Loadability (i.e., flexibility in accommodating various payloads without exceeding volume or center of gravity limitations) is analyzed for military cargo aircraft. A loadability parameter is defined to permit comparison between military cargo transports and to aid preliminary tail sizing. This parameter is the acceptable payload CG range for the maximum 2.5 g payload as a percentage of the flat cargo floor length. A significant increase in this parameter from the C-130 to the C-5 to the C-17 is documented. It is projected that the demanding operational requirements of the Advanced Tactical Transport (ATT) will further increase the magnitude of the loadability parameter. The weight-versus-loadability tradeoff is investigated for both STOL and VSTOL ATT configurations. Perhaps the most significant aspect of the loadability parameter is its usefulness for tail sizing. The loadability parameter may be used directly in determining tail size, thus enabling trade studies to be performed for equal loadability between competing configurations.

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