YouTuber’s new evidence draws FBI attention in D.B. Cooper case: Report
An amateur investigator claims he found a piece of evidence that could solve the case of D.B. Cooper, one of America’s greatest mysteries. The FBI closed its investigation into the 1971 plane hijacking back in 2016.
Cooper is a pseudonym for a man who hijacked a plane over the Pacific Northwest. During the incident, Cooper told authorities he had a bomb and asked for $200,000 and four parachutes.
Authorities handed Cooper the money and the parachutes after the plane landed. After the plane took off again, people who were still on the flight said he jumped out of the plane with the money and a parachute. Despite years of searching, he was never seen again.
Dan Gryder claims he found a modified parachute rig in North Carolina belonging to Richard McCoy, saying the rig is “literally one in a billion.”
A jury convicted McCoy, a former Green Beret, of hijacking a plane the year after the Cooper incident. Like Cooper, he demanded cash and parachutes as a ransom.
McCoy never admitted to the Cooper hijacking. McCoy later escaped prison after his conviction. FBI agents shot and killed him in 1974.
McCoy’s children believe their father is Cooper. They reached out to Gryder to give him evidence for his investigative series on YouTube.
Wyoming news outlet Cowboy State Daily reported they stayed quiet for decades until their mother died, believing law enforcement could charge her.
Their report also states Gryder and McCoy’s son spoke with FBI agents and allowed them to search McCoy’s family property last year.
After the search, the McCoy family turned over the parachute and a skydiving log from their father that lines up with the timeline of both hijackings.
However, the FBI hasn’t publicly confirmed or denied whether they have formally reopened the case.
The flight had taken off from Germany and crashed around 5:30 a.m. local time while approaching its final destination in Vilnius, Lithuania.
Officials said the person who was killed was a member of the flight crew but was not a pilot. Three other people on board were injured. Nobody on the ground got hurt.
Officials said at least 12 people had to be evacuated from the home.
Investigators are looking into the cause of the crash and have not yet ruled out it being an act of terrorism.
Researchers hope PigeonBot flying robot can inspire next generation of flight
A marriage of technology and biology could be the key to advances in autonomous flight. Researchers revealed in findings published on Wednesday, Nov. 20, in Science Robotics that they have developed the “PigeonBot II.”
The bird-like robot features an adaptive tail and wings capable of adjusting to wind conditions at a moment’s notice, just like its living counterpart.
Physicists believe that this technology could be the key to rudderless flight for unmanned aircraft, and fix stability issues long associated with planes by turbulence.
Tests conducted by the team of researchers reveal the bio-bot is capable of adjusting its tail and wings to any gust or powerful wind it encounters. The design of the aerial robot is exactly like it sounds, inspired by the pigeon, and it’s actually adorned with dozens of real pigeon feathers.
The skeleton of the machine is flexible, and its tail and wings can move like a bird. The robot runs with the help of a reflexive built in system, which uses nine motors with controls to mimic a pigeon in flight.
Researchers say the choice of a pigeon may seem like an odd choice when much faster bird designs are available, but they maintain pigeons are one of the more adaptable birds when it comes to flight maneuvers.
Researchers hope the PigeonBot II will lead to more reliable and stable flying robots.
The technology could even be adapted for military purposes, researchers say the bird-bots have a smaller radar signature than most aircraft and better performance.
Beijing is already reportedly on board with bird-like robots, revealing it’s testing the technology for spying with its military earlier this year. Other U.S. companies are also reportedly experimenting with the concept of bird robots.
Boeing is making a big financial move to save one of its key suppliers. The jet maker this week confirmed it’ll advance $350 million to Spirit AeroSystems. Spirit makes the fuselage for Boeing planes.
Boeing is doling out money to keep Spirit afloat. This comes as the supplier is experiencing high levels of inventory and financial problems. Spirit is the largest employer in Wichita, Kansas.
The company has announced it might not be able to keep operating due to billions of dollars in losses over the last four years.
In 2019, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) grounded the Boeing 737 Max after two deadly crashes. This caused inventory to back up as orders dropped. That problem eventually trickled down to Spirit.
Boeing’s maintenance problems have continued, including a door plug blowing off a flight in mid-air earlier this year and the recent machinists union strike.
In March, an FAA audit of the manufacture of the 737 Max at Boeing and Spirit AeroSystems found multiple instances of the companies failing to make sure quality standards were met.
Spirit then laid off 450 workers in May in a cost cutting move. In late October, the company furloughed another 700 employees for 21 days. The furloughed workers built the fuselages for the Boeing 767 and 777 planes.
Boeing has now agreed to acquire Spirit AeroSystems in an all-stock transaction worth close to $5 billion. The deal is expected to be completed by mid-2025.
China unveils new stealth jet and ‘space-air fighter’
The 15th Zhuhai Airshow in China kicked off on Tuesday, Nov. 12. While there was plenty of entertainment flying above, the show also gave the People’s Liberation Army a chance to showcase some of its latest advancements in weapons technology.
This year’s airshow saw the unveiling of China’s newest 5th-Gen stealth fighter, the J-35. Not much is known about the craft, other than it looks a lot like Lockheed Martin’s F-35. Chinese state-run media said the J-35 was designed mainly to carry out the task of “seizing and maintaining air supremacy.”
China showed off the J-35A variant during the airshow. The PLAAF is reportedly developing a ‘C’ variant as well, which will be used to take off and land on one of three aircraft carriers the People’s Liberation Army Navy is currently building and testing.
Both the J-35 variants are noticeably smaller than China’s first stealth fighter, the J-20, also known as the “Mighty Dragon.” At this year’s airshow, for the first time in public, a group of J-20 stealth fighters performed a series of aerial maneuvers to showcase both the skill of the pilots and just how nimble J-20s are. Mighty Dragons bear a striking resemblance to the U.S.-made F-22 Raptor and are designed primarily for air-to-air combat, also like the Raptor.
Another mock-up of an aircraft called the “White Emperor” was also unveiled at the show. China said the alleged 6th-generation stealth aircraft is an “integrated space-air fighter,” able to fly at supersonic speeds and then leave Earth’s atmosphere. It’s not clear if China is actually developing the White Emperor, or if this is misdirection. China had major problems making jet engines domestically, so it seems unlikely that it suddenly made such drastic leaps forward in developing a power source for such a craft.
As the pacing challenger to the United States military, the People’s Liberation Army is also heavily invested in developing drones and other unmanned combat aerial vehicles, or UCAVs.
Like the CH-7, developed by the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. In conjunction with the air show, the PLA released video of the CH-7 taking off from an unknown airstrip. Development on the UCAV started years ago. It’s based on a “flying-wing” concept, and looks pretty similar to U.S.-made stealth bombers like the B-2 Spirit and B-21 Raider.
Like those U.S.-made aircraft, China designed the CH-7 to be a stealth bomber. However, this model will be an uncrewed stealth bomber. The CH-7 can reportedly penetrate enemy airspace at high altitudes, and then engage targets using precision-guided bombs. The PLA also said the unmanned feature of the plane has the potential to revolutionize China’s long-range bomber capabilities.
China is also still working on developing its H-20 heavy stealth bomber. A video board at Airshow China displayed a rendering of the craft flying in formation with some fighters, but that is all the information given on that aircraft.
Air dominance isn’t just about what sort of planes a military can put up, but what sort of planes or weapons it can take down.
Airshow China also saw the unveiling of the new HQ-19 long-range surface-to-air missile system. It’s basically China’s version of the U.S.-made THAAD-ER system, the type of air defense system the U.S. recently sent to Israel. The mobile launcher carries six interceptors which can take down aircraft, but are primarily designed to use against ballistic missiles.
The HQ-19 has reportedly been in service with the PLA for some time, so the public unveiling is seen as a way for China to further project force in the region.
ZHUHAI, CHINA – NOV. 10: China’s unmanned surface vessel, JARI-USV-A, is seen as it is set to make its debut at the upcoming 15th China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition, or Airshow China 2024, on November 10, 2024 in Zhuhai, Guangdong Province of China. (Photo by VCG/VCG via Getty Images)
Lastly, while it was an airshow, the PLA Navy wanted to make a splash too. The PLA Navy’s newest unmanned warship, a trimaran called the “Killer Whale,” also made an appearance. Chinese media described it as 190 feet long with a cruising speed of 40 knots and a range of around 4,000 nautical miles.
The Killer Whale looks a lot like the U.S. Navy’s Littoral Combat Ships, which were designed to have swappable weapons components depending on the mission. While the U.S. Navy did away with swapping out weapons systems on its LCS vessels, it looks like the Chinese are leaning into the idea. Beijing said the Killer Whale can perform maritime patrols, surface warfare, anti-submarine operations, air defense missions, or search and rescue operations.
Just because China claims its weapons systems can perform certain tasks up to certain levels doesn’t mean they actually can. But military planners can’t take that chance. So, if China claims its new warships or planes can operate effectively against U.S. methods of detection and interdiction, then weapons makers in the U.S. will need to develop new ways to stay ahead, and the cat-and-mouse game that is warfare continues.
Private jet emissions driven up nearly 50% by world’s wealthiest individuals
A recent study by a European research team has highlighted a significant surge in carbon pollution from private jets, with emissions increasing by 46% since 2019. The report, published Thursday, Nov. 7, analyzed data from over 18.5 million flights across approximately 26,000 private aircraft during the last five years.
The report found a two-hour flight on a private jet generates the same amount of pollution as the average person would in an entire year.
In 2023, private flights taken by around 250,000 of the world’s wealthiest individuals contributed 17.2 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions. That equates to the annual emissions of Tanzania.
“This report presents further proof that billionaires are causing the climate crisis,” Jonathan Westin, executive director of the Climate Organizing Hub, said. “They are clinging to their private jets and oil profits while regular people see increasing floods, hurricanes and wildfires.”
The study’s lead author, Stefan Gössling, who also serves as a transportation researcher at the business school of Sweden’s Linnaeus University, noted that many of these flights weren’t business-related, and instead, a large portion were actually leisure trips.
“The damage is done by those with a lot of money and the cost is borne by those with very little money,” Gössling said. “The problem is that the 26,000 aircraft and the individuals using them will say ‘We are just a small group. We are not relevant in terms of emissions.’ But everybody else will look at the small group and say, ‘Look these are the super-emitters, if they are not relevant, how can we be relevant?”
According to the research team, the highest-emitting private jet user tracked in the study produced 2,645 tons of carbon dioxide from flights alone. That’s more than 500 times the global average per person.
Although the aviation sector as a whole accounts for about 4% of global carbon emissions, private jets are responsible for 1.8%, nearly half of the industry’s total.
Japan’s Air Self-Defense Force is getting pretty offensive. The JASDF flies a fleet of about 150 fifth-gen F-35 stealth fighters. Tokyo wants to ensure they’re properly armed, so it’s spending another $175 million or so to buy more Joint Strike Missiles.
The purchase marks Japan’s fifth order for JSMs since 2018. Norwegian-owned Kongsberg Defense and Aerospace designed the missiles. Kongsberg partners with Raytheon to build the JSMs, which are based on the already combat-proven Naval Strike Missile.
JSMs are stealthy, long-range, precision-guided standoff weapons designed to fit in the internal weapons bay of an F-35, thus maintaining the aircraft’s stealth capabilities as well.
Each JSM carries a 275-pound warhead, is accurate against targets on land or at sea and can hit moving targets thanks to advanced guidance and targeting systems that can even track a target automatically.
Like Naval Strike Missiles, Joint Strike Missiles use a low-altitude flight profile to avoid detection. Kongsberg said the JSM’s range is greater than 150 nautical miles, or just over 170 miles.
Because of that range, payload size and stealth characteristics, the Joint Strike Missile is considered a first-strike weapon. If Japan felt its security was imminently threatened, it may consider using these missiles to take out targets in China before Beijing has a chance to act.
China is acting ever more aggressively towards its neighbors in the Pacific.
In a nutshell, Taiwan wants independence. China doesn’t support this and may decide to invade and take the island by force, which could spark a regional conflict.
Japan doesn’t want this to happen, so it’s been heavily investing in its armed forces and has even changed some laws to make it easier to sell weapons to allies in the region.
The JASDF will be integral to heading off any Chinese aggression towards Tokyo. Japan has three air bases from which it operates its fleet of F-35As. The country owns approximately another 40 F-35Bs, which are designed for short takeoff and vertical landing from ships.
Japan recently drilled with the United States on these tactics using its new J.S. Kaga carrier, the second Japanese naval vessel capable of accommodating F-35Bs.
In a conflict, it can be assumed that these ships would operate near Japan.
F-35s have an operational range of around 1,000 miles before needing to refuel. The Nyutabaru Air Base, in southern Japan, is just 975 miles from Beijing, China’s capital.
The combination of fifth-gen stealth fighters armed with stealthy missiles makes it highly likely Japan’s jets could fly undetected just outside China’s airspace and target launchers, silos, trucks, shipyards, depots and more.
Japan isn’t the only U.S. partner in the Pacific with Joint Strike Missiles, either. Australia announced it’s buying some too and even plans to build a factory to build them. In fact, JSMs are in such high demand that Kongsberg is building another factory in Virginia to keep up.
New radar helping pilots before they hit the skies: Weapon of the week
The word “stealth” conjures images of legendary aircraft such as the F-117 Nighthawk, B-2 Spirit, F-22 Raptor, and the F-35 Lightning II. Despite their distinct differences, one thing ties them all together: geometry.
These planes are “stealth platforms” because of their design. Every angle is about reducing their visibility to radar, and the slightest bend, dent or change in structure can eliminate their tactical advantage, making them visible to adversaries.
Enter the RAZR. At first glance, it resembles a robotic snowplow. However, in the hands of a skilled operator, it could mean the difference between mission success and failure.
“What RAZR does is actually measures the radar cross section of a platform,” Micah North, CEO of Resonant Sciences, said. “What we mean when we talk about radar cross section is, what do we actually look like to a threat radar? What do we look like to a threat system? Resonant is one of the first systems out there available to measure the signature of the platform in the hangar without needing a special facility or lab.”
The RAZR system can take specific shots of various sections of the aircraft using a positioning system and lidars.
“The robot moves into place and gets within about a millimeter of where it needs to be, leading to incredible repeatability and traceability,” North said.
This precision allows for consistent measurements over time, helping to track changes in the aircraft’s structure.
RAZR, which stands for Resonant Adaptable Zonal Radar, is essentially a stand-alone robot that examines every piece of the aircraft.
“The radar cross section defines your detectability, so how soon you’re going to be detected by an enemy radar,” North said. “We want to know what that number is so we can plan missions accordingly.”
Despite its size, RAZR can travel to maintenance crews wherever they are stationed.
“The whole idea behind RAZR is to keep aircraft mission capable, ensuring pilots have the best possible position to win in an unfair fight by not being detected,” North said.
At this year’s Air, Space and Cyber Conference, RAZR garnered attention from Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall. Kendall got the chance to visit the Resonant Sciences team to see the technology firsthand.
“We’ve sold 29 systems so far, and we’re constantly innovating and adding new capabilities,” North said. “We’re really at the tip of the iceberg with RAZR.”
US brings out B-1B bomber after North Korea’s ICBM launch
The United States deployed a B-1B Lancer, a supersonic heavy bomber, to Northeast Asia for a joint exercise with South Korea and Japan. The move is in response to North Korea’s recent test of a new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) called the Hwasong-19.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un personally observed the missile test, which reportedly has a range exceeding 9,300 miles, theoretically putting the U.S. mainland within reach. The missile set a new altitude record for North Korean launches, reaching approximately 4,350 miles—more than 17 times the height of the International Space Station.
In the joint exercise, the B-1B Lancer was joined by four Japanese F-2 fighters, four South Korean F-15Ks, and three U.S. F-16s stationed in South Korea. Originally capable of carrying nuclear payloads, the Lancer was converted to all-conventional strike missions in 2011. With a maximum payload capacity of up to 75,000 pounds, it remains the heaviest conventional bomber in the U.S. fleet.
🇺🇸 – 🇯🇵 – 🇰🇷 fighter aircraft escort a B-1 Lancer during a trilateral escort flight Nov. 3, 2024. This exercise continues strong trilateral cooperation, enabling immediate response to regional security challenges.
The exercise demonstrated the collective strength and readiness of the U.S., South Korea and Japan, showcasing their commitment to regional security. South Korean officials described the B-1B’s presence as a display of “overwhelming” power and reiterated Seoul’s stance on close cooperation with the U.S. and Japan in addressing North Korean threats.
According to U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, the exercise supported a shared vision for a secure, rules-based Indo-Pacific region, showing the allies’ capability for rapid response to any security challenge. This deployment marks the fourth U.S. bomber mission in the region this year.
In June, a B-1B conducted a similar exercise, dropping live 500-pound bombs over the Korean Peninsula—the first live munition drop in the area by the Lancer in over seven years. In August, two B-1Bs flew a non-stop, 12,456-mile round trip from Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota to Japan and back, completing the journey in approximately 31 hours.
FAA finalizes rule for electric air taxis to enter service
The planes act like a helicopter during takeoff then change modes to be more like an airplane during flight, before switching back for the landing.
“For the last 80 years, we’ve had two types – rotor and fixed wing,” FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker said at the National Business Aviation Association convention in Las Vegas . “We now have a third type.”
The FAA calls it the introduction to “a new category of aircraft.” The first electric air taxi could be operational by sometime next year.
