IATA ULD SECTION 3 – CLASSIFICATION

 

SECTION 3 – CLASSIFICATION

 

3.1 In accordance with applicable regulatory requirements, Aircraft Unit Load Devices covered by these Regulations are classified as follows:

a) Civil Aviation Authority airworthiness approved (certified) ULDs.

b) Non-certified containers (not applicable to pallet and net)

c) ULD accessories which may be authority approved (certified) or not

3.2 Compartment Classification:

ALL ULDs are carried aboard aircraft in a cargo compartment certified for this purpose as part of aircraft Type Certification. Civil transport aircraft cargo compartments are classified according to general certification rules as follows:

(a) Cargo restrain capability

• Compartments where passenger and crew members not protected by a "9g" barrier or net are located forward of the compartment: in the absence of such device, the ULD and their control systems must be approved for protection in an emergency landing against a 9.0 g 

(b) Fire protection capability:

• Class B cargo compartments are the main deck compartments of "Combi" aircraft equipped with a fire detection system where firefighting is to be conducted by crew.

• Class C cargo compartments are all the lower deck compartments capable of accepting ULDs, which are equipped with fire detection and fire extinguisher systems.
• Class E cargo compartments are the main deck compartments of freighter aircraft which are equipped with fire detection systems and means to shut off ventilation but not with a fire extinguisher system.
• Class F. A Class F cargo or baggage compartment must be located on the main deck and is one in which -
• (1) There is a separate approved smoke detector or fire detector system to give warning at the pilot or flight engineer station.
• (2) There are means to extinguish or control a fire without requiring a crewmember to enter the compartment; and
• (3) There are means to exclude hazardous quantities of smoke, flames, or extinguishing agent from any compartment occupied by the crew or passengers.

3.3 Certified ULD Approval

Airworthiness approval (certified) of a given type of aircraft ULD is get by its manufacturer from a Civil Aviation Authority. In accordance with the general provisions of ICAO Annex 8.

3.4 TSO Approval

The most commonly used procedure is Technical Standard Order (TSO) approval materialized by issuance to the manufacturer of a TSO Authorization. A TSO can also be Chinese TSO (CTSO), European TSO (ETSO), and Japanese TSO (JTSO) etc.