Cargo aircraft
A fixed-wing aircraft designed or configured to carry freight as its primary payload. It may be purpose-built or adapted from a passenger aircraft.
Aircraft cargo loading system: Equipment and procedures for moving freight into, securing it within, and removing it from an aircraft. Rollers, locks, and loaders make heavy freight practical to handle through cargo aircraft doors.
Air cargo: Freight transported by aircraft, including goods carried in dedicated freighters or passenger-aircraft holds. Cargo aircraft are a central means of moving air cargo over long distances.
Passenger aircraft: An aircraft designed primarily to transport people rather than freight. Passenger aircraft may carry freight below the cabin, but their primary payload is people.
Boeing 747-8F: A freighter variant of the Boeing 747-8, featuring a large main-deck cargo door and high payload capacity. Its nose and side loading doors accommodate freight too large for ordinary containers.
Air freight logistics: The planning and coordination of freight movement by air, including handling, routing, and delivery. Cargo aircraft schedules and capacity shape how time-sensitive goods move through supply chains.
Unit load device: A standardized aircraft container or pallet used to group and secure cargo for transport. ULDs let cargo aircraft load compatible freight quickly and secure it for flight.
Air ambulance: An aircraft equipped to transport patients and provide medical care during flight. Some cargo aircraft support humanitarian missions by carrying medical teams and supplies.
Combination aircraft: An aircraft configured to carry passengers and freight simultaneously on its main deck. Its mixed cabin differs from a cargo aircraft dedicated to freight.
Boeing 777F: A long-range freighter variant of the Boeing 777 designed for commercial cargo operations. It illustrates the use of a modern twin-engine widebody for long-haul freight.
Express mail: A postal service that prioritizes rapid delivery, often using dedicated aircraft and overnight sorting networks. Freighters enable overnight movement between distant sorting hubs.