Reference

MDP

16-foot main-deck pallet. Full IATA code, rate class, weights, volume and aircraft compatibility below.

MDP unit load device
IATA ULD code
PRA 16-ft pallet with net
Prefixes
PMA, P4A, P4M, and PZA
Rate class
Type 1P
Aircraft compatibility
747F, 747 Combi, 777F
Maximum gross weight
11,300 kg (24,911 lb)
Tare weight
410 kg (904 lb)
AS1825 volume
27.6 m³ (974 ft³)

About the MDP

A sixteen-foot main-deck pallet with net, built to the PRA code and rated Type 1P.

Rated to 11,300 kg with 27.6 m³ of build-up volume. Being shorter than the twenty-foot M-6, it drops more easily into a mixed main-deck load plan while still carrying close to the same weight.

What it carries

  • General air freight
  • Machinery
  • Palletised consignments
  • Project cargo

How it is built

  • A sixteen-foot main-deck pallet, with cargo held by a net.
  • A flat aluminium sheet base with hardened edge rails that lock into the aircraft restraint system.
  • Cargo built up on the base and held down by a net tensioned onto the edge rails.
  • Contoured builds shape the load to the hold profile; squared-off builds use the full main-deck height instead.
  • Wing variants add hinged or fixed-angle side extensions to carry cargo that overhangs the base.

Why it is used

  • Takes cargo of almost any shape, since nothing encloses it.
  • The lightest tare of any ULD for a given footprint, so more of the weight allowance goes to cargo.
  • Stacks flat when empty, which keeps the cost of repositioning equipment down.

What to check before booking

  • The cargo is exposed and the net is the only restraint, so the quality of the build-up decides whether the load arrives intact.
  • The finished load has to match the hold contour or it will not fit.
  • Nets and edge rails wear, and both are inspected before the unit is accepted.
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