Operations Control CenterULD specifications, positioning and buildup
Pallet and container codes with tare, contour and maximum gross weight side by side — plus ULD sourcing, short-term lease, buildup supervision, damage evidence and empty repatriation across the Middle East and Africa.
Most ULD problems are not exotic. A unit is built to a main-deck contour and then offered to a lower hold. The tare is wrong on the load sheet and the trim does not close. The station has no serviceable pallets and nobody found out until the aircraft was on block. LFS handles the equipment side of the turnaround so the build matches the aircraft it is going onto.
| Code | Base size | Contour | Max gross | Tare | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PMC / P6P | 96 x 125 in (244 x 318 cm) | Main deck to 300 cm · lower deck to 163 cm | 6,804 kg | ≈ 110–120 kg | The workhorse main-deck and widebody lower-deck pallet |
| PAG / P1P | 88 x 125 in (224 x 318 cm) | Lower deck to 163 cm | 6,033 kg | ≈ 100–110 kg | Widebody lower-deck, common on B777 and B747 fleets |
| PLA / PGA (20 ft) | 96 x 238.5 in (244 x 606 cm) | Main deck to 300 cm | 11,300 kg | ≈ 400 kg | Long or outsized main-deck loads on nose-loading freighters |
| PGA (16 ft) | 96 x 196 in (244 x 498 cm) | Main deck to 300 cm | 9,980 kg | ≈ 300 kg | Long project pieces where two PMCs will not bridge |
| PNA / P9A | 60.4 x 125 in (153 x 318 cm) | Lower deck to 114 cm | 3,175 kg | ≈ 70 kg | Half-pallet for narrow-body and mixed lower-deck loads |
| Code | Also known as | Volume | Max gross | Tare | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AKE | LD3 | ≈ 4.3 m³ | 1,588 kg | ≈ 60–80 kg | The standard widebody lower-deck container |
| AKH | LD3-45 | ≈ 3.5 m³ | 1,135 kg | ≈ 60 kg | Reduced-height version for A320/A321 lower decks |
| AMA / AMF | M1 main deck | ≈ 17.0 m³ | 6,804 kg | ≈ 270–400 kg | Main-deck container on freighters, full PMC footprint |
| ALF | LD6 | ≈ 8.9 m³ | 3,175 kg | ≈ 130 kg | Full-width lower-deck container, two LD3 positions |
| AAP / AAX | LD9 | ≈ 10.2 m³ | 6,033 kg | ≈ 240 kg | PAG-based lower-deck container for heavy loads |
| RKN / RAP | Active cool container | ≈ 1.0–4.3 m³ | 1,588 kg | ≈ 250–350 kg | Temperature-controlled pharma and perishables |
Sourcing serviceable pallets, nets and containers to the station where the aircraft actually is, and moving the empties back afterwards — the part that quietly generates most ULD demurrage.
Where an operator is short of equipment for a one-off charter or an AOG recovery, we arrange a short-term lease through the handler or a lessor on station, with the condition report at handover and return.
Contour checked against the aircraft type and deck, weight distribution against the pallet's maximum gross, straps and nets to the correct rating, and the finished unit photographed before it goes to the aircraft.
Correct net rating for the gross weight, tie-down schemes for irregular pieces, shoring and spreader plates so concentrated loads stay within the floor's area limit.
Serviceability inspection on receipt and return, damage reports filed to the ULD control authority, and photographic evidence so a damage claim is settled on record rather than on argument.
Active and passive cool-chain units arranged and pre-conditioned, with power on the ramp, temperature logging and a plan for the gap between offload and cold store.
- Contour code matches the aircraft deck — a 300 cm main-deck build will not fit a lower hold
- Gross weight is within the ULD's maximum, not just the aircraft's payload
- Tare weight is declared correctly on the load sheet, or the trim is wrong
- Net and strap rating matches the gross weight of the built unit
- Concentrated loads sit on spreader plates within the floor's running-load limit
- ULD tag, owner code and serviceability label are present and legible
- Dangerous goods segregation respected within and between units
- Damage report raised at handover, not after the unit has moved on
- Can LFS supply ULDs at a station where my airline has none?
- In most cases, yes. We source serviceable pallets, nets and containers through the handler or a lessor on station, arrange the condition report at handover, and organise repatriation of the empties. At smaller African and Central Asian fields availability is genuinely limited, so we confirm before you plan on it rather than after.
- What is the difference between a PMC and a PAG?
- Both are 125 inches long. A PMC is 96 inches wide and takes a higher main-deck contour with a maximum gross around 6,804 kg; a PAG is 88 inches wide and is the common lower-deck pallet at around 6,033 kg. Aircraft type and deck position decide which one you can actually load.
- How many AKE containers fit in a widebody lower deck?
- It depends on the type and the configuration — a B777-300ER typically takes around 44 LD3-equivalent positions across forward and aft holds, a B767 far fewer. We confirm the position count against the registration and the loading plan, not the generic type table.
- Do you handle temperature-controlled units?
- Yes. Active units are pre-conditioned and kept on power on the ramp where a supply exists, passive units are handled to the shipper's excursion window, and the gap between offload and cold store is planned in — that gap is where most cool-chain excursions actually happen.
- Who is liable if a ULD is damaged?
- That sits between the ULD owner, the operator and the handler under their contracts. What LFS does is make the record unambiguous: inspection and photographs at receipt and at return, and a damage report filed immediately, so the claim is decided on evidence.
- Can you build up a unit for an outsized piece?
- Yes. For pieces that exceed a standard contour we plan the build with the operator's load control — pallet combination, shoring, spreader plates, tie-down scheme and the loader and deck position required — and confirm the aircraft can take it before the cargo is at the airport.