Handout # 03 Air-ULD

Air Cargo Limit
Cargo is the source of revenue for freight operations and a significant portion of passenger airline
revenue. On passenger aircraft, cargo carried in the lower deck/hold. On freighters, cargo also carried
on the main deck.
There is maximum weight limit a specific aircraft can safely lift. The manufacturers determine the max
weight limit; it refer to as “maximum structural” or “maximum design” take-off weight. This can be
broken down into:
 the (operational) weight of the empty aircraft - a constant figure for a particular plane
 the amount of fuel at departure - a quantity which will vary with the characteristics of the
fight
 the carrying capacity for a particular plane
 the payload or traffic load - representing the useful carrying capacity of the aircraft
(passengers and/or cargo)
However, the maximum take-off weight at times reduced considering actual operational conditions
(such as wind, temperature, airport elevation, etc.).
Loading Charts
To determine whether a piece of odd size cargo can be loaded in the belly compartment of an aircraft,
the loading staff should ask carrier for aircraft's door size and/or refer to “Loading Chart" [TACT 8.2.2].
Pay Load
The usable space for revenue cargo load after deduction of allocation for passenger load, baggage,
trip fuel, catering and urgent company cargo. Factors affecting aircraft payload:
 aircraft type
 passenger load/baggage
 weather
 security
 flight safety (alternate landing points)
Priority of Load for a passenger/mixed airline are:
 Passengers
 Baggage and Excess Baggage
 Mail
 Cargo - Transit Cargo / Reserved Cargo / Unreserved Cargo
Aircraft Loading Devices

In large aircraft, cargo is loaded and carried in various pallets and containers, known as Unit Load
Devices (ULD). This document describes the main ULDs used by Boeing aircraft for air cargo
operations.
© PIFFA Training Institute Handout # 03 Page 1 of 6

Written by Mr. Khurram Hidayatallah / Mr. Ahsan Ulhaq Siddiqui, Edited by: Ahsan Ulhaq Siddiqui
PIFFA-FIATA Diploma in International Freight Forwarding & Logistics
Unit Load Devices
To improve the handling of greater volumes of cargo, it has been found necessary to group items into
larger units such as pallets and containers which may be considered as removable parts of the aircraft
structure and therefore must be in perfect operational condition at all times.
For this purpose, the holds or deck floors of the aircraft are equipped with suitable roller trays and
restraint systems. Most of the unit load devices currently in use are termed aircraft units.
An aircraft ULD corresponds directly with aircraft loading and restraint systems. Some types meet all
restraint requirements without the use of supplementary equipment. This equipment, designed and
manufactured to very exacting standards, therefore becomes a component part of the aircraft.
The device can be either:
 A combination of components, e.g.
o aircraft pallet and net
o aircraft pallet, net and non-structural igloo, or
 One complete structural unit, e.g.
o lower deck cargo container
o main, deck cargo container
o structural igloo assembly
The restrictions mentioned earlier for bulk cargo in compartments also apply to unitized loads and all
aircraft have structural limitations which determine the maximum weights allowed for containers and
pallets. There are also other limitations such as maximum loading densities for the floor of containers
and pallets, restrictions on the carriage of dangerous goods, live animals, etc. which have been
published by IATA (these are dealt with later in this module).
Aircraft ULDs
The aircraft ULDs are units that interface directly with the aircraft's loading and restrain system. Such
units become an integral part of the aircraft. There are Main Deck Units (also referred as Upper Deck
Units) designed to be carried in the cabin section of the cargo aircraft i.e. the passenger carrying level
of passenger aircraft.
The other is the Lower Deck Units carried in the compartment below the Main (cabin) i.e. the belly
compartment.
These Certified Aircraft ULDs comprise of:
 Pallets (with net)
 Non-Structural Igloos (with net)
 Structural Igloos
 Main Deck Containers
 Lower Deck Containers
Aircraft Pallets
An aircraft pallet is a platform with a flat undersurface built to standard requirements on which goods
assembled and secured by nets subsequently into aircraft.
Most aircraft pallets are of standard size, usually not more than one inch thick and have seat tracks
around the edge to secure the net.

Aircraft ULD Containers
Main deck containers - which can be accommodated on the main deck of cargo and combi aircraft
only. The height of these containers is 163 cm (64 in) and over.
Lower deck containers - which can be loaded in the lower deck (ULD compartments) of wide-body
aircraft only. Full-size lower deck containers will use the entire width of the ULD compartment
whereas two half-size containers can be loaded side by side.
The height of these lower deck containers must not exceed 163 cm (64 in). Certified and non-certified
aircraft ULDs
IGLOOS
A non-structural igloo is an open front, bottomless, rigid shell made of fiberglass, metal or other
suitable material. The slope conforms to the contours of the cargo aircraft envelope that is the interior
cabin cross-section. It covers the maximum usable area of an aircraft pallet to secure. This shell used
in combination with an aircraft pallet and net assembly.
When the shell structurally attached to the pallet to form a single unit that stressed to restrain cargo
without the use of nets, referred to as structural igloo.
Non-Aircraft ULDs
A non - aircraft ULD does not interface with aircraft restrain system. These units are "forklift-able" and
are modular to aircraft ULD's or aircraft holds. Non-aircraft ULDs must conform to IATA standard
specification.
The advantages of using ULDs are the same as the advantages of using shipping containers in sea
freight. It reduces the risks of damage and pilferage and shippers can load the consignments
themselves to achieve optimum use of space.
ULD Classification
Aircraft ULDs classified as certified and non-certified. A certified ULD is an aircraft unit load device for
which certification granted to the ULD manufacturer by the appropriate governmental airworthiness
authorities.
A certified ULD will meet the safety requirements for the aircraft that must be in airworthy condition
throughout its service life. Certified ULDs regarded as removable aircraft holds, structurally capable of
fully restraining their load and/or providing adequate protection to the aircraft systems and structure.
A non-certified ULD is an aircraft ULDs that has not received airworthiness certification by the
appropriate authorities. Most non-certified ULDs not considered as removable aircraft holds because
they do not meet the structural capabilities of the aircraft but do meet all the ground-handling
environments.
Carriage of non-certified ULDs allowed on certain aircraft types, in certain cargo compartments. They
prohibited loading on the main deck of cargo and combi aircrafts. When allowed in a lower deck cargo
compartment, the ceiling and walls of the holds in which the ULDs carried fully strengthened to
restrain both container and load.
Shipper-packed ULDs
Several terminals accept aircraft pallets or containers packed by approved shippers / agents for being
loaded on the aircraft. Subject to certain well-defined constraints and safety checks, this allows the
forwarder a financial advantage, while the airline saves handling time.


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Air Cargo Limit

Aircraft Loading Devices

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