An aircraft usable as a passenger aircraft and a fire fighter aircraft. The passenger aircraft includes a passenger area with passenger seats and a permanently installed fire extinguishing medium tank for storing fire extinguishing medium such as water, as well as a fire extinguishing medium nozzle for discharging the fire extinguishing medium. The passenger aircraft may be a type from an aircraft series also including a long-haul aircraft having a center tank for range extension. In the passenger aircraft, a center tank may be used as an extinguishing medium tank.

An aircraft usable as a passenger aircraft and a fire fighter aircraft. The passenger aircraft includes a passenger area with passenger seats and a permanently installed fire extinguishing medium tank for storing fire extinguishing medium such as water, as well as a fire extinguishing medium nozzle for discharging the fire extinguishing medium. The passenger aircraft may be a type from an aircraft series also including a long-haul aircraft having a center tank for range extension. In the passenger aircraft, a center tank may be used as an extinguishing medium tank.

A dynamically controlled cargo loading system for an aircraft includes electrical cargo conveying devices for conveying cargo items on a cargo loading deck; speed sensors, which are configured to capture current conveying speeds of the cargo conveying devices and/or the conveyed cargo items; electrical measuring devices, which are configured to capture current electrical parameters of the cargo conveying devices; and a control device which is configured to control the cargo conveying devices depending on the captured current conveying speeds and/or the recoded current electrical parameters such that at least one of the following variables is optimized: the electrical power consumption of the cargo conveying devices, the mechanical wear of the cargo conveying devices, the mechanical load action on the cargo items, the conveying time of the cargo items and the noise generation during the conveying of the cargo items.

An armrest assembly for a passenger seat is disclosed. The armrest assembly may be disposed in a stowed, collapsed or passenger configuration where the armrest assembly is of a first length, and also may be disposed in an extended or cargo configuration where the armrest assembly is of a second length that is greater than the first length. Such an armrest assembly may be used to convert all or a portion of a passenger compartment (e.g., of an aircraft) to a cargo compartment by disposing a plurality of armrest assemblies in their respective extended/cargo configuration. Any appropriate cargo may be disposed on/supported by one or more armrest assemblies in their extended/cargo configuration. A free distal end or distal end portion of each armrest assembly in its extended configuration may be anchored to/supported by an appropriate structure, such as an adjacent passenger seat or a bracket(s) attached to a wall.

An armrest assembly for a passenger seat is disclosed. The armrest assembly may be disposed in a stowed, collapsed or passenger configuration where the armrest assembly is of a first length, and also may be disposed in an extended or cargo configuration where the armrest assembly is of a second length that is greater than the first length. Such an armrest assembly may be used to convert all or a portion of a passenger compartment (e.g., of an aircraft) to a cargo compartment by disposing a plurality of armrest assemblies in their respective extended/cargo configuration. Any appropriate cargo may be disposed on/supported by one or more armrest assemblies in their extended/cargo configuration. A free distal end or distal end portion of each armrest assembly in its extended configuration may be anchored to/supported by an appropriate structure, such as an adjacent passenger seat or a bracket(s) attached to a wall.

A system includes a freight carrier, front catch element and rear catch element, the front edge of the base element of the freight carrier having front engagement elements, and the rear edge has rear engagement elements. The front catch element has front floor engagement devices to engage locking elements so movement of the front catch element in the floor surface plane and perpendicular thereto is prevented. The front catch element has front engagement devices to engage the front engagement elements. The rear catch element has rear floor engagement devices to engage locking elements in rails so movement of the rear catch element in the floor surface plane and perpendicularly thereto is prevented. The rear catch element has rear engagement devices to engage the rear engagement elements so movement of the rear catch element relative to the base element parallel to the plane of the supporting surface and perpendicular to the plane towards the supporting surface is prevented.

A system includes a freight carrier, front catch element and rear catch element, the front edge of the base element of the freight carrier having front engagement elements, and the rear edge has rear engagement elements. The front catch element has front floor engagement devices to engage locking elements so movement of the front catch element in the floor surface plane and perpendicular thereto is prevented. The front catch element has front engagement devices to engage the front engagement elements. The rear catch element has rear floor engagement devices to engage locking elements in rails so movement of the rear catch element in the floor surface plane and perpendicularly thereto is prevented. The rear catch element has rear engagement devices to engage the rear engagement elements so movement of the rear catch element relative to the base element parallel to the plane of the supporting surface and perpendicular to the plane towards the supporting surface is prevented.

A cargo restraint system includes a driving shaft, a first restraint, and a second restraint. The first restraint is operatively coupled to the driving shaft via a first indexing mechanism arrangement. The second restraint is operatively coupled to the driving shaft via a second indexing mechanism arrangement. The first and second indexing mechanism arrangements are arranged such that rotation of the driving shaft in a first rotational direction causes the first restraint to rotate between a lowered position and a raised position, and further rotation of the driving shaft in the same rotational direction causes the second restraint to rotate between the lowered position and the raised position. The first restraint may be axially offset from the second restraint to allow sequential loading and unloading of cargo.

A cargo restraint system includes a driving shaft, a first restraint, and a second restraint. The first restraint is operatively coupled to the driving shaft via a first indexing mechanism arrangement. The second restraint is operatively coupled to the driving shaft via a second indexing mechanism arrangement. The first and second indexing mechanism arrangements are arranged such that rotation of the driving shaft in a first rotational direction causes the first restraint to rotate between a lowered position and a raised position, and further rotation of the driving shaft in the same rotational direction causes the second restraint to rotate between the lowered position and the raised position. The first restraint may be axially offset from the second restraint to allow sequential loading and unloading of cargo.

The present invention is a system and method for modifying a passenger aircraft and converting it for use as a cargo aircraft, wherein the steps include removing all structures that were previously put into the aircraft to accommodate passengers including walls, storage, and seating, wherein the seat tracks are left in the floor to function as secure attachment points, moving pallet sections into the aircraft that can fit through the existing doorways, and assembling the pallet sections together to create pallet assemblies, wherein the pallet assemblies function as a bridging system upon which cargo loads may be disposed without causing damage to the existing unreinforced floor of the aircraft, wherein each of the pallet assemblies is connected to the existing seat tracks in the floor in order to secure the pallet assemblies to the aircraft frame.