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Air transport is known to be the most widely used transport by businesses operating in various industries. The Indian airports handled a total freight tonnage of about 3.15 million metric tons in FY23. With the prevalence of eCommerce, brands want to deliver customer orders domestically and intentionally at high speeds and safely. Therefore, air freight has become a far better alternative than other modes of transport, like road, rail, or sea, for shipping goods.
Air transport is perhaps the best way to ship goods over long distances, and it can overcome the usual hindrances seen in sea or land transport. In air freight logistics, you can find various types of aircraft used in air cargo shipping. These cargo planes can optimally store and carry almost all kinds of cargo.
Let’s explore these different types of aircraft used in cargo shipping to gain a deeper understanding of air logistics.
A cargo aircraft is specifically designed to transport cargo or freight safely and promptly from one destination to another. It comes in different sizes to cater to the varying needs of businesses or individuals shipping goods.
The cargo carrier differs in design and characteristics from a passenger aircraft. However, cargo aircraft can combine both freight and passenger transport.
One of the most essential features of a cargo aircraft is its storage space, which denotes the amount of freight each type of aircraft used in cargo transport can carry. The space varies between aircraft. Cargo aircraft also make loading and unloading goods easy.
The type of aircraft used in cargo shipping is based on the range and capacity of cargo planes. Let’s explore the different types:
Wide-body cargo planes are mainly utilised to carry large shipments over longer distances compared to other types of aircraft used in cargo transport. They are perfect when international or domestic shipping routes require long runways for takeoff and landing. These cargo planes are wide-body passenger planes converted to freighters, holding up to 100,000 pounds of cargo capacity.
Suppose you want to ship heavy cargo, such as large-scale production machinery, casting moulds, construction equipment (like bulldozers, cranes, and excavators), turbines, locomotives, generators, etc., by air. In that case, these aircraft are what you need. They have an enormous cargo capacity of up to 400,000 pounds and are some of the largest cargo planes.
As the name suggests, these aircraft have limited space compared to the wide-body and military cargo planes. Narrow-body cargo planes have a cargo capacity of nearly 30,000 pounds and thus can carry smaller shipments over shorter routes. They are passenger planes transformed into freighters that are used on domestic routes needing long takeoff and landing runways.
Turboprop planes are best for shipping small packages or perishable items and are often used for regional freight transportation. Two good examples are the ATR 72 and the Cessna Caravan. Turboprop planes hold a 10,000-pound cargo capacity and are much smaller in size than other types of aircraft used in cargo transfer. Owing to their smaller size, they’re ideal for airports with shorter runways.
Combi Aircraft, with a freight capacity of 30,000 pounds, are passenger planes modified to carry both cargo and passengers. These types of aircraft are used in cargo shipping to provide additional cargo capacity.
There are many planes designed specifically to serve the purpose of transporting cargo. We’re enlisting some of the most commonly used ones:
1. Boeing 777F: It’s a wide-body cargo aircraft with massive capacity and is renowned for its fuel efficiency and flexibility.
2. Airbus A330-200F: This Airbus has a long range and enormous payload capacity, which makes it ideal for several cargo operations.
3. Boeing 747-8F: This cargo aircraft is among the largest cargo planes, with a high payload capacity and a long-range, and thus is a good fit for international cargo shipping.
4. Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules: A military transport plane for passenger and cargo operations, the C-130 Hercules is a versatile air logistics option. It’s renowned for quick takeoff and landing and can adjust to various conditions.
5. Antonov An-124 Ruslan: The An-124c is also a military transport aircraft with a high payload capacity and the ability to carry heavy and oversized cargo.
Logistics is an indefinitely crucial part of the shipping chain, and different types of cargo planes are built to cater to various shipping requirements. The main types of cargo aircraft include wide-body, narrow-body, turboprop, military/heavy, and combination cargo planes. These numerous aircraft’s payload capacity and range decide which one can carry your cargo.
With the trend for online shopping rising, air freight is an urgent requirement for businesses to satisfy customer expectations and stay competitive. The types of aircraft used in cargo shipping are crucial in transporting heavy, large, or small shipments across and outside the country.
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