Foreword

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This document was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 20, Aircraft and space vehicles, Subcommittee SC 9, Air cargo and ground equipment.

This third edition cancels and replaces the second edition (ISO 21100:2020), which has been technically revised.

The main changes are as follows:

addition of T and U size and their respective restraint conditions.

Any feedback or questions on this document should be directed to the user’s national standards body. A complete listing of these bodies can be found at www.iso.org/members.html.

Introduction

This document specifies the performance and testing requirements for approved (certified) cargo unit load devices (containers, pallets and nets) intended to be used for cargo restraint on board civil transport aircraft.

The civil aviation requirements referred to in this document are those concerning certification of transport aircraft and appliances to be installed aboard them and constitute the set of design and operation requirements internationally agreed in application of International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Annex 8, Airworthiness of aircraft, to the Convention on International Civil Aviation. This document provides one means of compliance for unit load devices.

Dimensions and tolerances are expressed in millimetres, with dimensions in inches shown between brackets. The nominal values of outer unit load device base dimensions are those expressed in inches. Forces are expressed in newtons, with forces in pound-force shown between brackets.

Air cargo unit load devices qualified prior to publication of the first edition of this document were approved in accordance with the requirements of ISO 8097:2001. This document is intended as a TSO (Technical Standard Order) approval reference for all new models of unit load devices in the sizes and types it covers, in replacement of ISO 8097. For air cargo unit load devices, the size or type of which is not covered in this document, see the requirements of ISO 8097:2001, if their size or type is contained therein, or other equivalent criteria, if not.

NOTE ISO 8097 is based on USA National Aerospace Standard NAS 3610 revision 10:1990, Specification for Cargo Unit Load Devices.

1 Scope

This document specifies the minimum requirements for airworthiness approval of air cargo pallets, nets and containers, generally designated as air cargo unit load devices (ULD).

This document is intended to provide a uniform technical reference for air cargo unit load devices approval. As a prerequisite, it is presupposed that the applicable general civil aviation requirements and the aircraft manufacturer’s approved Weight and Balance Manual are followed.

This document defines the minimum performance requirements and test parameters for air cargo unit load devices requiring approval of airworthiness for installation in an approved aircraft cargo compartment and restraint system that complies with the cargo restraint and occupant protection requirements of CCAR 25, EASA CS-25 or 14 CFR Part 25, except for the 9,0 g forward ultimate inertia force of § 25.561 (b) (3) (ii).

This document applies to airworthiness approved air cargo unit load devices intended for carriage on board civil transport category airplanes type certificated under CCAR 25, EASA CS-25 or 14 CFR Part 25, or equivalent.

This document exclusively applies to unit load devices airworthiness approval and testing parameters. It does not apply to aircraft design or aircraft operating requirements, which are provided by the approved Weight and Balance Manual for each aircraft type.

Other aspects that do not directly pertain to air cargo unit load devices airworthiness approval and testing are not covered by this document, e.g.:

ULD design specifications;
ULD in service damage limits;
ULD restraint malfunction limitations;
ULD test methods;
ULD load distribution models;
ULD maximum allowable contours;
ULD CG (centre for gravity) location control means;
ULD pressure equalization methods;
ULD utilization guidelines.

NOTE The requirements for cargo covers are not defined in this document, except insofar as net restraint is incorporated therein.

2 Normative references

3 Terms and definitions

4 Classification

4.1 Types

4.2 Sizes

4.3 Configurations

4.4 Forms

4.5 Classification identifier

5 Performance requirements

5.1 Materials

5.2 Fabrication methods and workmanship

5.3 Protection

5.4 Construction

5.5 Marking

5.6 Inspection provisions

5.7 Fire protection

5.8 Rapid decompression

5.9 Dimensions and tolerances

5.10 Strength

5.11 Environmental degradation

6 Tests

6.1 Test requirements

6.2 Test parameters

6.3 Test methods

6.4 Test results

7 Additional information

7.1 Intended use

7.2 Unit load device capacities

7.3 Container contours

7.4 Pallet configurations

8 Unit load device configurations

8.1 General

8.2 ULD configuration A7

8.3 ULD configuration A8

8.4 ULD configuration B7

8.5 ULD configuration B8

8.6 ULD configuration G1

8.7 ULD configuration K4

8.8 ULD configuration L5

8.9 ULD configuration L6

8.10 ULD configuration M4

8.11 ULD configuration M5

8.12 ULD configuration N1

8.13 ULD configuration P1

8.14 ULD configuration Q1

8.15 ULD configuration R1

8.16 ULD configuration S1

8.17 ULD configuration T1

8.18 ULD configuration U1

9 Testing restraint conditions

9.1 General

9.2 Restraint condition (RC) A1

9.3 Restraint condition (RC) A2

9.4 Restraint condition (RC) G

9.5 Restraint condition (RC) K

9.6 Restraint condition (RC) L

9.7 Restraint condition (RC) N

9.8 Restraint condition (RC) P

9.9 Restraint condition (RC) Q

9.10 Restraint condition (RC) R

9.11 Restraint condition (RC) T

9.12 Restraint condition (RC) U

Bibliography