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Airport land and operational constraints will force future air cargo terminals to assume a new look if they are to accommodate continued air cargo growth. Improved terminal utilization coupled with cooperative airline endeavors in the use of modular container terminals offers a viable solution which can reduce container handling costs by 40 percent and better through economies of scale. Using a building-block approach with innovative and state-of-the-art equipment, a universally applicable container terminal module is derived which can accommodate growth in customer service level as required, and in multiples can accommodate increasing air cargo flow levels. Example module requirements to the year 2005 are derived for representative U.S. cities.

Advanced cargo handling systems will be heavily influenced by standardization of next generation air cargo modules, containers, and pallet loads. These influences will be felt through the entire logistics system of military and commercial airlift. Terminals, cargo handling equipment, surface transportation, and management systems will be subject to new demands in capability, operation, and productivity. Of prime interest is the aircraft load/offload interface and its effect on present and future equipment. It is timely to consider the setting of future design requirements to assure a support system that will complement the evolution of standard air cargo modules.

Derivative air freighters that capitalize on technological advances incorporated in their passenger aircraft baselines will provide for the growth in commercial air cargo lift capacity required for the remainder of the century. With new fuel-efficient engines and other design advances, cash operating cost reductions of up to 40 percent will counter pressures fostered by increasing fuel prices and other adversities. Analytical data from recent air cargo surveys reaffirm the compatibility of present-day air cargo and container load characteristics with derivative freighter loaded-density capabilities. The nonrevenue-producing tare densities of containers, however, remain excessive in accounting for up to 25 percent of gross loaded densities. This results in added fuel-burn, added cost, and possible, displacement of revenue-producing cargo, and must be accounted for in establishing tariffs.