You'll take the word of the pilots who have been
ordered to fly it, and whose fitness reports will reflect how gung-ho they pretend to be about the project.
The rest of the active duty Marines I know call it the Widowmaker and are praying for it to be axed.
I take the words of pilots who volunteer, meaning they aren't ordered, to fly the aircraft. There are a lot more pilots volunteering to fly the Osprey than there are asking to be transferred from the program. Anybody who wanted off the program was allowed to go, no questions asked. I take the words of pilots who are tired of flying 40 year old helicopters that have had their flight envelopes restricted due to airframe fatigue. I take the word of people like Lt. Col. Ron Culp who requested his detailer ensure that he would be given orders back to the Osprey program following his year in Okinawa. How many Marines do you personally know who are involved in the project at PAX River, New River and Quantico?
I know a lot of grunts who are scared to death of flying in a 40 year old CH-46, the Boeing Body Bag and can't wait until they're replaced with MV-22s. I know a lot of grunts who are afraid that their AAVs are going to flood and sink every time they muster in the well deck. I know a lot of grunts who worry that the Marine bringing up the rear on a patrol will get sloppy, make a mistake and end up getting the rest of his squad or fire team killed in an ambush. I also know a Master Gunny who is the avionics chief, as well as a crew chief, in a CH-53E squadron at New River who wears a rabbits foot every time he flies and keeps chewable pepto bismol tablets in his flightsuit to calm his stomach. How many Marines do you know at VMMT-204?