On November 24th, 1971, a man using a fake name boards a Boeing 727.

Despite the bad weather, this was going to be a quick and simple commercial flight, departing

Portland, Oregon and arriving in Seattle, Washington. One flight is all it took to change commercial

aviation forever and give birth to a legend.

If you both are switched off, it switched off. The turbulence then, please ensure that

you return to your seat immediately. Also, please note, this is a not-smoking flight.

Thank you for your Soviet friend.

Dan Cooper described as a middle-aged man carrying a black briefcase.

He sat in the back of the plane and seat number 18C, drinking his bourbon and soda.

Shortly after takeoff, Cooper handed a note to Florence Schaffner, the flight attendant

situated nearest to him in the jump seat.

Schaffner, assuming the note contained a lonely businessman's phone number, dropped it,

and opened into her purse.

Cooper leaned towards her and whispered,

Miss, you better look at that note, I have a bomb.

Cooper then opened his briefcase to show Schaffner the bomb.

Schaffner would later describe him as calm, polite, and well-spoken.

Cooper demanded $200,000 in Negotiable American currency, as equivalent to about $200,000.

He also wanted four parachutes and a fuel truck standing by in Seattle to refill the aircraft.

He did not want the other passengers to know what was going on.

Schaffner conveyed Cooper's instructions to the pilot and the cockpit.

When she returned, Cooper was wearing dark sunglasses.

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