The 'million pound dustbin' was a complete and utter waste of time and money.
It replaced the front door and was supposed to be extended into the airflow to enable a controlled abandonment. We were told that only one flight was ever made with the device extended, but that the noise and buffeting were so extreme that the aircraft landed early.
We were taught how to use it on #3 VC10K course, but refused to waste any time on it. It worked as follows:
1. The decision was made to off-load all available fuel to receivers and the low-level override system was selected on.
2. The aircraft was then depressurised. Or rather, the pressurisation was turned off and the cabin allowed to climb until the min. diff. pressure for chute deployment was reached. This could take several minutes.
3. Individual crew members were then supposed to use walk-round Mk4 oxygen bottles, before going into the cabin to don parachutes and oxygen systems as the flight deck seats weren't modified to allow for parachute packs. Pilots would take it in turns, but it was physically impossible to sit in any crew seat wearing the emergency AEA.
4. When the diff. pressure gauge suggested it was 'safe' to do so, the escape chute was deployed by pulling a large lever. The first item in the sequence was for the external door seal to be severed; however BWoS suggested that this would be ingested by the left engines, causing an uncontained failure of at least one engine..... 3 of the 4 crew might get out, but the last pilot was supposed to fly the thing by leaning over the seat to hold the control column in order to maintain at least wings-level flight, then let go, turn round, make his way back to the chute and jump out - probably to join his colleagues in the remains of the left engines.
Eventually common sense prevailed and the stupid system was removed. But the K2 and K3 were left with just the starboard service door.
There was never any proposal to enable the system to be used by passengers.
One legacy of the system was that the squadron had a large room allocated for immersion suit storage. In later days this became the 'new' Duffy's bar!
I recall being asked by some visiting multi-starred personage what I thought of the system. So I did so.... I pretended that I didn't know that he was the idiot who had approved it!
This sounds as daft an idea as the decision to introduce a new tanker/transport into the RAF without a refuelling probe/ slip way or a cargo door !
Or have i missed something (and the RAAF on whose A330 tankers they have installed both.)
I mean, a tanker which cannot receive fuel, imagine that on Black Buck !!