463L origins

[snopes]

Comment: That the pallets used by the miltary, specifically the US Air
Force are named such - 463L - and that this number was drawn up by this
being interpreted as being that the contract to develope them or make them
was contract on April(4) 1963(63) by a contractors whos name started with
an "L." Can you help mer with this? I have looked everywhere and just
can't seem to find the answer. Oh by the way, don't ask the Air Force
becuase I get that huh...well that is a good question isn't it?

[Majorsam]

Yay! A non-spitting thread!

The L probably doesn't stand for the contractor. The original contractor was AAR Cadillac Manufacturing.

I'll keep my ears open for an alternate explanation.

[Eddylizard]

All I can find suggests (from not greatly reliable sources) that 463 means April 1963 the date of first manufacture.

As a wild guess maybe L stands for logistics or logistical?

[Majorsam]

I saw a couple of those cites for the 463 portion. I can kind of believe it....if they stamped it with the date it could erroneously have been interpreted by the users that that was the official designation.

L could be logistics, or it could be Light or Long as well. Wild suppostion on my part.

[TrekkerScout]

When "L" is used in relation to cargo systems of the Air Force, it usually means "Load" or "Loader". Examples:

NGSL = Next Generation Small Loader (mobile 25000 lb cargo loader)

CL-3 = "Wilson" Cargo Loader (self-propelled air transportable cargo elevator)

ULD = Unit-Load Device (general term for any cargo container or pallet/net configuration)

Since 463L refers to the cargo loading system and not just the pallet, it can be deduced that the "L" means Load(er) in this case. However, this is still only speculation and I could be completely wrong.

When I was training in Aerial Port Operations with the Air Force we were told that 463 refers to April, 1963 (when the system was put into service) and 'L' stands for Logistics.