[Bobsat]

Excellent update on the V-22, and BTW, it can't autorotate...!

[Bobsat]

Our military types might appreciate getting pinged on this, especially those with a present or former interest in military aviation or being transported thereby. Would you please do the honors?

Maybe JohnHuang2 has an appropriate ping list as well. Thanks!

[leadpenny]

Whatever they call it; Vortex Ring, Stalling one Asymmetric Rotor or Settling with Power (as we used to call it in Hueys), it is not something you need in a dusty landing zone when the bullets are flying. The only way to get out of the condition in a single rotor craft is to have some altitude in order to get some airspeed. With one side doing it low to the ground, it's roll-over time.

[lavaroise]

The V22 though sounds well suited for quick surprise attacks or drops of troops, in which case speed and not survivability is the real issue. Of course it is quite an expensive machine to crash around in such a scenario.

I have a feeling this machine was not really well designed by the engineers for a specific realistic military mission scenario anyway. It is fast but small, hence requiring more trips than the biger Sikorsky, hence defeating the purpose when speaking in terms of number of troops deployed in a short time. It may have longer range or loiter abilities though, maybe making it into a potentialy useful anti-sub machine, but then again, was it designed for this mission? What was the request for proposal behind this machine? 80s style Iran hostage rescue? Not good either with bullets flying around, though the support needed for such machine would have been lower as regular helicoters have such little range and are slower and more vulnerable.

There is a strange silence surrounding about what the design goals were and if they were actualy reached. Usualy with a machine like the JSF it is obvious to what the machine is supposed to do, its missions, and if it can accomplish them. The V-22 seems like a cool idea or concept looking for a mission instead, typical of the useless consumerist carreerist engineering culture pervading accross US universities and aerospace companies lately unfortunately - as opposed to the serious jobs the older guys would do for specific military strategic purposes in mind.

[Britton J Wingfield]

In the 1990s, they convinced Marine Corps leaders that a gun could make the pilot too aggressive, thus endangering his passengers.

God forbid they should give guns to Marines. They might behave aggressively!

[TADSLOS]

When General Jones become Commandant in 1999, he insisted the V-22 must have a gun to provide suppressive fire. As a result, Jones was told a rapid fire GAU-19 .50 caliber machine gun would be mounted on a turret under the nose and fired by the co-pilot. (similar to the 20mm gun on the Cobra attack helo at left) This is not a simple task since the 608lbs GAU-19 with several hundred rounds of ammunition and the electric pivoting nose chin will take a lot of space under the crowded cockpit. The extra of weight and bulbous chin will also reduce speed and performance.

I wouldn't want my co-pilot focused on firing a weapons system during a takeoff/landing sequence, especially in this bird. I want him focused on the aircraft and able to take control. Several hundred rounds won't last long either. Sounds like someone slapped the sytem on there to satisfy the Commandant without much thought put into the effort. If I were a grunt, I'd rather take my chances in an old beat up CH-46 with some door gunners than this thing.

[Bobsat]

I know you're interested in all things Osprey....

[Space Wrangler]

It can't auto?? Hmmmm, not something I'd want to fly. A crash scenario in one of these birds is not a pretty thought (as if a crash scenario in ANY aircraft is nice). The size of the rotors in 'plane' mode would prohibit a belly landing, and no autorotaion in 'chopper' mode. Sounds dicey.

[Bob J]

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