The Fizzled-Out Promise of the Lockheed ‘Flatbed’

The concept aircraft would utilize an open platform and various modules to carry a wide variety of loads ranging from military equipment to passengers.

Jason McDowell

Tuesday, September 19, 2023 at 12:14 PM ET

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Unconventional in many respects, an initial study found the Lockheed ‘Flatbed’ concept both technically and economically feasible. [Credit: Lockheed]

Key Takeaways:

Lockheed's 1980 "Flatbed" concept was a highly versatile transport aircraft designed to carry passengers, standard cargo, and uniquely, outsized military equipment on an open platform using interchangeable modules.
The aircraft featured a swing-away nose for rapid loading of cargo and passenger modules, with the latter intended to revolutionize point-to-point travel by allowing off-airport boarding for quick turns.
Despite significant aerodynamic challenges and increased fuel burn when carrying unsheltered external cargo, studies concluded the Flatbed was technically and economically feasible, though it never progressed beyond theoretical research.

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In 1980, a small team of engineers from Lockheed explored a bizarre concept, the likes of which had never been studied before.

The group recognized that the transport aircraft category traditionally comprised three separate subcategories—passenger, cargo, and outsized cargo. It then created a concept that would combine all three. Aptly called the “Flatbed,” the concept aircraft would utilize an open platform and various modules to carry a wide variety of loads ranging from military equipment to passengers.