Escape slides

[London Jets]

I have just been stood down from my flight today because the escape slide pressure gauge was in the red and therefore a no-go technical problem. The airline had to source a new slide but that got me thinking as to the history of the escape slides.....

Can any of you knowledgeable Ppruner's enlighten me ? ? ? ! ! !

Many thanks,

LJ

[con-pilot]

Cheaper than parachutes and more likely to work?

Sorry, that just popped into my head and I couldn't stop my fingers.

However in all seriousness that is a good question. I am racking my brain and I really do not remember when escape slides were first introduced. For some reason the Boeing 747 design period comes to mind. I do not recall any prop driven (piston) airliners having slides. They probably should have because the Lockheed Constellation passenger doors are higher off the ground than most any jetliner.

Someone here in pprune should know the answer.

[BOAC]

This might help your quest?

Check 1965.

[Notso Fantastic]

Con-pilot- the VC10 had slides that I seem to recall dropped down from the ceiling over the doors, was attached by a girt bar to the floors then thrown out and inflated. I suspect the VC10/707 60s era was the first of the inflatable slides. I'm not sure what the Trident had but I'm sure it worked better and totally automatically! Up until then I think the first 2 crew down the escape rope probablystretched an apron out outside, but I can't imagine this working very well!

[London Jets]

Thanks guys, interesting reading so far. I didn't realise that they weren't introduced until the 60's though. Any ideas when they were first used? did the Constellation not have them then?