I was taking a look at this totally retro Airborne Express promotional video from the late 80s...
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=VpBlKRkWNr4
...and was intrigued by the "dragon" system they used for unloading cargo on the DC-9s.
It seems unusual that they would have avoided using traditional ULDs in favor of these plastic carts. Was this a system that they developed or was it in use by other cargo carriers?
Also, was it still in use by the time of the DHL acquisition in 2003 or was it a thing of the past by then?
Moderators: jsumali2, richierich, ua900, PanAm_DC10, hOMSaR
-
- RichardWelling
- Posts: 160
- Joined:
Re: Airborne Express cargo question
As far as I know, seems as if it was only used by AEI. Nifty system compared the usual dolly strings used today.
Re: Airborne Express cargo question
The C Containers were used up to December 2008 when DHL shut down the US domestic network. For the 767-200s there was tails with C Containers in the main deck and bellies. There were also tails with C Containers on main deck and DQF/AKE/DPE in the belly. From Jan 2009, no C Containers were used.
-
- Harvestman
- Posts: 87
- Joined:
Re: Airborne Express cargo question
Allee wrote:The C Containers were used up to December 2008 when DHL shut down the US domestic network. For the 767-200s there was tails with C Containers in the main deck and bellies. There were also tails with C Containers on main deck and DQF/AKE/DPE in the belly. From Jan 2009, no C Containers were used.
Very interesting. I'm surprised they survived that long. No trace of them at all in the current system as far as I can see.
It is an unusual system, but given how much abuse the typical ULD suffers, one has to wonder how durable the C-cans were.
I could have sworn I saw a couple of items related to this system in the Wilmington clear-out auction a few years ago, but perhaps I'm thinking of something else.
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: 2travel2know2, 767driver, 777luver, AAIL86, Acey559, aerace, AeroplaneFreak, Anansaudiajet, Angus1, atbPy, Baidu [Spider], CLT704, CX747, davidjohnson6, dbo861, dolphinflyer, FX1816, Ishrion, JetAwayDrew, juanchito, jumbojettony, Justapax, kd9gy, kengo, kolnamrhein, LH658, lightsaber, MDTflyer1, MohawkWeekend, mtzguerrero, nyc77k, ORDFlyer99, Rafale9312, ryanna924, sns2015, SYRAVGEEK, ThomasCook, tphuang, TWA85, USAirALB, wjcandee, yvphx and 243 guests