Interview re lowering of aft airstairs in flight
This copy: Part 72 p. 17Also filed at Part 20 p. 242 (primary) · Part 71 p. 374 · Part 72 p. 65 · Part 110 p. 271 · Part 112 p. 20
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Interview of S. Lewis Wallick, Boeing 727 chief test pilot, re lowering aft stairs in flight
Interviewed 29 November 1971Dictated 30 November 1971Transcribed 30 November 1971
Another copy of this document is the primary, most legible copy: Part 20 p. 242.
Copies may differ in what was redacted.
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Id: Cooper-Part-72:017-017
Subject: Cooper Files: Cooper-Part-72:017-017 Document: FD-302 interview of S. Lewis Wallick, Boeing 727 chief test pilot, re lowering aft stairs in flight Id: Cooper-Part-72:017-017 Page: https://cooper.theunsolved.net/documents/Cooper-Part-72%3A017-017 What is wrong (title, date, type, which pages belong together, copies)? What does the scan show?
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FBI 164-81, Vault Part 72 p. 17 (DB Cooper-30793), FD-302 interview, interviewed 29 Nov 1971 — cooper.theunsolved.net/documents/Cooper-Part-72%3A017-017
FD 302 (REV. 11-27-70) FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION
1 Date of transcription November 30, 1971
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S. LEWIS WALLICK, a Test Pilot employed by The Boeing Company, Seattle, Washington, telephone 655-4031, furnished the following information:
He was the Chief Test Pilot on the Boeing 727 project and he conducted the flight testing of this aircraft.
On several occasions during this testing he intentionally lowered the rear stairs under the tail of the aircraft while in flight. The effect of lowering these stairs in flight was hardly noticeable on the controls and the only positive indication he had that the stairs were lowered was the lighting of an indicator light on the instrument panel. The stairs were lowered at a speed of 150 knots. While the stairs were lowered the plane remained in the same attitude. There was no yawing or pitching.
He furnished the following opinions in connection with the question of whether or not a pilot would feel in his controls a sudden loss of weight of approximately 180 pounds from the tail of a 727. He advised that if the pilot were flying the aircraft manually and if the air were calm, he would feel a sudden loss of 180 pounds weight from the tail of the aircraft. He explained that the loss of this weight would move the center of gravity toward the front of the airplane and while this movement would be slight, it could be felt in the wheel by the pilot. He stated, however, that if the air were turbulent, it is doubtful that the pilot would feel this sudden loss of weight. He indicated also that if the plane were being flown on auto-pilot the loss of this weight would not be felt by the pilot.
He advised that if the rear stairs on a 727 is lowered in flight at an altitude of less than 10,000 feet a change in pressurization occurs and this could be felt by the crew if the door leading into the cockpit is open. If the cockpit door were closed, it is doubtful that the crew would experience the change in pressurization.
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Interviewed on 11/29/71 at Seattle, Washington File # SE 164-81-[redacted]
by SA [redacted] /rmh Date dictated 11/30/71
This document contains neither recommendations nor conclusions of the FBI. It is the property of the FBI and is loaned to your agency; it and its contents are not to be distributed outside your agency.
DB Cooper-30793
Serials: SE 164-81