James ‘Jim’ Jackson, a driving force behind the standardisation of aircraft unit load devices (ULD) and the supporting aircraft and ground-handling technical requirements, has been welcomed to The International Air Cargo Association’s (TIACA) Hall of Fame.
Jackson is an air-cargo handling and logistics innovator, a lifelong champion of international standardisation, and an engineering solutions-finder for the air cargo industry, who fostered the ubiquitous ULD—the LD3.
Gary Bartek, a member of TIACA Chairman’s Council, said “The development of ULDs like the LD3 became one of the great enablers for the advancement of the air cargo industry, beyond and past the bulk cargo era. We are very pleased to recognise this significant achievement.”
He spent 40 years with American Airlines, where he held management roles in line cargo operations, aircraft and cargo ground equipment development, aircraft specification and configuration, and cargo market and finance planning.
He chaired both the Society of Automotive Engineers’ (SAE) Air Cargo Committee (AGE-2A) and the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) ULD Board, and concurrently inaugurated and chaired the International Standards Organization’s (ISO) Air Cargo and Ground Equipment technical sub-committee (SC-9), from the mid-1960s through the early-1980s.
SAE’s Technical Board awarded him a Certificate of Appreciation in 1974 for internationalising the Standards development processes and securing worldwide acceptance of fundamental air cargo criteria.
Under his leadership, the baseline technical standards for ULDs, aircraft cargo handling systems, and aircraft ground equipment and handling during the transition from propeller to jet, and later widebody, aircraft were developed and globally recognized.
The SAE’s Aerospace Council conferred its Franklin W. Kolk Air Transportation Progress Award for 2001 to Jim in recognition of his broad contributions and leadership in air cargo transportation.
He helped establish, and was twice chairman of, SAE’s Air Cargo Forum (ACF), which has evolved into one of the air-cargo industry’s premier events. He served on the ACF Executive Committee for 34 years.
He is a founder of TIACA, which emerged from the SAE’s Air Cargo Forum Committee in 1990 and assumed the operation of the ACF. He also served in the US Army during both World War II and the Korean Conflict and received a Bachelor of Science in Air Transportation from The University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA).
Jackson will be formally inaugurated to the Hall of Fame at a gala dinner during TIACA’s Executive Summit and Annual General Meeting in Miami, Florida, USA on the 20th of May.
The Executive Summit will focus on the challenges and opportunities in Latin America, as well as playing host to a series of panel debates and interactive workshops on global airfreight issues.
“Jim is an inspirational airfreight pioneer, and it is wonderful that he is being recognised for his leadership and innovation,” said Doug Brittin, secretary general, TIACA.
The TIACA Hall of Fame honours air-cargo professionals who have played a role in the progress of aviation and have helped to shape and grow the industry.
TIACA members, industry organisations, and the press are invited to nominate individuals for consideration, and honourees are selected by TIACA’s Chairman’s Council, which includes all past chairman and the current chairman of the association.
