ULD CARE, a not-for-profit Canadian corporation, has published a new book, ULD Explained, aimed at promoting the correct handling of unit load device (ULD) containers.
The book, available in eBook and hard copy formats, will promote greater awareness of the flight safety contribution of ULDs, the need for correct handling of ULDs, compliance with essential operating and handling procedures, plus operational level implementation of the IATA ULD regulations.
In March 2016, IATA launched a ULD safety campaign to focus industry attention on the the one aircraft component that is handled by multiple, non-regulated parties outside of the airport.
According to IATA, there are some 900,000 ULDs in circulation with a replacement cost of more than $1bn and with an annual damage repair cost of $330m.
Mishandled ULDs are the second highest cause of damage to aircraft, while incorrect loading of cargo on an aircraft is reported on average 16 times per day.
Some 20% of incorrect loadings were found prior to aircraft pushback, with the remaining 80% were discovered only after the aircraft had arrived at its destination.
ULD CARE started as an IATA committee in 1971 and became a legal entity in 2011. It said that ULD Explained is the first plank in a broader strategy that will move the industry towards a Code of Conduct when it comes to any interactions with ULDs.
Said a spokesperson: "We will be bringing forward more solutions to the industry soon that will allow this information to be accessible, cost-effectively, to everyone in the chain who handles ULDs."
To view the first three pages of each of the eight chapters click here
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