Technical Paper
Enhancement of Automotive/Aerospace Transportation Systems Through Optimum Selection/Use of Ground - Support Equipment (GSE)
1991-11-01
912621
Advances in development of transport aircraft have historically outdistanced acquisition of suitable Ground Support Equipment (GSE). In the past the airline industry and the Air Force have used a family of GSE to on/offload transport aircraft. For example, main-deck cargo loaders for the main-cargo compartments, lower-lobe loaders for the aircraft belly compartments capable of handling unit-load devices (ULDs) like loaded pallets and/or stuffed containers, and finally belt-conveyor loaders for the aircrafts' bulk cargo compartments---for bulk cargo like baggage, mail, and other loose packages. The Air Force recently abandoned the above-mentioned practice and opted for a single “Cadillac type” Super Loader that “will do everything,” on/offload all aircraft upper and lower lobes.