JV
you may object as you want, but:
- the nose down has been identified by AI as THE major problem for offering the A330-200F. During the tests the persons pushing the pallets did actually have to jump away to safety and some locks were shed off in the process of the sliding of the pallet. The intended break pads were totally ineffective. Only the safety structure installed in front of the 9G net specifically for the event was able to hold the pallet. Not what you really want. Also MD pallets have that tendency to be double to triple as heavy as LD pallets. The test was run by AI due to a request by the CFG (Customer Focus Group) since none of the then present representatives was ready to accept the aircraft as such without further investigation in the matter. As we see the result was clear. You can handle some 1.5 degrees manually, but above that it starts to be difficult.
Also AI is ONLY talking about the A330-200 as the other fuselages are too long to be considered viable for a production freighter, lest for a conversion with usefull enough loads. It is not about total masses but really about the distribution of masses. The A330/340 family is built for running loads that are based on pallets and containers in the belly and a high density passenger load on the main. General Cargo was not considered during design.
So, should AI effectively start to market the A330-200F, then you will actually get a shortened A340-600 Tube with A330-200 wings and systems. The A340-600's tube is reinforced as much as the lower lobe skin is thinker than that of other A340's therefore, in the length of the A330 fuse being able to cope with the expected shear loads. In addition the freighter version of the A330-200 would have some local reinforcement in floor beams. Only with that are you able to get a halfway decent payload.
AI Passenger aircraft cannot be modified as simply as Boeing or MDD models. Either you have a very expensive reinfocing of the fuse (for which I doubt AI will give you design support; and which will cut into your payload) or you limit your payload which then means you take economical viability out of the aircraft.