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Marines deploy MV-22 Osprey to Iraq

v22_header.jpg

The Marines have deployed the Boeing MV-22 to Iraq. To those of you not in the aviation world, that aircraft is a 'tiltrotor' a hybrid between a helicopter and a standard fixed wing aircraft. it can fly like an aircraft and then transition into 'hover mode' for very short helicopter style landings. And yes, we in the US are the only people in the world with such things as this aircraft.

So let's all keep our fingers crossed that it works, ok?

Here's a great briefing on the deployment of this new technology.

snip..

"GEN. CASTELLAW: First of all, you know, the primary troop assault aircraft now is the CH-46. It's almost 40 years old. It was introduced in the middle of Vietnam. The aircraft is old in the tooth, and its capability in terms of range and payload is not what we want. So we have been developing the V-22 as its replacement, again, to survive in a combat environment. This aircraft from the very beginning, from the time we put the first piece on the deck, was held to stringent combat characteristics and requirements.

So what we have is an aircraft that goes twice as fast. It goes three times as far, and it is the most survivable, about six or seven times of what the aircraft that it replaces is. On a mission, it can be at 200-plus knots in 15 seconds climbing the altitude. Fixed-wing use altitude as an area to get outside of the range of missiles and fire -- small-arms fire. We'll be able to do the same thing with this aircraft to get above the threat."

end snip...

Let's hope it works as planned, or the whole practice of "vertical envelopment" on the battlefield will take one big step backwards. Helicopters are becoming increasingly vulnerable on the battlefield, the MV-22 is a way to keep the abilities of the helicopter while getting the advantages in range, speed and carrying capacity of a fixed wing aircraft.

I've talked to pilots who fly it ground crew that work on it and there are skeptics and fans in both of those groups. The proof for all weapon systems lies not in the labratory or in idle bar talk, but in the battlefield. I heard all sorts of skepticism about the F-117 Nighthawk, the F/A-18 and even the A-10 Warthog when they were in the process of moving from the labratory to the battlefield, but you dont hear so much of it now and I suspect that you wont hear it about the Osprey in 15 years either.

If it works, its going to be terrific. If it works, it will make war that much more unlikely. If not, lots of people arent going to come home and the possibility of war is that much more likely. It's as simple as that.

A history of accidents? Yes, the Osprey has had her share, but compare it to the number of accidents during the development of any helicopter system and it puts it in better perspective.

I'm betting that she does just fine. Frankly, I'm hoping and praying she does fine.

Posted @ April 16, 2007 07:30 AM | Aviation

Comments

What's the red thing coming off the nose in the picture?

Posted by: Pat at April 17, 2007 11:12 PM

Has anything been done with vtol ducted fan aircraft since the Bell X-22A? I mean, other than that Moller "skycar" thing. I have been trying to figure out a way to make it work for a near future story I'm writing.

Posted by: TBinSTL at April 18, 2007 01:37 AM

It's all gonna revolve around training.

Helicopters are so much harder to fly than airplanes- If you try to put airplane pilots in this cockpit, you can expect a lot of 'em to be made into expensive scrap, with the incumbent slaughter of good lives.

When they first designed this thing, they put a throttle in it like the one on an airplane, rather than a helicopter "collective" control.
An airplane guy was overseeing the program, and his thought process was, "it flies like an airplane most of the time, so it should have airplane controls, right?"
Wrong. in its mostly critical mode of flight it's a helicopter, susceptible to such helicopter things as "settling with power" (many Marines died in Marana, AZ because of a lack of understanding of this phenomenon... a typical airplane-style mistake.)

If the MV-22 is gonna be safe, it's imperative to put experienced helicopter pilots in that cockpit, and teach them what they need to know in order to be competent airplane pilots. That done, I think this machine will revolutionize troop movement, and the spinoffs will also revolutionize my industry... EMS helicopter ambulances.

And Frank, as an aside... this use of the word "aircraft" to exclude helicopters-
FAR Part 1:
"Aircraft means a device that is used or intended to be used for flight in the air."
'Nuff said.

Posted by: Greybeard at April 19, 2007 05:23 PM

Pat-
Since no one else is jumping on your question, I'll give you my answer:
During initial test flying, most prototype "aircraft" have an extended pitot tube to insure the airspeed indicator is far enough in front of the machine to measure undisturbed air. As the machine moves from prototype to production, that extended pitot is replaced with a smaller, less conspicuous example. I think the red tube you referred to is the long "prototype" version.
The only other thing it could be is a refueling probe, but the diameter of this tube appears to small for that function.

Posted by: Greybeard at April 20, 2007 05:32 AM

The red fixture on the nose is the refuelling probe.

Posted by: T-Bo at April 20, 2007 06:15 AM