Neighbors say Osprey landing anything but 'precautionary'

Stars & Stripes ^ | September 8, 2012 | Amanda Wilcox

[Rabin]

Neighbors say Osprey landing anything but 'precautionary' the plane narrowly missed the tree line in their backyard was smoking on the way down. It brushed the top of the trees, the belly of it did. You could see pinecones falling

1st Lt. Kristin Dalton said the smoke was the result of “fluid leaking onto hot parts of the aircraft similar to if you spilt oil on a hot lawn mower. But she added that “just because the aircraft was smoking and there was a fluid leaking does not mean that (the pilots) lost control of the aircraft in any way.

“Based on follow-on indications, the pilots made the precautionary landing in an open area,” Marine officials say a warning indication led to a Thursday precautionary landing of an MV-22

Osprey.Snip-----V-22 Osprrey, COST/VALUE http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/aircraft/v-22-cost.htm

In 1986 the cost of a single V-22 was estimated at $24 million. By 1989 the unit cost was estimated at $35 million. Bush administration cancelled the project. The V-22 caused friction between Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney and Congress throughout his tenure. Cheney, continued to oppose the Osprey, argued that building and testing the prototype Osprey would cost more than the amount appropriated. In the spring of 1992 several congressional supporters of the V-22 threatened to take Cheney to court over the issue.

[Rabin]

The program was revived by the Clinton administration, and current plans call for building 458 more @ $80 million apiece.

Rab

[GeorgeWashingtonsGhost]

From what I’ve read, the ‘bugs’ have been worked out of these things and they’re pretty solid craft now. Leaks, etc., can happen in any aircraft.

[O6ret]

The V-22 has failed to meet the operational requirements originally established for it, requirements that justified the program’s start almost 30 years ago.

Its costs have risen dramatically while its operational effectiveness is still in doubt and its safety record is problematic.

But what the Marine Corps wants the Marine Corps gets.

[USNBandit]

Some genius decided to put 5000 psi hydraulics on this thing.

[maddog55]

Having worked around aircraft acquisition programs, when an aircraft can’t meet it’s mission/operational requirements in the DT phase quite often managers will defer the requirements or change them so they will pass. Same is true in the OT phase and in the end, everyone loses. It’s not about the aircraft and what it’s suposed to do, it’s about meeting milestones to get funded with a we’ll fix it later attitude.

[A.A. Cunningham]

The V-22 has failed to meet the operational requirements originally established for it,

Based on what empirical data?

Its costs have risen dramatically

As a result of both NAVAIR and Executive branch mismanagement coupled with SecDef ineptness and criminal activity.

while its operational effectiveness is still in doubt and its safety record is problematic.

An argument advanced by both neophytes and employees of United Technologies. How much time have you logged in either seat of a V-22?

O6ret

Irrelevant but if true, proof that the Peter Principle is alive and well.

[A.A. Cunningham]

current plans call for building 458 more @ $80 million apiece.

Source?

[A.A. Cunningham]

In the spring of 1992 several congressional supporters of the V-22 threatened to take Cheney to court over the issue.

Critical omission: Cheney was illegally diverting funds appropriated for the Osprey to other projects and only stopped when he was threatened with criminal prosecution. Try that outside of government and you end up in jail.

[nascarnation]

My SIL works on the Osprey powerplant at Rolls Royce engineering.
Having examined this vehicle up close at the airport, I have to say it’s somewhere between an engineering dream and nightmare.
God bless the boys and girls who ride on them.

[PhilDragoo]

The V-22 Osprey’s New Belly Gun Rotates 360 Degrees To Fire 3,000 Rounds a Minute

Weapon segment begins at 4:16.

Am aware that Cheney went A-12 on the V-22.

The flying wing was an idea 50 years ahead of its computational requirement.

We remain on top due to relentless effort.

Godspeed our warriors.

[The Shrew]

Thanks for that post. I haven't passed judgment on the V-22 yet, but it seems ridiculous to me to still be using CH-46's that are older than almost all Marines who fly in them.

TS