Osprey Headed Into Combat

tomtom22

Chief Engineer
Osprey Headed Into Combat
Associated Press | February 28, 2006
lead_060228.jpg
RALEIGH, N.C. - The Marine Corps plans to send the troubled Osprey aircraft into combat zones within a year and is activating a squadron of the tilt-rotor planes this week.
"Obviously, due to operational concerns we don't want to tell exactly when they will deploy," said spokesman Master Sgt. Phil Mehringer at Marine Corps Air Station New River, where the squadron will be based. "But it's certainly going to happen in the near future. Definitely, within a year."
The Osprey, which takes off and lands like a helicopter and flies like an airplane, had a troubled start.
Four Marines died in a 2000 crash in North Carolina that was caused by a ruptured titanium hydraulic line. Nineteen others were killed in a crash that year in Arizona that investigators blamed on pilot error.
The Pentagon approved full production of the Osprey in a $19 billion program last year, and the Marines have been showing them off. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld flew aboard one last week.
Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 263, which will carry the Vietnam-era "Thunder Chickens" nickname of the helicopter unit it is replacing, is to be formally activated Friday. There are about 250 people in the squadron and nine aircraft, Mehringer said.
The Ospreys will replace the aging, Vietnam-era fleet of CH-46E twin-rotor helicopters. The newer aircraft can carry more cargo and fly five times farther at speeds around 300 mph.

:brave:
 
This is the worst A/C to become operational before it is ready since the F-111.
 
Weren't the original problems caused by a conflict between imperial and metric measurements in the craft and the software?
 
Whispering Death said:
I wish the best for her but all I'm saying is I'm not getting in one.

I say that every time I get on one. :| That and, "hey, can we jump yet?!?"
 
Whispering Death said:
Airforce has Osperys?

I thought they only made leathernecks get in em'.

The MV-22 is the Marine variant and the CV-22 is AFSOC's variant.

The Air Force has worked hand in hand with the Marine Corps on this project.
 
RnderSafe said:
The MV-22 is the Marine variant and the CV-22 is AFSOC's variant.

The Air Force has worked hand in hand with the Marine Corps on this project.
I didn't know that, how long has the air force used them and how many do they have, and what's the difference between the two models?
 
All of the AF drivers and crew have been trained on the MV variants.


The CV is tailored (kinda) to the SOF mission, where as the MV is more of a conventional troop transport. So we have all of the bells, whistles and gadgets. Advanced avionics, more fuel (about 4k lbs extra) and on and on. There are only a few out there right now, but a total of 50 is expected in all.


It is a very limited A/C at this time, and won't be able to fulfill all of the mission requirements the 47s and 53s do, despite their age. And that rotor wash is a killer.
 
You know, I get on paper how it's better than the Blackhawk and the Sea Knight with the speed/range/payload thing. But it seems to be a rather dangerous aircraft with a lot of questions. Like can it get into the same landing zones than a blackhawk can? Is it going to have to be flown by the book with kid gloves so it doesn't fall out of the sky like 4 others have?

I would be concerned stepping onto one just for a day flight down to Houston. When you're taking going into a combat zone there ain't no way!

I think it could be an excellent aircraft due to its range/speed/payload but the one thing I hope they remembered to put on that snappy list of features is to make sure it flies.
 
Last edited:
Whispering Death said:
You know, I get on paper how it's better than the Blackhawk and the Sea Knight with the speed/range/payload thing. But it seems to be a rather dangerous aircraft with a lot of questions. Like can it get into the same landing zones than a blackhawk can? Is it going to have to be flown by the book with kid gloves so it doesn't fall out of the sky like 4 others have?

I would be concerned stepping onto one just for a day flight down to Houston. When you're taking going into a combat zone there ain't no way!

I think it could be an excellent aircraft due to its range/speed/payload but the one thing I hope they remembered to put on that snappy list of features is to make sure it flies.

I could go on and on about this half-breed and its problems, but the main problem is that it was pushed through, accountability on this thing is near zero. I can accept that lives are often lost in testing of new equpitment, but what I can't handle is when problems are covered up and ignored to push a project through.

 
Back
Top