V-22 Osprey, tiltrotar, a rare bird...

[embdude]

These were taken at the factory in Amarillo, Texas. I fly in there regularly but this is the first time I have seen one of these birds fully assembeled. It even flew around the airport.

Unfortunatly it was a grey overcast kinda day.....

[Ballen Photo]

WOW! That is one strange looking Bird. :rolleyes: Nice shot, and thanks for sharing. :D
-Bruce

[Pyromaniac]

I'm an aircraft mechanic and a former Marine and that thing has far to many moving parts even for an aircraft. Plus it's a flying death trap. But the shots are pretty good.

[JohnEBongo]

My brother-in-law was a Navy pilot and through a connection he had at Patuxent River Naval Air Station, I got fly the simulator for the V-22. It was a blast, but I wouldn't want to try the real thing......

[tmunson]

You think a CH-53 is loud and obnoxious...you should here one of these beasts.

[CyberDyneSystems]

Anyone know what the current state of affairs is for this bird?

It's been on the table for .. what .. two decades??

Has it actually been adopted for real?
Is it still in trials? (must be the longest trials in history)

[HJMinard]

Anyone know what the current state of affairs is for this bird?

It's been on the table for .. what .. two decades??

Has it actually been adopted for real?
Is it still in trials? (must be the longest trials in history)

The Marine Corps used them briefly in (I believe) 2000-2001. After a couple crashes killed about 30 Marines they grounded them. I've seen some reports (http://www.news-record.com/news/now/osprey_062905.htm) that they'll be bringing them back relatively soon. The whole program has been a financial disaster for Marine Corps aviation, and the Corps should have ditched this effort years ago.

[Skip Souza]

The Marine Corps used them briefly in (I believe) 2000-2001. After a couple crashes killed about 30 Marines they grounded them. I've seen some reports (http://www.news-record.com/news/now/osprey_062905.htm) that they'll be bringing them back relatively soon. The whole program has been a financial disaster for Marine Corps aviation, and the Corps should have ditched this effort years ago.
Amen. This is one Osprey that should be extinct.

Nice photos though, Chris.

[Dew]

They're based at MCAS New River (http://www.newriver.usmc.mil/AirCraft/aircraft.htm) and I'm visiting the base the Friday before NAS Oceana show in September!
They are operational, and they have 12, I beleive. (here (http://maps.google.com/maps?q=28545-1001&ll=34.716057,-77.447895&spn=0.008959,0.010294&t=k&hl=en)'s some on the ground!)

[Andy_T]

Hmm ... maybe I'm in a minority here, but I think it is an awesome bird :shock:

Best regards,
Andy

[Jetmech1]

I'm an aircraft mechanic and a former Marine and that thing has far to many moving parts even for an aircraft. Plus it's a flying death trap. But the shots are pretty good.

Pyro--I'm an aircraft mech also. I come to CVG several times a year for training. The Osprey is a neet looking aircraft, but I don't think I would want to fly on it. A lot of milatary aircraft have troubled beginings though.

[Ikinaa]

Hmm ... maybe I'm in a minority here, but I think it is an awesome bird :shock:

Best regards,
Andy

Count me in the minority too...

Birds that look like two helicopters with in airplane in the middle have to please me... :D

[HJMinard]

Hmm ... maybe I'm in a minority here, but I think it is an awesome bird :shock:

Best regards,
Andy

Unfortunately, cool concepts and neat looks don't make up for lost lives and billions of wasted (taxpayer) dollars. Even if they work out most of the safety issues, these aircraft haven't proven capable of transitioning rapidly from fixed-wing to rotary-wing ... something very necessary when approaching a hot landing zone. That makes it an expensive, one-dimensional (cargo ... not troop transport) aircraft, certainly not well suited to a relatively small and flexible service like the Marine Corps.

P.S. I hope they prove me wrong ... hopefully just major growing pains.

[Andy_T]

Unfortunately, cool concepts and neat looks don't make up for lost lives and billions of wasted (taxpayer) dollars.


Is that so?
I thought that these were necessary by-products of most military development activities :twisted:

I mean, every child knows that things that are heavier than air can not *really* fly.
So a little risk will have to be accepted :wink:

Best regards,
Andy

[muscleflex]

i've seen a video of one of these that crashed! don't think i have that video anymore...

[Pyromaniac]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Pyromaniac
I'm an aircraft mechanic and a former Marine and that thing has far to many moving parts even for an aircraft. Plus it's a flying death trap. But the shots are pretty good.


Jetmech1
Pyro--I'm an aircraft mech also. I come to CVG several times a year for training. The Osprey is a neet looking aircraft, but I don't think I would want to fly on it. A lot of milatary aircraft have troubled beginings though.

You'll have to let me know when you in town again. It would be nice to meet some fellow POTN members.

Unfortunately, cool concepts and neat looks don't make up for lost lives and billions of wasted (taxpayer) dollars. Even if they work out most of the safety issues, these aircraft haven't proven capable of transitioning rapidly from fixed-wing to rotary-wing ... something very necessary when approaching a hot landing zone. That makes it an expensive, one-dimensional (cargo ... not troop transport) aircraft, certainly not well suited to a relatively small and flexible service like the Marine Corps.

I think that they would be much better suited to just replace the CH-46 with a newer helicopter. Maybe just build new ones and improve on a proven design.

The whole program really should have been scraped years ago.

[DavidEB]

If the military contractors designed the 20D it would have two lenses, one left one right, a fancy prism to bring the light paths together, maybe a rotating lens turret, a $100,000 price tag, and it would ocassionally electrocute the photographer.

[CyberDyneSystems]

I too love the concept.. on Paper it serves a role,. and would be a nice asset to the fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft..

Coast Guard as well as Marine could certainly use a craft like this....

But as I mentioned .. this plain has been trying to get off the ground for well over a decade..

On the other hand.. it seems all our latest birds are having such bizarere ridiculously long trial periods..

When was the first time you saw a Commanche prototype? Christ they showed up in Vidoe games ten years ago..

What about the f/22 and f/23? Same thing.

Are all these planes dogs?

[tmunson]

Um...A helicopter/airplane that can do external loads, do troop insertions, and does over 300mph is extremely useful military tool. As usual in the experimental stage a few were lost...expected. Does that make it a bad aircraft? Hardly. Aviation is inherently a dangerous business, and the people involved know that. Even if the aircraft hadn't made it into full blown production, its contribution to aerospace technology would have been every bit worth it.

[embdude]

it's a flying death trap.

I believe that was its original designation "V-22 Flying Death Trap". Apparently however the widows and orphans focus group seemed to prefer "Osprey" some type of cute bird that eats fish and field mice...

As for the Comanche.... its program was killed off last year. I don't know of any US rotorcraft programs in the works, based on a new airframe, except for the V-22. Since it is made, or at least assembeled, in Texas, I serriously doubt the future of the program is in much jepoardy. These things seem to be more politics than based on the need of the Corps or safety of the aircraft (nothing new really, ask Billy Mitchel...).

[tmunson]

The UH-60 Blackhawk in its beggining had critical problems with the stabilator that would drive down unanounced and fly the aircraft into the ground. The CH-53E Sea Stallion overcame tailrotors flying off in flight due to a weak disconnect coupling design...the list goes on and on. The V-22 in time will become a staple to ground commanders making tactical decisions. I knew one of the pilots killed while piloting one of these state of the art aircraft. As far as the family members of deceased pilots and crewmembers...they are proud that their loved one could serve in such capacity. From concept to production of any aircraft, aircraft and personnel are lost along with a large passing of time. The outcome? Large robust and dependable aircraft that serve their intended mission purpose originally sought out in its design. IMO the V-22 in time will undoubtedly experience this precedence.