Reference
LD-39
Largest lower-hold container. Full IATA code, rate class, weights, volume and aircraft compatibility below.
- IATA ULD code
- AMU contoured container on P6P base
- Rate class
- Type 2BG
- Aircraft compatibility
- 747 lower hold
- Maximum gross weight
- 5,035 kg (11,100 lb)
- Tare weight
- 290 kg (639 lb)
- AS1825 volume
- 15.9 m³ (560 ft³)
About the LD-39
A full-width lower-hold container angled at both ends, built to the AMU code on a P6P base and rated Type 2BG.
At 15.9 m³ it is among the largest lower-hold containers in service, though its five-tonne rating is below the LD-26 and LD-29 — it is a volume unit rather than a weight one. The canvas door carries built-in net straps. Loadable in the 747 lower hold only.
What it carries
How it is built
- Full-width lower-hold unit angled at both ends, built on a P6P base.
- The door is canvas, carrying built-in net door straps.
- 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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