What is ISO 16049‑2 about?
ISO 16049 discusses standards for air cargo equipment.
ISO 16049‑2 focuses on utilization requirements and recommendations and lashing calculations for cargo restraint straps.
ISO 16049‑2 is part-2 of a series of documents that specifies
ISO 16049‑2 aims at providing general utilization requirements and recommendations and calculation methods adequate to guarantee the effectiveness and ultimate load strength of tie-down/ lashing arrangements performed to restrain cargo on board civil transport aircraft during flight:
- Cargo loaded and tied down onto airworthiness approved air cargo pallets, themselves restrained into aircraft lower deck or main deck or upper deck cargo systems meeting the restraint requirements of air cargo pallets approved in accordance with ISO 8097 (NAS3610) or ISO 21100
- Additional tie-down on aircraft structure when necessitated by pallet maximum gross mass or centre of gravity limits
- Non-unitized individual pieces of cargo, or pieces of cargo placed onto an unrestrained (“floating”) pallet into either lower deck, main deck, or upper deck containerized cargo compartments of an aircraft
- Individual pieces of load loaded in non-containerized (bulk loaded) baggage or cargo compartments.
ISO 16049‑2 applies to cargo tie-down/lashing arrangements using exclusively air cargo restraint straps conforming to ISO 16049-1. Its general recommendations may also be used for tie-down arrangements using other means (e.g., steel cables, rope, other types of straps), but under the user’s responsibility as to their adequacy and the strength calculations required.
Who is ISO 16049‑2 for?
ISO 16049‑2 on utilization requirements and lashing calculations for cargo restraint straps is useful for these entities:
- Ground support equipment (GSE) manufacturers
- Airlines
- Airports
- Cargo restraint strap manufacturers
- Regulatory bodies/compliance authorities
ISO 16049‑2 on utilization requirements and lashing calculations for cargo restraint straps is useful for these professionals:
- Maintenance crew for air cargo vehicles
- Design engineers
- Quality control professionals
Why should you use ISO 16049‑2?
ISO 16049‑2 provides you with the utilization requirements and recommendations and lashing calculations applicable to air cargo restraint straps to be used for tie-down of unitized or non-unitized cargo on board civil transport aircraft.
As a manufacturer of cargo restraint straps, you would refer to the guidelines in ISO 16049‑2to comply with utilization requirements and lashing calculations.
By adopting ISO 16049‑2, you can demonstrate the reliability of your restraint straps assemblies and build trust in their use throughout the aircraft supply chain.
What’s changed since the last update?
BS ISO 16049‑2:2020 supersedes BS ISO 16049‑2:2013. BS ISO 16049‑2:2020 includes some technical changes concerning BS ISO 16049‑2:2013. These include:
- New 4.14, Figure 3 and Table 1 regarding the maximum number of tie-down locations on a pallet
- Deletion in 5.1, Basic methods, of Figure 4 former first drawing without lateral restraint dedicated straps
- The specification in 6.2, Calculation principles, of centreline angle and floor angle
- Deletion in 6.3, Practical calculation, and Bibliography of references to IATA AHM 311 and AHM 450
- New 6.4, Calculation sheet

