A ULD name is not a complete loading specification. Base dimensions, usable contour, door access, tare, net and aircraft position are different constraints. This comparison keeps each operator’s figures in its own row; it does not combine the largest width from one fleet with the highest weight from another.
Operator examples: do not read base size as usable space
| Operator and ULD | Published dimension type | Dimensions | Published mass information |
|---|---|---|---|
| ANA AKE lightweight LD3 | External L × W × H; door separately | 156 × 153 × 163 cm; door 138 × 153 cm | Gross 1,587 kg; tare 71 kg |
| Qantas PAG lower deck | Base | 2,235 × 3,175 mm | Gross 4,626 kg; tare from 113 kg including net |
| Qantas PMC lower deck | Base | 2,438 × 3,175 mm | Gross 5,100 kg; tare from 122 kg including net |
| Qantas PLA | Base | 1,533 × 3,174 mm | Gross 3,175 kg; tare from 109 kg including net |
ANA’s direct page fetch timed out during this review; its accessible indexed primary-source extract supported the row. Recheck the current operator document before an actual build-up. Qantas publishes position-dependent qualifications. No universal pallet height or rectangular cargo box is inferred here. PLA/PLB may be encountered under LD11 terminology, but the actual code and operator configuration must be checked.
Same base, different aircraft position
Qantas lists the PMC main-deck example at 6,800 kg gross, versus 5,100 kg in its lower-deck row. That does not let a shipper apply the main-deck figure to a lower-deck booking. The net, restraint arrangement, build-up contour and assigned position still control. An operator’s minimum tare listing is not a weighed tare for the particular unit.
Gross-to-cargo arithmetic
For the ANA AKE example, 1,587 minus the listed 71 kg tare is 1,516 kg before any separately counted packing or restraint and any lower aircraft-position limit. This subtraction is an arithmetic ceiling under those assumptions, not an accepted payload. For a Qantas net-inclusive tare, do not subtract the same net twice.
Why a small box can still fail
External dimensions do not provide the full internal polygon. A door can be narrower than the main body, and a sloped contour removes space near the top or side. A pallet base also includes edge-rail and net-related constraints. Never replace missing contour evidence with an imagined inner rectangle and label the result operator-approved.
Using CBM3 without overstating the model
Read the ULD loading overview and the selected equipment guide first. Approximate/manual DPE and DQF profiles retain their warnings; this table does not enable or certify a profile. Use the load planner for its documented preliminary scope and chargeable weight for billing assumptions. Have the operator verify contour, access, floor and linear loads, restraint and aircraft weight-and-balance requirements.
Primary references
The independently checked arithmetic is not a fresh solver run. Data is operator-specific and must be reconfirmed for the shipment.