FREIGHT OPERATIONS
UTILIZING THE PASSENGER CABIN
In the current context, you may need to temporarily switch to cargo operations, using the cabin to transport freight. While this may require the formal authorization from your local authorities, you will find in this article useful advice for establishing these operations in a safe manner.
Examples of Storage Devices
The main risks related to the transport of cargo are weight & balance errors, unsecured cargo and fire. Depending upon how you intend to use the passenger cabin for freight operations, for example, using the luggage bins, securing freight on the seats, placing freight under the seats, or removing the seats to install floor to floor nets, additional risks may be identified. The following steps are proposed to mitigate these risks from a flight safety perspective.
First step: performing a risk assessment
This analysis will enable you to identify hazards related to operating cargo flights while having a cabin configuration that has been approved for the transport of passengers only. These risks may include the overload to the structure of the luggage bins, the seats or the floor panels due to the weight or the forces applied. The additional considerations include accessibility to the safety & emergency equipment and to the emergency exits.
An exhaustive identification of the hazards will help you establish effective mitigating actions. This includes:
- the load master (or equivalent) to oversee the loading and unloading of cargo
- the indication of the weight on the parcels in the cabin
- the maximum loads for the seats, the luggage bins & the floor panels & the devices you may use to secure the freight
Another consideration is keeping the aisle & the emergency exits free of freight for the crew to be able to circulate. Therefore the seat rows next to the emergency exits shall be kept free of freight.
In the “Guidance for Safe Transport of Cargo in Passenger Cabin” issued by IATA, a risk assessment has been proposed.
Second step: preparing your crew
Operations without passengers will require at least one crew member to monitor the cabin during all phases of flight. The cabin crew will in particular check that the cargo is properly stowed & secured before take-off and landing. In case of fire, the cabin crew will also be there to extinguish it using the emergency equipment.
This implies that the crew must be properly trained and briefed for these operations. For training, ATR recommends the following aspects:
- knowing the location of the emergency equipment
- trained to use of fire extinguishers & personal protective equipment
- communication protocol with the flight crew
- knowledge of the nature of the goods being carried
- ability to ensure cargo is secured
Third step: adapting your procedures & documentation
Your Operating Manual may require, and ATR, recommends a temporary revision to include the new type of operations and the related procedures. In particular, it will include a dedicated emergency procedure for the cabin crew to manage emergencies.
The exact cargo weight and position in the cabin and in the aft & forward cargo compartments will need to be reflected in the load & trim sheet. We recommend that you adapt your Weight & Balance calculation tool to take into account the cargo zone in the cabin. For Single-point Performance Software (SPS) users, we recommend that you create a new specific configuration in the fleet database, in the Weight & Balance configuration tab. The cabin zone should be defined as a cargo zone.
Transporting Dangerous Goods requires additional precautionary measures
The rules and recommendations regarding the transportation of Dangerous Goods are still applicable. In line with this statement, ATR recommends Dangerous Goods are transported in the cargo compartments only and not in the cabin.
Reference documents:
For ATR Operators, we recommend you refer to:
- ATR OIM 003/20 Issue 5: click here
Additional references include:
- EASA guidelines “Transport of Cargo in Passenger Compartment – exemptions under Article 71(1) of Regulation 2018/1139 (the Basic Regulation)” click here
- IATA COVID Section: click here
- IATA Dangerous Goods Regulation
- IATA Guidance for Safe Transport of Cargo in Passenger Cabin: click here
Should you have any question, please contact ATR’s technical support or flight operations support teams via “Request ATR” on the ATRactive portal (click here).
