01 Accept & build up
Inspect freight, build ULDs, weigh, and document dangerous goods per IATA.
Scores are relative 0–100 marks within this atlas. Use them to browse, not as an engineering spec.
SpeedPractical top speed relative to the other forty-eight types in this atlas.
88
EfficiencyEnergy used per useful trip, relative across the atlas.
45
AccessibilityHow easily an ordinary person can use this mode without special training or wealth.
35
SafetyHow safe the mode is per trip, given normal operation and current regulation.
82
Cultural impactHow deeply this mode has shaped language, status and everyday imagination.
62
Tech disruptionHow much this mode is being rewritten by new technology right now.
58
Last reviewed Sources & creditsMedia creditsMethodology
Quick answers
Which local authority or corridor rules matter for this type?
Start with the local lens: type approval, operator licences and the hubs named on this page — not a single global checklist.
Is this a buying guide?
No. Tool-Lifes /vehicles is an educational atlas. It explains history, systems and culture without affiliate rankings.
Are the scores official?
No. The six scores are relative editorial 0–100 marks across the 48 types on this site.
Where do the photos come from?
Lead images resolve from Wikimedia Commons via Wikipedia titles on the English masters, with licences recorded on the credits page.
Why metric units?
Metric is the default. Regional notes (US customary, local brand culture) appear in culture and market chapters.
How is this different from a wiki article?
Each type gets seven fixed-depth chapters, comparable scores and cross-type labs — structured for browsing, not a single freeform page.
Operating a Cargo aircraft is a closed loop: sense, decide, actuate, and stay inside certified envelopes.
Principles and steps here are physics-first; brand procedures differ, but the envelopes are shared.
Principles
CG envelope
Forward/aft limits tighten with fuel burn; loadmasters plot MAC percent.
Volume vs weight
Light express freight cubes out before max payload; dense cargo hits MZFW first.
ULD contour
Pallet height maps must fit fuselage crown curvature on each type.
Reserve fuel policy
ETOPS and polar routes add contingency beyond pax equivalents.
Deck pressurization load
Main deck must carry floor flight loads plus nine-g forward restraint.
Diagrams
ULD to CG
Freight inaccept
Build ULDpallet
Load deckroll
Lock & CGverify
Close doorseal
Heavy takeoff path
W&B sheetplan
Flex thrustpower
Rotatelift
Obstacle clrclimb
Clean upcruise
Operating steps
02 Load & lock
Power ULDs to locks; verify CG sheet and NOTOC with captain.
03 Preflight & taxi
Door seal checks, pressurization test, and heavy-weight takeoff briefing.
04 Cruise manage
Monitor fuel, ETAs, and temperature-controlled ULD power if fitted.
05 Descent & land
Plan overweight landing if alternate; brake cooling on short runways.
06 Unload & turn
Ground power, open doors, break down ULDs for connecting flights or trucks.
Hard limits
MZFW / MTOW
Structural weights cap fuel or payload—loadmasters cannot exceed certified sheet.
Dangerous goods limits
DG segregation and quantity caps are regulatory, not airline preference.
Outsize clearance
Nose-door loads need swing clearance and special ground equipment.
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