A method and apparatus for converting aircraft from civilian cargo to CRAF use includes a pallet guide attached to the cargo deck of the aircraft. The pallet guide includes a pair of L-shaped structural channel members that are arranged back-to-back and staggered longitudinally along the length of the aircraft cargo deck. The L-shaped guide members are staggered back-to-back to enable military 463 L pallets to be guided along both the port and starboard sides of the pallet guide with one row of pallets loaded transverse to the centerline and one row of pallets loaded parallel to the centerline. The pallet guide includes a third guide member comprising a substantially T-shaped body displaced laterally with respect to the L-shaped guide members. For loading and unloading standard commercial pallets, the L-shaped guide members are rotated into a retracted position below the deck height of the cargo deck. The T-shaped guide member are then be moved from a retracted position below the deck height to a deployed position to engage the edges of the commercial pallets.