I enjoyed this 10 minute video about a fascinating aircraft; maybe you will too.

Nice video. I watched one crash in the Potomac river in 1992 while they were still in the prototype phase.

Interesting concept, that I’m still not convinced we have all the bugs worked out on them.

quote:

Originally posted by 95flhr:
Interesting concept, that I’m still not convinced we have all the bugs worked out on them.

Statistics would suggest we don't.

Not counting the 4 crashes in testing, the V-22 has had 12 crashes (with 33 fatalities) in 16 years of operational use, out of 400 total aircraft used by 2 countries.

Compare to the Blackhawk, which has had 25 crashes in 42 years of operational use, out of 5,000 total aircraft used by 34 countries.

quote:

Originally posted by 95flhr:

Interesting concept, that I’m still not convinced we have all the bugs worked out on them.

I can't see how they will ever work the bugs out of something that doesn't know if it's a helicopter or an airplane.

The fact that NO ONE else has copied this or come up with a similar design is telling.

quote:

Originally posted by 95flhr:
Interesting concept, that I’m still not convinced we have all the bugs worked out on them.

My understanding is the concept is good, its a matter of the which mechanical design and principal is the better option to pursue. The winner of the Army Future Vertical Lift program to replace the Blackhawk, the Bell V-280 Valor uses a different rotation arrangement and the gearing principle from the Osprey.

We might just want to give it to the Chinese and Norks as a good faith gesture

at :041 reminded me of Full Metal Jacket

Git some! Git some! Git some, yeah, yeah, yeah! Anyone who runs, is a VC. Anyone who stands still, is a well-disciplined VC! You guys oughta do a story about me sometime!

Accomplishing the challenges of the military at great human cost, I would ground the Osprey. Previous vertical lift aircraft continue to provide tactical success.

https://ukdefencejournal.org.u...ost-vs-capabilities/

https://billingsflyingservice....avy-lift-helicopter/

quote:

Originally posted by RogueJSK:

quote:

Originally posted by 95flhr:
Interesting concept, that I’m still not convinced we have all the bugs worked out on them.

Statistics would suggest we don't.

Not counting the 4 crashes in testing, the V-22 has had 12 crashes (with 33 fatalities) in 16 years of operational use, out of 400 total aircraft used by 2 countries.

Compare to the Blackhawk, which has had 25 crashes in 42 years of operational use, out of 5,000 total aircraft used by 34 countries.

Not a criticism but I’m curious where you got the number of crashes? I personally know of 4 (CV-22s only, which comprise a fraction of the total fleet) so I suspect the real number for airframe is higher. There’s also a lot of “landed real fast to avoid impending crash” moments that never make the news but definitely damage the aircraft. Combined with an operational reliability rate in the low 60s, I think the aircraft is garbage and should be scrapped.

quote:

Originally posted by arabiancowboy:
Not a criticism but I’m curious where you got the number of crashes?

The place where all of the most accurate statistics come from... Wikipedia.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/...ving_the_V-22_Osprey

(Not gospel numbers, but they're at least pulled from demonstrated sources, so it's good enough to quickly show a trend.)

https://thehill.com/policy/def...entire-osprey-fleet/

All aircraft grounded

https://sigforum.com/eve/forum...0601935/m/6280020505

Similar thread

Comprehensive report on the grounding of V-22s from podcaster, Ward Carroll, a retired USN F-14 Tomcat RIO.

The interesting thing is it seems to me they could just make one with 4 horizontal props and it would fly fast in any direction with the technology we have today.... I'm a drone pilot and those things can do exactly what they want the Osprey to do.