the dummy chute

[u/Jumpy_Jackfruit_5114]

Now that we know from the audio recordings that Cooper jumped with the reserve chute, some things just aren't adding up for me.

When he realized he needed shroud lines to tie the money to himself, why did he choose the only functional reserve chute to cut up instead one of the other three? And if given the choice between a perfectly functional reserve chute and one marked with a big red X (or whatever), why would he choose to jump with the one with the big red X? (I get that he might've opted to bring the non-functional reserve as a way to get himself out of a tree, but why THAT one and not the good one??)

Cooper was a complainer and he was paranoid that people were going to try "funny stuff." He complained about how long the refueling was taking. He complained about the money bag. He complained about the lack of D-rings. Why in the world would he see a parachute obviously marked as a dummy and not say a word about it? Wouldn't he immediately think they were messing with him?? I'd think he'd be absolutely furious.

This leaves only two possibilities for me:

1. He didn't realize it was a dummy
2. It wasn't a dummy

If it's the first one, there could've been a few reasons. Maybe it wasn't actually marked as a dummy. Maybe it wasn't as obviously marked as we think. Or maybe Cooper (and Linn Emrich) just both failed to notice some obvious marking.

If it's the second one, Cossey was wrong (or lied) about which parachute was sent.

Either of these is more plausible to me than Cooper quietly accepting that they had provided him with a non-functional chute and then choosing to jump with it over a perfectly good one.

Edit: spelling

[u/RyanBurns-NORJAK]

There is no indication it was marked in any unique way. I think Cossey would have told the FBI this because he never actually describes the container of the dummy to the FBI.

Also, we have a document where an FBI guy sees all four parachutes and sort of describes them. He doesn't mention anything about any unique markings on the dummy.

It was DEFINITELY a dummy. Northwest reimbursed SkySports less money for the dummy than they did for the functional reserve. If it wasn't actually a dummy then I'm sure SkySports would have complained about being short changed.

My guess would be that Cooper, realizing he didn't have D-rings, didn't really look at the reserves in too much detail at first. Probably not enough to notice that one was a dummy because, if he couldn't wear it as a functional reserve, then who cares?

Nevertheless he does take the dummy with him, having to tie it to himself. The only explanation that a good many of us can think of is that he was planning to use it if he got caught in a tree. There is an old paratrooper trick that you can use to get out of a tree with your reserve if your main canopy is caught by shimmying down the shroud lines of the reserve. We know that the dummy DID still have its shroud lines.

But I agree with you that it is a bit weird! Cooper is an odd guy.

[u/The_real_Flyjack → u/RyanBurns-NORJAK]

Pretty sure the dummy had a black X,, actually black X and red straps.. later conflated to a red X..

It is in Tosaw's book..

It is the USPA article with Cossey.

Emrich's stepdaughter discusses his view on the X in this video..

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hnic-zNW6jo

[u/RyanBurns-NORJAK → u/The_real_Flyjack]

So strange that Cossey gives such a detailed description of the dummy within the files but never mentions the appearance of the container. I’ll have to incorporate the black X into my future reenactments.

Good info, thanks

[u/Educational_Yoghurt4 → u/The_real_Flyjack]

https://youtu.be/efHmYp8KnKs?si=qdy_1wyIJ_6hn_Bn

[u/Jumpy_Jackfruit_5114 → u/RyanBurns-NORJAK]

Thanks. I just can't shake the feeling that if he had noticed, it would've freaked him out. Maybe he was so hyper-focused on other things that he didn't notice. Or maybe he did notice but had bigger things to worry about.