A contour is the three-dimensional envelope a compartment allows: maximum height, and the width still permitted as the fuselage curves in. Build outside it and the ULD will not clear the door or will foul the airframe.
| Contour / IATA letter | Deck | Max height | Base | Taper begins | Verification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Q4 / L | Main Deck | 294.6 cm / 116 in | 243.8 × 317.5 cm | 240 cm / 94.5 in | Not verified against a published source |
| Q5 | Main Deck | 299.7 cm / 118 in | 243.8 × 317.5 cm | 244 cm / 96.1 in | Not verified against a published source |
| Q6 / A | Main Deck | 243.8 cm / 96 in | 243.8 × 317.5 cm | 220 cm / 86.6 in | Approximation from industry practice |
| Q7 / D | Main Deck | 299.7 cm / 118 in | 243.8 × 317.5 cm | 244 cm / 96.1 in | From industry loading tables |
| Section | Deck | Max height | Base | Taper begins | Verification |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| H2 | Lower Deck | 160 cm / 63 in | 243.8 × 317.5 cm | 120 cm / 47.2 in | Approximation from industry practice |
| LD3 | Lower Deck | 162.6 cm / 64 in | 153.4 × 156.2 cm | 140 cm / 55.1 in | From published carrier specifications |
| LD36 | Lower Deck | 162.6 cm / 64 in | 243.8 × 317.5 cm | 100 cm / 39.4 in | From published carrier specifications |
| LD6 | Lower Deck | 162.6 cm / 64 in | 153.4 × 317.5 cm | 140 cm / 55.1 in | From published carrier specifications |
| LD8 | Lower Deck | 162.6 cm / 64 in | 153.4 × 243.8 cm | 140 cm / 55.1 in | From published carrier specifications |
| LD9 | Lower Deck | 162.6 cm / 64 in | 223.5 × 317.5 cm | 100 cm / 39.4 in | From published carrier specifications |
| PLA | Lower Deck | 162.5 cm / 64 in | 153.4 × 317.5 cm | 120 cm / 47.2 in | Internal approximation |
The IATA ULD Regulations define contours by letter. A, B, J at 2438 mm, D at 2997 mm, L at 2946 mm, M at 2286 mm and K at 1626 mm can be traced to manufacturer reproductions of the IATA letter table. The Q-numbers are a separate industry and carrier loading-table convention, and the mapping between the two systems is only partly documented: A→Q6 and D→Q7 are corroborated, L→Q4 is plausible but unconfirmed, and for Q5 no corresponding letter could be found at all.
The most expensive mistake in this table’s shadow: a PMC is 96 × 125 in of flat deck with no height of its own. In a 747F or 777F main deck it can be built to 118 in; in the lower deck of a 777 or A350 it is capped near 64 in. Contour therefore always means “contour for this position”.
Check a build against the contourThe simulator applies the section to your cargo and flags over-contour in 2D and 3D.