- seven years (as I recall) after the date of manufacture. So there should have been no silk parachutes in service when Cooper jumped. The fact that it was a silk parachute automaticaly excluded it from being Cooper's.

The area safety officer (ASO) for the USPA in Hawaii was a guy named Dave Thompson who the the FBI seemed to think was a good fit for Cooper. He did the stunt jumps for the movie The Gypsy Moths. (They shot the low pull several times until he finally said no more). Fortunately for Dave he had a great alibi for the date of the hijacking!