Car ferries

[chornedsnorkack]

Carvair was built out of DC-4. It kept the wing and engines, but the nose was replaced with a bigger one, including nose door and cockpit up in the hump above nose door - the prototype for 747.

There are said to be a number of propeller car ferries, including Bristol Freighters.

Can widebody jetliner holds be used as car ferries? Like B747, B767, A380?

I gather that the holds are low. Maximum height of 163 cm, for all widebodies between 767 to 747.

This means that sedans can be put in holds, and so can limousines - but SUV-s and most crossovers are too high. Rolls-Royce is barely low enough.

Do passenger airlines normally offer car tickets?

[DaveSims]

I don't know if I've ever heard of such a thing except in the movies.  In the case of the Carvair, the main deck was turned into a cargo deck for transporting cars, they weren't on the lower deck.  I would imagine that would be the case in modern aircraft as well.  

[chornedsnorkack]

In the case of the Carvair, the main deck was turned into a cargo deck for transporting cars, they weren't on the lower deck.  I would imagine that would be the case in modern aircraft as well.  

Carvair is based on DC-4, a narrowbody with a small hold. Modern narrowbodies also have holds which are too small to hold cars, with 100...110 cm height on A320 and B737 families, less than this on DC-9.

But widebodies have 163 cm height in the hold.

[DaveSims]

Five feet is still pretty short, plus you have to factor in the door size and weight of the car.  I searched the internet and couldn't find anything.

One other thing I just considered, which I should have thought of earlier, being an airport firefighter.  US passenger carriers are not allowed to carry hazardous materials of any kind.  A car with its batteries, oil, and gas content would definitely qualify as hazardous cargo.  So even if it would fit, it wouldn't be allowed onboard a passenger aircraft.

[garryrussell]

I once watched a Renault on a pallet being unloaded from an Airbus A.310 rear cargo hold....this was at Orly in 1989

Tight fit

If any car are carried it will be as freight not like the old Air Ferries days.

The mention about Carvairs not having the cars on the lower deck....they were on the lower deck

The floor was the lower deck the upper was the flight deck.

There were no underfloor holds as such on those aicraft.

[chornedsnorkack]

A car with its batteries, oil, and gas content would definitely qualify as hazardous cargo.  

How long did it take to take all oil and batteries out of the cars loaded in Carvair, and put them back again?

[Hagar]

I don't know about the Carvair but the idea was to drive cars on & off the Bristol Freighter, like a conventional car ferry. http://glostransporthistory.visit-gloucestershire.co.uk/JetAgeRMC_Bristol170.htm


It must be cheaper to hire a car these days.

[garryrussell]

The Carvair had to use a 'scisscor lift' platform

[OVERLORD_CHRIS]

Only thing that comes to mind is the KDC-10 that the Netherlands have, because it is a combi, so it would be loaded in the rear or the front, it has been so long since I have seen one. But any way it is half cargo have passenger plane.

http://www.airliners.net/search/photo.s ... ersion=6.0
http://www.airliners.net/photo/Netherla ... id=1316696

[Hagar]

It occurs to me that you could drive a fair few cars into the cargo bay of something like a Galaxy or a C-17. Whether this would pass the health & safety regulations for civilian use is highly doubtful.

I don't think there is much call for airline passengers taking their own cars with them nowadays, if there ever was.

[DaveSims]

Only thing that comes to mind is the KDC-10 that the Netherlands have, because it is a combi, so it would be loaded in the rear or the front, it has been so long since I have seen one. But any way it is half cargo have passenger plane.

http://www.airliners.net/search/photo.s ... ersion=6.0
http://www.airliners.net/photo/Netherla ... id=1316696

Combi aircraft (cargo and passenger combined) are forbidden in the US.

[garryrussell]

It's cheaper to hire a car

Lockheed proposed a car carrying civil Galaxy I think it was about 40

Cars do get freighted in 747F for exhibitions and races but not really cost effective for your family holiday

It was only really the channel link that was a great success but only until roll on roll of ferries and later hovercraft became the better option.

When Silver City started sea travel meant cars had to be craned on and off each end meaning a long wait and a longer crossing

With the freighter you could in theory be driving in France 30 mins after arriving at Lydd

[OVERLORD_CHRIS]

Combi aircraft (cargo and passenger combined) are forbidden in the US.

Really?!?!? How long has then been a law? And could you direct me to this I want to read it.
I never knew that.

[DaveSims]

I'd have to dig hard to find it, but I assure you, you won't find an actual combi aircraft flying here.  I think it is either because you can't carry freight that is accessible during flight, and because many ordinary cargo items are considered too hazardous to be on passenger flights.

[OVERLORD_CHRIS]

Makes since,I just never thought about it before.