R99 wrote "If Cooper had experience with other large aircraft, and he probably did, then he should have been able to make a fairly accurate guess about the flap setting and air speed. The landing gear down and an altitude of 10,000 feet were no-brainers."
Agree. None of that info is especially 727 specific, although 15 degrees is a 727 flap lever detent position. It does, however, show an aircraft savvy person who understands the need for a slow exit speed and how to insure it. If he just gave the crew an airspeed number he'd have no accurate way to verify that they were complying if gear and flaps were up. Gear down and flaps extended 15 degrees was a smart order.
377
What it shows, is someone arguing to get what he wants- the plane slowed so he can bail. Farflung thought there were enough inconsistencies and confusions and redundancies in what Cooper ordered that it questioned Cooper's experience - that he could not be a pilot. Snowmman and R99 agreed with most of Farflung's assessment. Let's go back and put this in its context. Farflung also pointed out that Cooper demurred from ever talking or arguing directly with the crew about anything of a technical nature.
There were no technical demands or stipulations in Cooper's original list(s) of demands - his note or the stews notes and orders conveyed to the cockpit for Cooper. It also turns out that 15* flaps is the start position at takeoff (R99, FFl, Snowman, 377, Sluggo etal). According to Snowmman the actual flap setting when Cooper bailed had been moved to 30*, not 15*. Farflung seriously questioned what Cooper meant by 15* and precisely what he was asking for!
Was Cooper speaking from actual experience or was he merely giving out a 'RECIPE' for jumping that included 15 degrees as one ingredient?
All of Cooper's technical demands originate at roughly 6:21pm when Mucklow comes back with the last parachute only to find Cooper cutting and tying cord from one parachute around the neck of the money bag. More than a hour before the plane will take off at Seattle at 7:33pm. Cooper suddenly issues orders to Mucklow for the cockpit saying:
305: WE HAVE INSTRUCTIONS FROM THE INDIVIDUAL. He wants Nr 305 to go to Mexico City with gear down and flaps at 15 degrees after under way. (Stairs out) All lights to be turned out in aircraft. Cannot land in USA for fuel or any other reason. No crew member is to go aft of class section curtain.
Cooper never mentions 15 degrees again if it was so God-awful important to Cooper and his ‘recipe’ for jumping. In contrast to that, the debate about stairs, the issue of slowing and stabilizing the aircraft etc., will continue right up through 8:05/8:10 … when Cooper is thought to have jumped.
Mr. Smith has said he believes Cooper was a pilot, because during his interview with Bill Rataczak, Rataczak told him that when Cooper suddenly issued his technical demands at around 6:21 mentioning 15 degree flaps, that convinced Bill the hijacker must be a pilot or someone with particular knowledge about the 727.
However, Anderson’s recollection of this is different. Anderson said in his in his interview: “ After the plane had landed and the delivery of the money and parachutes, the hijacker forwarded through hostess Mucklow the following instructions: (1) … going to Mexico City non-stop or if they could not reach Mexico City then anywhere in Mexico, (2) … fly with landing gear and flaps down, (3) not fly above 10,000 feet, (4) … lights out in the cabin area, (5) they were not to land in the USA for fuel or any other reason, (6) nobody is allowed aft of the first class curtain, (7 ) after taking off hostess Mucklow will be allowed to go to the cockpit, (8 ) the rear door is to be open and the stairs extended for taking off.”
There is no mention of 15 degrees in Anderson’s account!
Muckow’s version is : “He said, “We’re going to Mexico City, gear down, flaps down, you can trim the plane to 15, you can stop anywhere in Mexico to refuel but not here in the United States. The aft door must be open and the stairs down. The altitude under 10,000 feet, they know they can’t go over that. Cabin lights must be out and everyone is to be forward of the first class curtain.”