This SAE Aerospace Recommended Practice (ARP) specifies requirements for those portions of the aircraft Unit Load Device ground and terminal handling equipment that will have a direct bearing on the life of the ULD for the purpose of preventing undue wear on the ULD. Past experience has shown that in-service defects in regard to the above equipment cause high ULD cost. Greater control of maintenance is required.

Included in this document are requirements for conveyor systems, guides, stops, restraint hardware that are used on trucks, transporters, dollies, storage provisions, pallet build-up hoists, or other ULD-handling equipment.

These requirements reflect state of the art criteria applied to known successfully operated hardware. Any design deviations shall be required to demonstrate equivalency to this specification criteria.

These ULD's usually form an integral part of the aircraft and as such are subject to regulatory agencies' requirements to assure structural integrity.

Size, shape and load capacities for ULD's are not included in this document. These can be obtained from SAE or IATA specifications, the airline operator and the ULD manufacturer.