Enhancement of Automotive/Aerospace Transportation Systems Through Optimum Selection/Use of Ground - Support Equipment (GSE)

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. This paper closely examines the pros/cons of this scheme and explores the subtleties/intricacies, productivity, and relative costs of a Super Loader versus a judicious mix or family of equipment specifically designed/tailored for specific, unique, uses.