ULDs play an important part in transporting cargo safely, quickly and cost-effectively. They make it possible to assemble single items of cargo, mail or luggage into a single unit, enabling logistics personnel to load them onto the aeroplane swiftly. The first three letters of a ULD code are important because they indicate the size, shape and type of ULD, and help to determine the type of aircraft with which the ULD is compatible.
Of course, the ULDs can move during the flight and, potentially, damage the aircraft, so the plane will have loading and restraint systems to hold the ULDs in place as securely as possible. These systems will interface directly with the ULD. This means the system will, in effect, lock the ULD into place so that it forms part of the aircraft.
The benefits of ULDs
The main and most important purpose of a ULD is to secure the cargo during the flight. Safety is paramount. ULDs also perform other important jobs because they:
- remove the need for loading and unloading manually;
- protect cargo contents, allowing goods to arrive undamaged;
- maximise the use of the aircraft’s cargo space;
- enable fast, easy transfer of cargo between planes.
Why use a container?
There are several reasons why you might prefer to use a container:
- containers make it easier to load cargo onto an aeroplane and unload the cargo off it;
- containers offer better protection against all types of weather;
- containers protect cargo better against damage;
- containers offer the aircraft more protection against potential damage by the cargo;
- containers stop anyone from accessing the cargo who isn’t authorised to do so.
Why use a pallet and net?
There are some circumstances in which you might prefer to use a pallet and net combination instead of a container. Here are a few reasons you could choose to transport your cargo on a pallet instead:
- pallets cost less to use than containers;
- pallets can hold cargo that is hard to fit into containers, such as oversized cargo;
- pallets can take special load cargo that it’s only possible to load on open pallets;
- pallets are stackable, making it easy to store them when they’re empty and return them by plane.