that's nothing, there is a old story about when the sheds (shorts 360) were doing the highlands and islands.
There were two doors to get into the cockpit. One for the Fo and one for the CAptain.
The story goes a certain CAptain with a sense of humour used to appear coming backwards out his door with two bits of rope which were tied off in the cockpit to nothing important.
He would then give the two bits of rope to the pax in the front Row.
Then tell them that he was going for a pee.
If they felt the plane bank they had to pull the opposite bit of string etc and if the nose dropped pull on them both.
He then got them to try. Of course the FO was in the front watching the bits of rope and made the required control inputs so it appeared it was doing something.
The CApt then went for a pee leaving the punter holding the bits of rope. If they pulled on them the FO did the required.
After the pee the Captain came and took the ropes back and went back into the cockpit.
Don't know how true the story is but its sounds like something they would do in that era.
Was it you BAsil?