Lurker here, posting for the first time.
I've been deeply involved with the Osprey for more years than I care to state. The aircraft and thje acquisition program is a modern-day Phoenix if there ever was one. In a tough OPEVAL, eight MV-22 aircraft flew desert, mountain, shipboard and shore-based missions for over 800 hours, day and night. It met almost every single performance threshold set for it all those many years ago. There is no other aircraft that can do what the V-22 does. Can it lift as much as a CH-53E? No, but it can fly twice as fast and three times as far. Can it fly as fast as a Harrier or a Hornet? No, but it can take off and land vertically.
The designers and developers of the V-22, just as with any aircraft, made a lot of tradeoffs. They wound up with a pretty good product, and the first operational Marine squadron (and many of my friends) will deploy to the Sandbox with it next year. Just watch.
Cool. Thanks.
And welcome to FR -- an excellent first comment!
Every single one of us would love to see this program go well. I admire your "can do" views.
welcome and thanks for the insight. I hope this turns out to be a safe and reliable platform.
The negativity and lack of confidence in some posts reminded me of Murtha talking about our military.
They've invested too much time bad mouthing the V-22 to ever admit they were wrong.
Thanks for your reply and service!
Based on my engineering/history/ATC experience, see the V-22 as a "transitional" aircraft. It is not perfect, few are. The first B-17 prototype crashed. Few remember that.
The V-22 is unique. Had one declare an emergency based on fuel state. Suggested alternate airports with secure military ramps. Supervisor was deeply concerned until I reminded him that the aircraft could land in any field, like a helicopter. Landed safely at a military field.
In ATC, I treat it as a helicopter that can fly fast.
Rohn
1. can the Osprey glide if it loses power to both engines?
2. can it lose it's blades if for some reason it must land conventianally? (iirc, the blades are seven feet longer than the distance from the rotor centerline to the point of tangency between the bottom of the wheels and the ground...)
If the Osprey can do both of those things, I'll be much more comfortable with it.
Does this do mid-air refueling from AirForce (boom) or Navy (basket)?
Irrelevant. The CH-53E is a heavy lift platform. The Osprey is a medium lift platform designed to replace the CH-53D and the CH-46E. You're comparing apples to oranges.
welcome!!