In the Unsolved Mysteries episode, Cooper refers to the pilots as fly boys. Was this actually in any testimony? Also, in testimony one of the flight attendants refers to Cooper asking for maps. What maps did he ask for?
Cooper did not ask for any maps nor did he specify any particular route for the airliner to follow when heading south from Seattle. Cooper said that he wanted to go to Mexico but was told that the 727 could not fly there nonstop in the configuration he dictated. He did agree, before takeoff, to land in Reno for refueling. But Cooper did not specify any route to be followed to get to Reno nor did he ask for the airliner's location at any point after the takeoff from Seattle. And the airliner was flying above an overcast so that Cooper could not see the ground and/or get any meaningful information about the airliner's position.
Hancock in her interview says he asked for maps but she could not remember maps for what...
Hancock stated that the subject made his demands known in this order:
1) He wanted the money brought on board first.
2) We wanted (passengers) off the aircraft after the money was on board.
3) We wanted parachutes and four crew meals.
4) He wanted the plane completely refueled.
5) We wanted maps.
She could not remember what kind of maps the subject requested.
Airline crews that fly regular routes typically only carry IFR enroute maps and approach plates for that route and perhaps adjacent areas. They may also carry world maps (which cover more area than sectional charts) and includes some topographical information. But they typically do not carry such maps for the entire US if they only fly domestically.
Al Lee had to scramble to find IFR maps and approach plates for the areas south of Portland. He included those maps in the box along with the crew meals that was loaded onto the aircraft.
If Hancock is right and Cooper did ask for maps, he may have been asking for maps for the cockpit crew. If so, Cooper may have had some experience as a pilot or cockpit crew member.
