This paper deals with a conceptual aircraft cargo loader “that can do everything” commonly referred to as The Super Loader. The Super Loader is intended for use at air terminals to transport loads such as palletized cargo, containers, wheeled vehicles, shelters, and airdrop platforms from the storage docks to the military and civil aircraft, and vice versa. The loader may be described as a self-propelled, air transportable (in a C-141, C-17, C-5) 60,000 lb lifting capacity, adjustable height vehicle that will load/off load all transport aircraft from a C-130 whose cargo deck is only 3 feet, 3 inches high to a B-747 whose main deck upper limit is about 18 feet high. The Super Loader must also service the lower lobes of wide-bodies and main decks of narrow-bodied aircraft like the DC-8 and B-707. In brief, this loader will be required to interface with both civil and military cargo systems, present and future.
