Load Those B737 Belly's!

[downscc 1,327]

Southwest Airlines carries 19.3 million pounds of belly cargo according to a Air Cargo article in Aviation Week & Space Technology (Apr 10 2006). The belly cargo leader is AmericaWest, 24.4 million lb. (all are 2005 figures), and following in 3d is Delta at 12.4 million lb..... that's a lot of stuff! And all this time I was just thinking I had to adjust the cargo load for number of passengers, but apparently this is only a small part of it.Alright, for the -F drivers: Top Ten North American cargo ports are Memphis (3.6 million metric tones (mmt)), Anchorage (2.6 mmt), Los Angeles (1.9 mmt), Louisville (1.8 mmt), Miami (1.8 mmt), New York JFK (1.6 mmt), Chicago O'Hare (1.5 mmt), Indianapolis (1.1 mmt), Newark (0.96 mmt) and Atlanta (0.76 mmt).According to the article, one of the most unique cargo terminals is at Las Vegas McCarren (1.6 million lb). Instead of perishables, lightweight high technology equipment or just-in-time inventories, Las Vegas is eclectic: Unique types of sea food packed in ice, rare orchids for high roller dinner tables, and stuff you and I have probably never seen or hear of.I found all this interesting. I'll start packing that 737-700 a lot fuller.

[WAD3 0]

Very interesting. Thanks for the information Dan. I will also be loading up a little more cargo. I think most of the time I would add for what I think my current passenger load would carry for baggage and not really consider additional cargo.I also believe some airlines carry mail as well.