A330 - Does a forward CG make steering difficult?
Handling an A330 the other day, one of my colleagues at load control was asked by the captain to aim for a MACTOW not lower than 26%. The reason for this (besides fuel efficiency) was, according to the captain, that a CG any more forward than that made the aircraft difficult to steer on the ground.
I have issued loadsheets for A330s with MACTOWs of 23% and lower (at much higher weights) before, and I had never heard any similar complaints. Can any A330 drivers give your insight on this? And is this issue common to other types?
Cheers