I hitched a lift on a stripped out VC-10 doing a training flight from BAH landing at various Gulf airports. The only stipulation was that as the aircraft paused on the apron, I had to get out quickly from a small, square-ish hatch right at the bottom, and wave at the crew to say I was out. As I recall the way down was via the galley, not a toilet, but that could be wrong. I think the drop to the ground was about 5-6ft, and as I remember it, it was located about 1/3rd down the fuselage from the nose.
I got out OK, looked up, locked the hatch back in place as briefed, and got a faceful of Skydrol, not as briefed.
That was when I learned that (ex) BA VC-10 fleet crews did not use the intercom. You could hear the shouting all the way down the (empty) aircraft. "Start the engines, Engineer"....."Engines burning and turning, Sir", "Commence pushback, Number One"... and so on, including power settings during taxi.."89%"..."89%, Sir"...."84%"..."84%, Sir"...etc etc (figures invented!)
F/Es knew their place, then.
Last edited by old,not bold; 12th August 2007 at 10:57.