CARGO TRAININGS · BY ASG
Aviation Cargo Training Overview
Aviation cargo operations require highly specialised training to manage the diverse range of commodities carried by air: from general freight and mail to dangerous goods, live animals, perishable cargo, temperature-sensitive pharmaceuticals, valuable goods, and oversized freight. Each cargo category requires specific handling procedures, documentation, and quality management to ensure safe transport and regulatory compliance.
Aviation cargo training is mandated by IATA regulations, ICAO technical instructions, and national CAA requirements. Airlines subject to IOSA must demonstrate comprehensive CGO (Cargo Operations) standards compliance, including cargo acceptance procedures, special load handling, and staff training. Freight forwarders and cargo handling companies subject to ISAGO standards must demonstrate cargo quality management competency. For related cargo security training, see also our Security Trainings and for dangerous goods, our Dangerous Goods Trainings pages.
Aviation Cargo Regulatory Framework
Aviation cargo operations are governed by multiple international standards. The IATA Cargo Operations Manual and IATA Cargo Handling Manual (ICHM) provide operational procedures for cargo acceptance, documentation, labelling, and handling. The ICAO Technical Instructions for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air (Doc 9284) set the binding international standard for dangerous goods transport. The IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations (IATA DGR) translate the ICAO Technical Instructions into a practical industry reference adopted by airlines worldwide.
Specific cargo categories have additional regulatory frameworks: pharmaceuticals are subject to IATA TCR (Temperature Control Regulations) and WHO/EU GDP guidelines; live animals are subject to IATA Live Animals Regulations (LAR); perishable cargo is covered by IATA Perishable Cargo Regulations (PCR); and lithium batteries have dedicated IATA Special Provisions regulations. Airlines and cargo handlers must ensure their training programmes cover all applicable commodity categories for their specific cargo handling scope.
IOSA CGO standards require airlines to have documented cargo acceptance procedures, special load handling programmes, staff training records, and quality management frameworks for their cargo operations. IOSA auditors assess both documented procedures and operational compliance — including hands-on verification that cargo acceptance staff can correctly identify and handle special load categories. ASG’s cargo training programmes address all of these IOSA CGO competency areas.
For organisations also handling pharmaceutical cargo, our CEIV Pharma preparation includes temperature-sensitive cargo specific training — see our CEIV Pharma Audit Preparation service. For ACC3/RA3/KC3 cargo security, see our dedicated ACC3 Validation Preparation service.
Our Aviation Cargo Training Programmes
Air Cargo Acceptance & Documentation Training
Our Cargo Acceptance programme covers: air cargo acceptance procedures (general cargo, IATA regulated articles), air waybill (AWB) completion and checking, cargo documentation requirements, cargo labelling and marking, unit load device (ULD) procedures, cargo weight and piece count verification, and acceptance/rejection decision-making for regulated cargo categories. Aligned to IATA ICHM and IOSA CGO standards. Available as a 1-day classroom or online module.
Special Load Handling Training
Our Special Load Handling programme covers the acceptance, documentation, labelling, and handling requirements for all IATA special load categories: dangerous goods, live animals (IATA LAR), perishable cargo (IATA PCR), valuable cargo, human remains, wet cargo, mail, over-size and heavy cargo, and company material (COMAT). Includes practical exercises in special load recognition and handling decision-making. Available as a 2-day classroom or online self-paced module.
Cargo Security & Temperature-Sensitive Cargo Training
ASG provides specialized cargo security training (cargo supply chain security, suspicious consignment recognition, chain of custody documentation — aligned to EU 2015/1998 cargo security requirements) and temperature-sensitive cargo training (pharmaceutical cold chain management, IATA TCR requirements, cool chain documentation, temperature excursion response). For CEIV Pharma certification preparation including comprehensive cold chain training, see our CEIV Pharma Audit Preparation service.
Benefits of Professional Aviation Cargo Training
Why Choose Aero Support Group for Cargo Training?
ASG’s cargo trainers have direct aviation cargo operations experience, IATA DGR and cargo instructor qualifications, and IOSA CGO audit expertise. Our training programmes are updated with each new IATA DGR and ICHM edition, ensuring content reflects current regulatory requirements and industry practice.
We provide cargo training aligned to your specific cargo handling scope (general cargo, dangerous goods, pharmaceutical, live animals) and regulatory context (IOSA CGO, EU cargo security, national CAA requirements). For complete IOSA CGO compliance preparation, see our IOSA Audit Preparation service, and for dangerous goods specific training, our dedicated Dangerous Goods Trainings page.
IOSA CGO standards require airlines to have documented cargo acceptance procedures, special load handling programmes, staff training records (including dangerous goods category training), and cargo quality management processes. IOSA auditors assess both documented procedures and operational competency. ASG’s cargo training programmes are specifically designed to address IOSA CGO compliance requirements.
Dangerous goods training is a distinct mandatory requirement governed by ICAO Technical Instructions and IATA DGR. While dangerous goods awareness is covered in general cargo training, personnel directly involved in dangerous goods acceptance, handling, or packing require dedicated IATA DGR recurrent training at regular intervals (typically every 2 years). See our dedicated Dangerous Goods Trainings page for full IATA DGR recurrent programmes.
Staff accepting and handling live animal shipments must be trained in IATA Live Animals Regulations (LAR) requirements: species-specific container requirements, documentation, welfare assessment, emergency procedures, and carrier acceptance/rejection criteria. IATA LAR is updated annually. ASG provides LAR training as part of our Special Load Handling programme.
Dangerous goods training must be repeated every 2 years under ICAO/IATA requirements. Broader cargo training recurrence is typically set by IOSA standards and airline/GHSP training programmes, usually annually for safety-critical procedures and every 2-3 years for general cargo knowledge updates. ASG can advise on IOSA-compliant cargo training frequency requirements.
Yes. ASG provides cargo training for freight forwarders and cargo handling agents covering: cargo acceptance procedures, dangerous goods shipper requirements, cargo documentation, and cargo security (supply chain security requirements for EU ACC3/RA3/KC3 compliance). Training is tailored to the freight forwarder’s specific handling scope and applicable regulations.
- Air cargo acceptance and documentation training aligned to IATA ICHM
- Special load handling: dangerous goods, live animals, perishables, valuables
- Cargo security training (EU ACC3/RA3/KC3 cargo supply chain requirements)
- Temperature-sensitive and pharmaceutical cargo handling training
- IOSA CGO-aligned training programmes with competency records
- Updated with each new IATA DGR, LAR, PCR, and ICHM edition
Ready to Build Your Aviation Cargo Training Programme?
Aviation cargo training is essential for regulatory compliance, IOSA CGO readiness, and safe handling of the diverse commodity types carried by air. Aero Support Group provides cargo training programmes that develop practical competency aligned to current IATA regulations. Contact our team to discuss your cargo training requirements.
- Cargo Training
- Air Freight
- IATA ICHM
- IOSA CGO
- Special Load Handling
- Cargo Security
References
- IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations (IATA DGR), 65th Edition (2024)
- IATA Cargo Handling Manual (ICHM), current edition
- IATA Live Animals Regulations (LAR), current edition
- ICAO Technical Instructions for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air (Doc 9284), 2023-2024
- IATA Temperature Control Regulations (TCR), 10th Edition (2024)
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