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 — 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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