Berlin Airlift

The Berlin Airlift showed that disciplined scheduling can turn an airlift into a high-throughput supply chain, delivering about 2.3 million tons to a city of roughly two million people. Aircraft flew in tight sequences along fixed air corridors into Tempelhof and other airfields, with standard loads, fast unloading, and strict landing slots. In the Easter Parade of April 15 to 16, 1949, crews delivered 12,941 tons in 24 hours. The blockade ended on May 12, 1949, but flights continued until September 30. Dock appointment scheduling, standard pallet loads, and slot-based yard management apply the same principles in warehouses.

• Yard Management SystemYMSSoftware that tracks trailers in the yard
• Appointment DeliveryFreight delivery at a scheduled time
• ThroughputWork completed per hour or per day

• The Hump Airlift1942–1945 · Allied planes fly supplies over the Himalayas to China
• Transportation Data Coordinating Committee (TDCC)1968 · US carriers begin standard formats for EDI
• Boeing 747 Freighter1972 · The first 747 freighter enters service with Lufthansa

1. The Berlin Airlift, 1948-1949 history.state.gov
2. Berlin Blockade en.wikipedia.org
3. Berlin blockade britannica.com