Reference
LD-6
Full-width, angled both ends. Full IATA code, rate class, weights, volume and aircraft compatibility below.
- IATA ULD code
- ALF contoured container
- Prefixes
- AWA, AWF, and forkable AWC
- Rate class
- Type 6W
- Door opening
- 305 x 152 cm (120 x 60 in)
- Aircraft compatibility
- 747, 777, 787, DC-10, MD-11 lower hold
- Maximum gross weight
- 3,175 kg (7,000 lb)
- Tare weight
- 230 kg (507 lb)
- AS1825 volume
- 9.1 m³ (322 ft³)
- Boeing volume
- 8.9 m³ (316 ft³)
About the LD-6
A full-width lower-hold container with angled ends, built to the ALF code. The door is canvas with built-in straps.
Spans the full width of a widebody belly hold, replacing two half-width units with one lift. Forkable AWC variants are available, and the 3,175 kg rating puts it in line with the other full-width lower-hold containers.
What it carries
How it is built
- Full-width lower-hold unit with angled ends.
- The door is canvas, carrying built-in door straps.
- The forkable variant runs under the AWC 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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