A Final Push for the Bedeviled, Beloved Osprey

Remember now that this story is from the New York Times which is not exactly friendly to the military. They would rather see the money spent on social programs. I would want to see more sources before making up my mind on the subject. Parley
The reason this POS of an aircraft is under consideration by the USMC is the NY Congressional delegation wants it. Bell is located in NY. The Marines have been basically told that they are stuck with it. This thing has sucked the USMC dry of all R&D funds that could be better spent on other things the Corps really needs.

Dick Cheney canceled the F-14D. Cheney tried to cancel the Osprey a month after its first flight, even before it had flown in fixed wing mode, based on the advice of an accountant by the name of Dr. David Chu. Chu made his recommendation based solely on cost and poor math skills. When it was pointed out to Chu and Cheney that their proposal for buying CH-53Es and UH-60s would cost more than the Osprey, because more helicopters would have to be purchased than MV-22s to accomplish the same missions, they were left slack-jawed. Cheney more often than not had the fecal touch while SECDEF.

The reason this POS of an aircraft is under consideration by the USMC is the NY Congressional delegation wants it. Bell is located in NY.

Wrong. Bell is located in Texas, Boeing is located in Pennsylvania.

The Marines have been basically told that they are stuck with it.

Wrong. The Corps has been the only consistent proponent of the Osprey when everyone else has, at times, bailed out. When all the chicken littles of the world have told the Marine Corps that the Osprey won't work, the Corps has continued to thumb their nose at them. Just like when the Army, et al told us in the early days of the Korean War that helicopters couldn't be used in combat. We proved the idiots wrong then and we'll prove them wrong again.

This thing has sucked the USMC dry of all R&D funds that could be better spent on other things the Corps really needs.

Wrong. The Corps has continued to spend R&D money on a number of other weapons systems including but not limited to the F-35B and the AAAV.

Your entire post is a load of ignorant bravo sierra.

Bell was originally located in NY, Bethpage, I believe. The Osprey plant is in Amarillo. The Osprey has had problems since day one. It has been alleged that the USMC maintenance crews were ordered to overlook problems with the Osprey. I don't know if this is true or not. The USMC Osprey pilot who had the most flight time in Ospreys was killed in an Osprey crash. There was an AW&ST article a few years back that spelled out the Osprey developmental problems. This article discussed how R&D money was diverted from other USMC programs to the Osprey. I am still of the opinion the Osprey is an overpriced turkey.

Bell was originally located in NY, Bethpage, I believe.

Incorrect. Bell was originally located in Buffalo. Bell Helicopter has been headquartered in Texas since 1951 not New York. Textron, located in Providence, Rhode Island, purchased Bell Helicopter in 1960. You claimed "the NY Congressional delegation wants it. Bell is located in NY." That is false.

It has been alleged that the USMC maintenance crews were ordered to overlook problems with the Osprey. I don't know if this is true or not.

Incorrect. What was done was that aircraft that were down, not flyable, were reported as being flyable. Nothing more than pencil whipping to show a higher readiness rate. Something which takes place in fleet squadrons everyday of the week in all branches of the service. Mechanics did not ignore maintenance issues.

The USMC Osprey pilot who had the most flight time in Ospreys was killed in an Osprey crash.

Keith Sweaney violated NATOPS procedures by attempting to continue flying an aircraft that he was trained to immediately land when the FCS could not be reset. Other aircrews who experienced similar hydraulic failures successfully landed their aircraft by following procedure. I'm sure you've heard the cliche about there being old pilots and bold pilots but no old, bold pilots.

This article discussed how R&D money was diverted from other USMC programs to the Osprey.

I'd appreciate it if you could find a link to that article and post it. The budget for the Osprey has been repeatedly cut and Cheney, while SECDEF, repeatedly diverted funds appropriated for the Osprey to other projects and only stopped when he was threatened with being sued by Congress for his illegal activity.

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