PilotDAR,
Let me put it this way. We had a procedure for checking out a pilot in a new aircraft. Had to attend a ground school taught by an internal teaching group, then a flight syllabus with a sign off sheet for the various individual teaching elements. When they were complete and the hours were to the requirement, one of the IP’s was in the final ride and you were signed off. It was just that with the Crane, there was this other little “ detail “ not in the syllabus. So, it wasn’t so much...permitted...as an expected but unofficial demonstration of one’s skill. Besides, it was fun.
SAS, that is a new one on me. I cannot imagine having an active jettison system for a manned pod. I’ll try and find someone who worked on the pods.
Found a manual online. Load levelers had both a std release, and an emergency jettison, and then a manual lock which rendered the other two releases inoperative.
As to the other wire operated device cited by SAS, i can only guess that the fishing might be a bit off today, whilst the supply of Christmas Cheer left over from the holidays perhaps needed attention.