Chapter 4. AIR TRANSPORTABILITY GUIDANCE

TM 55-2330-200-15-1

CHAPTER 4

AIR TRANSPORTABILITY GUIDANCE

Section I. GENERAL

designated representative if ammunition or ex-

4-1. Scope

plosives are to be transported on or within a par-

This chapter provides transportability guidance for

ticular semitrailer.

air movement of the semitrailers described in chapter

b. The semitrailer must be restrained for air

2. It covers significant technical and physical

transport in accordance with the applicable

characteristics and safety considerations; prescribes

procedures in section IV of the appropriate USAF-9

the materials required to prepare, load, and unload

Technical Order.

the semitrailers as internal loads aboard US Air

c. Each semitrailer must be checked carefully to

Force aircraf; and provides examples of tiedown

insure that all loose items are properly secured in

diagrams and tiedown data tables for loading these

accordance with restraint criteria.

semitrailers in C-130, C-141, and C-5 aircraft.

d. Cargo tanks of tanker semitrailers must be

4-2. Maximum Utilization of Aircraft

emptied and purged prior to loading on aircraft.

Cargo may not be carried in or on the bed of the

e. All fuel must be drained from the fuel

semitrailers unless approval of the specific load has

segregator assembly of tanker semitrailers that are

been obtained from the Air Force. Such cargo must

equipped with filter separators.

be securely restrained in the trailer bed either by

WARNING

attachment to the semitrailer or to the aircraft and

Proper ventilation must be provided when

must meet the same restraint criteria as required for

loading and unloading. Prolonged inhalation

the semitrailer. No cargo may be carried in the

of carbon monoxide fumes may be fatal.

tanker semitrailer. When loading and securing cargo

WARNING

in the bed of the semitrailer, the load must not

Fire extinguishers must be readily available

exceed the maximum rated cross-country load

during all loading and unloading operations.

capacity, and consideration must be given to the

CAUTION

aircraft allowable cargo load (ACL) and com-

Do not allow vehicles to exceed 3 miles per

patibility of cargo items. The weight of the

hour (walking speed) on loading ramps or

semitrailer plus the weight of any cargo it may

inside aircraft.

contain must be accurate. The semitrailer and its

NOTE

cargo are considered as one package and the gross

Cargo loads depicted in this manual are

weight is used to determine tiedown requirements in

restrained to the required minimum of 3g

accordance with paragraph 4-40, TM 55-450-15. If

forward restraint. This must be increased to

the semitrailer is to carry any cargo when it is in the

a minimum of 8g forward restraint when

aircraft, load and then weigh the semitrailer before it

passengers or nuclear weapons cargo are

is loaded in the aircraft. The weight of any cargo

carried forward of the other cargo.

loaded on a semitrailer will change the center of

NOTE

gravity (CG) of the semitrailer as shown in chapter

In air loading, the center of gravity of each

2. Determine the new CG in accordance with

vehicle must be determined, and where

paragraph 3-4, TM 55-450-15. Chapter 3 and 4 of

weight and/or measurement is critical, each

TM 55-450-15 contain detailed instructions for load

vehicle should be weighed and/or measured.

planning and aircraft loading.

4-4. Responsibility

4-3. Safety

The aircraft commander or his representative is

In addition to the safety precautions contained in

responsible for insuring that the load is secured in

chapter 3, the following should be noted:

accordance with restraint criterial outlined in the

a. The activity offering the semitrailers for air

applicable aircraft technical order.

transport will notify the aircraft commander or his

4-1