Cargo retention equipment

Cargo retention equipment

Containers: Baggage/cargo retention system uses box shaped containers of which are designed to suit to the contour of the aircraft fuselage to maximize the capacity of the freight bays. Containers can be made of various materials, such as:

• Alloy honeycomb
• Fibre glass
• Fibre board

Containers come in various sizes and shapes to enable the maximum usable area. Containers can also be specialized for use in the carrying of specific loads. See Figure 3.8.

Most containers are recognized by code. Codes are given according to size. An international agreement was reached to enable various aircraft manufacturers to make the freight bay sizes compatible with various container sizes at present in use. Obviously the width of the cargo bay will determine the sizes of containers that can be loaded, but by using various guides on the cargo floor more than one size of container can be carried. Shape and size of containers are to suit the contour of the lower deck and upper deck.

See Figure 3.9 illustrating containers designed for lower deck freight bay. Passenger carrying aircraft uses freight bay in the lower deck. The identifying letters for the lower deck containers are LD. Thus LD2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 8 are all lower deck containers but vary in size.

Upper deck (area above the floor) is used as freight bay in the freight carriers. Containers for these aircrafts are specially designed to maximize the space available. These containers have the contoured ends on the upper surface, although in some cases rectangular containers are used. 

Pallets: Pallets are often used where many small loose items such as suitcases or packages are available for loading. Pallets are flat panels with seat track around the circumference. To restrain the load, ropes, nets or shackles are secured over the load with the help of the seat track.

There are two basic pallet constructions: a) Solid pallet b) Core pallet

(i) Solid Pallet: The solid pallet is constructed of a solid sheet of aluminium alloy.  A frame, which contains seat tracks, is mounted all round the edge of the sheet.

(ii) Core Pallet: Core pallets are sandwich panels made from aluminium alloy sheet laminated to a core of honeycomb material. The core can also be made of balsa wood or rigid vinyl foam. The aluminium skin is much thinner than that used in the solid pallet. See Figure 3.10