Reference
LD-1
Half-width contoured, AKC code. Full IATA code, rate class, weights, volume and aircraft compatibility below.
- IATA ULD code
- AKC contoured container
- Prefixes
- AVC, AVD, AVK, AVJ, and forkable AVY
- Rate class
- Type 8
- Door opening
- 147 x 155 cm (58 x 61 in)
- Aircraft compatibility
- 747, 767, 777, 787, MD-11 lower hold
- Maximum gross weight
- 1,588 kg (3,501 lb)
- Tare weight
- 70 to 170 kg (155 to 375 lb)
- AS1825 volume
- 5.0 m³ (175 ft³)
About the LD-1
A half-width lower-hold container with one angled side, matching the contour of a widebody belly hold. The door is either canvas or solid.
Closely related to the LD-3 and sharing its gross weight rating, but built to the AKC code with its own prefix family. Tare varies widely between builds, anywhere from 70 to 170 kg, so it is worth checking which variant an airline is actually offering.
What it carries
How it is built
- Half-width lower-hold unit with one angled side.
- The door is either a canvas curtain or a solid panel.
- The forkable variant runs under the AVY prefix.
- Aluminium sheet panels on an extruded aluminium frame, kept as light as the structure allows because every kilogram of tare displaces revenue payload.
- A flat base plate with hardened edge rails that engage the aircraft's latch and roller system, so the unit locks into position without separate lashing.
- One or two sides angled to follow the curve of the fuselage, letting the unit fill the belly-hold cross-section rather than leaving dead space.
- A door that is either a canvas curtain with built-in restraint straps or a hinged solid panel, depending on the variant.
- Forklift channels on the variants marked forkable, so the unit can be handled by forklift as well as by dolly and loader.
Why it is used
- Fills the contoured belly space that loose cargo would waste.
- Loads and unloads in a single lift, which is what keeps aircraft turnaround times short.
- Restrains the cargo in flight, so individual pieces need no separate tie-down.
- Interchangeable between airlines and aircraft under the IATA ULD identification system.
What to check before booking
- Tare weight counts against the payload allowance, so a heavier unit carries less cargo for the same rate.
- The load must stay inside the contour; anything above the profile will foul the hold and be rejected at build-up.
- A canvas door resists weather but is not a secure closure.
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