Aircraft configuration with tall aft cargo section and rear access

A modified aircraft, with modifications relative to a base aircraft, the modified aircraft comprising:

• a fuselage extending along a fuselage longitudinal axis;
• the fuselage having a crown section that is substantially identical to a crown section of the base aircraft;
• a forward section disposed forwardly in the fuselage;
• wherein the forward section is substantially geometrically identical to the base aircraft, the forward section having a forward main cabin with a first deck floor and a first height measured from the first deck floor;
• an aft cargo section disposed in the fuselage rearward of the forward section;
• the aft cargo section having an aft main cargo cabin with a second deck floor and a second height measured from the second deck floor;
• the second deck floor being lowered relative to the base aircraft and being disposed below a level of the first deck floor;
• wherein the second height is greater than the first height;
• and
• an openable rear access disposed aft of the aft cargo section and configured to provide access to the aft main cargo cabin from behind the fuselage, longitudinally along the fuselage longitudinal axis;
• and
• wherein the modified aircraft has a maximum cargo dimension that is more than a base maximum cargo dimension of the base aircraft;
• wherein the forward section is pressurized and the aft cargo section is unpressurized.

A method of reconfiguring a base aircraft into a modified aircraft, the base aircraft comprising a fuselage having a crown section and extending along a fuselage longitudinal axis;

• a forward section disposed forwardly in the fuselage and having a forward main cabin with a first deck floor and a first height measured from the first deck floor;
• an aft section disposed in the fuselage rearward of the forward section and having an aft main cabin a second deck floor;
• a base maximum cargo dimension;
• and a fuselage surface geometry;
• the method comprising:
• forming an aft cargo section having an aft main cargo cabin by lowering the second deck floor to be lower than the first deck floor while keeping the crown section substantially constant fore-to-aft;
• wherein the aft main cargo cabin has a second height measured from the second deck floor that is greater than the first height;
• adding an openable rear access disposed aft of the aft cargo section and configured to provide access to the aft main cargo cabin from behind the fuselage, longitudinally along the fuselage longitudinal axis;
• forming a pressure bulkhead between the forward section and the aft cargo section;
• and
• wherein the modified aircraft has a maximum cargo dimension greater than the base maximum cargo dimension of the base aircraft.