Tristar Airstairs
I was with Eastern Air Lines and at Lockheed's Palmdale factory in late 1971 and at Rye Canyon where they did the static testing. I saw them experimenting with an incredible set of airstairs, allegedly for Court Line. They were mechanically stowed in the C2 cargo hold. They swung out on an operating arm and then went through the most amazing set of gyrations to unfold and reach up to the R3 pax door and down to the tarmac. It certainly looked flimsy for the service intended and I wonder if they ever went into service?
PSA came up with a better way on their aircraft with a lower deck Pax entrance door on the port side and relatively short airstairs into what would be the C1 cargo hold. They had seating down there and a staircase up to the main deck. A lot better than the original folding monstrosity intended for the Court Line aircraft but it did block out any freight/baggage from the C1 bins.
I did see the Court Line aircraft at KJFK on their sad return to Lockheed.
If they had the airstairs then, they didn't use them so wonder if they were ever used at Courtline?