This Aerospace Information Report (AIR) serves a dual purpose. It enables the user (aircraft manufacturer/airline) to do the following: a. to make a positive decision for the installation of a powered drive system in the cargo loading system during the definition of the aircraft on-board cargo loading system to be developed/procured; and b. to provide the user with general requirements to be taken into consideration during the preparation of component specifications for powered drive units (PDUs) to be used in aircraft cargo systems. This is to provide the author of such a component specification with a selection of criteria in order to obtain an optimum component suitable for the users' applications