Patent ID: 6705817
Filing Date: 2004-03-16
Classification: B64C,B64D

Abstract:
In a cargo carrying aircraft having sidewalls and a floor for carrying cargo containers wherein a side loading cargo doorway leads to a loading area and the floor in the loading area includes conveyor means for rotating a cargo container in the loading area and transporting the rotated cargo container to a cargo space in the aircraft, a method for loading the aircraft without touching the sidewall of the aircraft comprises the steps of:(a) providing a plurality of sensors on at least one of (1) the loading area of the aircraft and (2) the cargo container; (b) introducing a cargo container into the loading area; (c) continually sensing a current position of the cargo container in the loading area; (d) activating the conveyor means in response to the current sensed position of the cargo container in the loading zone to provide for step wise rotation of the cargo container in the loading zone until the container is aligned with the cargo space; and (e) transported the rotated cargo container into the cargo space.