Shutter: You're right, my bad. There's no indication who suggested Cooper could have sat on the stairs.
Confer pages 277 and 278 where Boeing test pilots give their opinions, including their belief that the crew would probably not feel the actual jump, only the oscillations.
I believe the test pilots also stated that the airliner crew would only feel the oscillations if one of them was hand flying the aircraft (autopilot off).
Makes it more complicated since they have stated in the past that the auto-pilot was used for most of the flight...
True. The test pilots were saying that the oscillations were quite small and smooth and probably not noticeable unless one of the pilots was hand flying the aircraft and could notice the small control wheel movements caused by the change in the center of gravity.
The test pilots apparently didn't even mention hearing or feeling the stairs slamming shut when they dropped some weights from them. This was apparently done as part of the Air American deal.
I caught that too. Seems like the description is almost an attempt to minimise or trivialise the affects? I find that curious. But, what then follows is this rather long detailed
hypothesis about Cooper possibly sitting on the stairs and traveling along without jumping (sightseeing clear into Oregon and Nevada ... with his ass on the stairs and 'no oscillations? )? The hypothesis is almost given equal status to the empiracle fact of oscillations (and no bump)! Something doesn't quite add up, or does it?
Maybe they are trying to tell people: dont make your minds up yet! ?
To balance this consider the testimony and actions of Rataczack, Soderlind following events in real time back in Minneapolis making notes, testimony of the TAG team members who conducted the test, and all the other documents/witnesses which very clearly note the oscillations and a "bump" as decisive evidence "we think he he may have just left us" and "we think he jumped clear back in Washington" etc. ...... (Scott's words).
Otherwise, the new long, carefully connected and edited pdf, is wonderful! I wish I had had this before going through the thousands of smaller docs trying to index and classify each one - aaaaaaaaaaaaargh! I wish we had had this doc back in 2008! I wonder what the date of this document is? There is no cover page or date that I could find. What was its purpose - to train and educate new case agents about the Cooper case?