Air drop logistics apparatus and method

An assembly for air dropping of cargo comprising:

• a cargo aircraft having a fuselage with an interior cargo compartment with a load deck which communicates with an aft opening, wherein a cargo ramp at an aft of the cargo aircraft is connected to the fuselage by a hinge for pivoting between a raised configuration in which the cargo ramp blocks portions of the aft opening, and a lowered configuration in which the cargo ramp permits a deployment of cargo from the cargo compartment through the aft opening;
• and
• an air drop rack assembly mounted in the cargo compartment of the cargo aircraft, the rack assembly comprising:
• a rack forward part comprising:
• a forward platform secured to the load deck of the cargo compartment;
• a forward rack frame comprised of a plurality of frame members fixed to the forward platform and spaced from one another in a flight direction;
• lower conveyor roller assemblies mounted to the forward platform to define a lower rack shelf, the lower conveyor roller assemblies arranged to facilitate movement of the cargo in the flight direction;
• upper conveyor roller assemblies mounted to the forward rack frame above the forward platform to define an upper rack shelf, the upper conveyor roller assemblies parallel to the lower conveyor roller assemblies and arranged to facilitate movement of the cargo in the flight direction;
• a rack aft part which is not connected directly to the rack forward part, the rack aft part comprising:
• an aft platform secured to the cargo ramp of the cargo aircraft;
• an aft rack frame comprised of a plurality of frame members fixed to the aft platform and spaced from one another in the flight direction;
• lower conveyor roller assemblies fixed to the aft platform to define a lower rack shelf, and upper conveyor roller assemblies fixed to the aft rack frame to define an upper rack shelf parallel to and above the aft platform lower shelf, wherein in the lowered configuration the aft platform lower rack shelf is parallel to and aligned with the forward platform lower rack shelf and the aft platform upper rack shelf is parallel to and aligned with the forward platform upper rack shelf;
• and
• wherein when the cargo ramp is in the raised configuration, the rack aft part is tipped upwardly with respect to the rack forward part such that the aft platform is not parallel to the forward platform, and wherein in the lowered configuration the rack aft part is spaced in the flight direction from the rack forward part and the aft platform is parallel to the forward platform, and when the cargo aircraft is inclined upwardly unconstrained payloads within the rack assembly are free to travel from the forward rack part to the aft raft rack part for discharge from the cargo aircraft through the aft opening;
• wherein each of the plurality of frame members of the forward rack frame comprise a first frame member and a second frame member spaced in the flight direction from the first frame member, and wherein each of the first frame member and the second frame member comprises:
• a lower horizontal member fixed to the forward platform;
• two upwardly extending vertical members on either side of the horizontal member;
• and
• an upper horizontal member which connects the two upwardly extending vertical members, and
• wherein crossed tension members comprising chains extend in the flight direction between the first frame member and the second frame member on either side of the forward platform, providing forward and aft restraint to the first and second frame members.

An air drop rack assembly mounted in a cargo compartment of a cargo aircraft having a cargo ramp which in a raised configuration closes the cargo compartment, and which in a lowered configuration permits a deployment of cargo through an aircraft aft opening, the rack assembly comprising:

• a rack forward part comprising:
• a forward platform secured to a deck of the cargo aircraft cargo compartment;
• a plurality of frames fixed to the forward platform and spaced from one another in a flight direction;
• lower conveyor roller assemblies mounted to the forward platform to define a lower rack shelf, the lower conveyor roller assemblies arranged to facilitate movement of the cargo in the flight direction;
• upper conveyor roller assemblies mounted to the plurality of frames above the forward platform to define an upper rack shelf, the upper conveyor roller assemblies parallel to the lower conveyor roller assemblies and arranged to facilitate movement of the cargo in the flight direction;
• a rack aft part which is not connected directly to the rack forward part, the rack aft part comprising:
• an aft platform secured to the cargo ramp of the cargo aircraft;
• a plurality of frames fixed to the aft platform and spaced from one another in the flight direction;
• lower conveyor roller assemblies fixed to the aft platform to define a lower rack shelf, and upper conveyor roller assemblies fixed to the plurality of frames to define an upper rack shelf parallel to and above the aft platform lower rack shelf, wherein in the lowered configuration the aft platform lower rack shelf is parallel to and aligned with the forward platform lower rack shelf and the aft platform upper rack shelf is parallel to and aligned with the forward platform upper rack shelf, such that when the cargo aircraft is inclined upwardly and the cargo ramp is in the lower configuration, unconstrained payloads within the rack assembly are free to travel from the forward rack part to the aft rack part for discharge from the cargo aircraft through the aft opening;
• and
• a catwalk pivotably connected to two of the plurality of frames of the forward rack frame, such that a first vertical member of one frame is spaced in the flight direction from a second vertical member of another frame, the catwalk being mounted between the first vertical member and the second vertical member at a position above the forward platform and beneath the rack forward part upper rack shelf, the catwalk being pivotable into a horizontal deployed position, the catwalk allowing service personnel to readily access the cargo supported on the rack forward part upper rack shelf.

An air drop rack assembly mounted in a cargo compartment of a cargo aircraft having a cargo ramp which in a raised configuration closes the cargo compartment, and which in a lowered configuration permits a deployment of cargo through an aircraft aft opening, the rack assembly comprising:

• a rack forward part comprising:
• a forward platform secured to a deck of the cargo aircraft cargo compartment;
• a plurality of frames fixed to the forward platform and spaced from one another in a flight direction;
• lower conveyor roller assemblies mounted to the forward platform to define a lower rack shelf, the lower conveyor roller assemblies arranged to facilitate movement of the cargo in the flight direction;
• upper conveyor roller assemblies mounted to the plurality of frames above the forward platform to define an upper rack shelf, the upper conveyor roller assemblies parallel to the lower conveyor roller assemblies and arranged to facilitate movement of the cargo in the flight direction;
• a rack aft part which is not connected directly to the rack forward part, the rack aft part comprising:
• an aft platform secured to the cargo ramp of the cargo aircraft;
• a plurality of frames fixed to the aft platform and spaced from one another in the flight direction;
• lower conveyor roller assemblies fixed to the aft platform to define a lower rack shelf, and upper conveyor roller assemblies fixed to the plurality of frames to define an upper rack shelf parallel to and above the aft platform lower rack shelf, wherein in the lowered configuration the aft platform lower rack shelf is parallel to and aligned with the forward platform lower rack shelf and the aft platform upper rack shelf is parallel to and aligned with the forward platform upper rack shelf, such that when the cargo aircraft is inclined upwardly and the cargo ramp is in the lower configuration, unconstrained payloads within the rack assembly are free to travel from the forward rack part to the aft rack part for discharge from the cargo aircraft through the aft opening;
• wherein the plurality of frames of the rack forward part comprises a first frame and a second frame spaced in the flight direction from the first frame, and wherein each of the first frame and the second frame comprises:
• a lower horizontal member fixed to the forward platform;
• two upwardly extending vertical members on either side of the horizontal member;
• and
• an upper horizontal member which connects the two upwardly extending vertical members, and
• wherein crossed tension members comprising chains extend in the flight direction between the first frame and the second frame on either side of the forward platform, providing forward and aft restraint to the first and second frame members.