Type library — Heavy / nose-loading widebody
Boeing 747 freighter charter — nose loading for outsize cargo
When a shipment is too tall, too long or too heavy for a side door, the 747's nose door decides. Both the 747-400F and the newer 747-8F remain the reference types for outsize industrial cargo, engines, vehicles and high-volume trunk routes.
Submit a requirement any time without an account · first response usually within 60 minutes · 24/7 for AOG and time-critical.
In short
The Boeing 747-400F lifts approx. 113 tonnes (747-8F up to ~134 t) and is the only production freighter family with a swing-up nose door. Its loading envelope allows packages up to 2.44 m wide; narrower pieces allow greater tilted loading height. CCN sources 747 capacity from multiple operators — we broker, we do not operate.
Planning figures
Boeing 747-400F
- Max revenue payload
- 112,900 kg (747-8F: ≈ 134,000 kg — indicative value, not manufacturer-verified)
- Maximum design range
- 8,250 km
- Main deck volume
- 609.2 m³ (30 pallet positions)
- Nose door packages
- Loading envelope: max. 2.44 m wide. Permitted tilted loading height increases as the piece narrows — 2.69 m at full width, up to 3.91 m at just 0.10 m width.
- Main deck side door
- 3.4 m wide × 3.1 m high (clear opening)
- Cruise
- 902 km/h
- Source
- Atlas Air 747-400F data sheet (2018). 747-8F payload: indicative value, not manufacturer-verified.
747-400F nose door loading envelope
The nose opening is arched: the greatest height is available in the centre. Maximum package width is 2.44 m. As a piece becomes narrower, its permitted tilted loading height increases — from 2.69 m at full width to 3.91 m at just 0.10 m width. Packages are tilted during loading.
Atlas Air: Nose Door Package Dimension Limitations (747-400F). Metres rounded from inches. These are paired package limits, not a rectangular door opening or a 747-8F guarantee. The operator must confirm the loading plan for the actual piece.
Atlas Air data sheet (PDF)| Package width | Tilted loading height |
|---|---|
| 96 in · 2.44 m | 106 in · 2.69 m |
| 90 in · 2.29 m | 108 in · 2.74 m |
| 80 in · 2.03 m | 113 in · 2.87 m |
| 70 in · 1.78 m | 132 in · 3.35 m |
| 60 in · 1.52 m | 140 in · 3.56 m |
| 50 in · 1.27 m | 143 in · 3.63 m |
| 40 in · 1.02 m | 145 in · 3.68 m |
| 30 in · 0.76 m | 147 in · 3.73 m |
| 20 in · 0.51 m | 148 in · 3.76 m |
| 12 in · 0.30 m | 148 in · 3.76 m |
| 8 in · 0.20 m | 151 in · 3.84 m |
| 4 in · 0.10 m | 154 in · 3.91 m |
Requirement enquiry
Send the requirement to the desk
Route, ready date and payload are enough for us to start checking operators.
Requirement data stays confidential; supplier identities and margins are never shared.
Typical missions
- Outsize industrial units loaded straight through the nose
- Aircraft engines, aerospace assemblies and vehicle lines
- High-density trunk cargo where volume and payload both matter
- Oil, gas and energy project lifts into remote airports
Where this type is the wrong tool
- Four engines — higher fuel burn and block-hour cost than twin-engine types
- Crew and maintenance availability narrows the operator field
- Nose loading needs compatible high-loader equipment at both ends
Cost
What a 747-400F costs to charter
The jumbo class sits in a planning band of roughly 15,750 to 21,000 USD per block hour. The premium over a 777F is modest per hour, which is why a 747-400F frequently wins on price per tonne once the load exceeds about a hundred tonnes or needs nose-door loading.
The type is scarce and the fleet is ageing, so availability rather than the hourly rate decides many quotes. Committed rotations booked ahead of the autumn peak regularly beat spot pricing by a wide margin.
- Block hours plus positioning, which is often long for this type
- Nose-door loading and the extra ground time it needs
- Runway and apron limits that can force a different airport
- Peak-season scarcity between September and January
Questions
Questions on this type
See all questionsStraight-in loading handles long pieces such as machinery, vehicles and aerospace assemblies that cannot be angled through a side door. Exact limits depend on piece dimensions and contour — send drawings with your requirement and we verify against operator loading manuals.
The 747-8F adds roughly 20 tonnes of payload and better fuel economics; the 747-400F has the larger operator base and is often more available for ad-hoc charter. We price both where available and show the trade-off.
The remaining 747 freighter fleet is heavily committed. Short-notice lifts are possible but priced accordingly; for recurring programmes we secure capacity weeks ahead.
Other freighter types
Need this type — or not sure yet?
Send us the requirement — no account needed. We check which operators can release this type on your routing and come back with priced options, usually within 60 minutes.
All figures are indicative planning values. Payload, range and door dimensions vary by variant, tail and operator. Every mission is subject to availability, permits and operator acceptance.