I have to admit, I’ve been a bit of skeptical of the Osprey program since the project was announced in the 90s.
But hey…
Maybe I’m wrong.
Christian Lowe (his video) came away impressed.
I have always been a contrarian when it comes to the Osprey. I do not see any alternative but to make tiltrotor technology work. Helicopters have a physical limit. They can’t go more than a certain speed because of the drag of the rotors. Now I’m sure I’ll get some people much smarter than me to argue this, but when it comes down to it, helicopters are just not going to cut it for much longer. We need the Osprey, and I have always believed the V-22 would revolutionize STOVL flight and be very effective for the Corps.……
On April 13, 20 of us flew off the Pentagon helipad on a Sea Knight that was part of the presidential fleet. While the interior was a lot nicer than the 46s I’d flown in during deployments to Iraq and elsewhere, it still performed like the old phrogs I knew and (grudgingly) loved: slow and low…
We landed on a field at Quantico and watched as our CH-46 departed and two Ospreys came screaming overhead. Their speed and size was jaw-dropping. The rotors are huge and they moved across the sky much quicker than a 46 ever could.
After a short interview with the squadron commander, Lt. Col. Paul Rock, it was time for the ride. We filed onto the aircraft, strapped ourselves in and lifted off. I kept my eyes out the back window and also scanned the small side window to see how the nacelles (the engine and rotor housings at the end of each wing) were oriented. We flew most of the first minutes of the flight with the nacelles at a sort of 45 degree pitch.
Then it all changed.
As soon as the pilot shifted the engines to full forward, transitioning to conventional flight, the Osprey lurched ahead, pulling all of us toward the rear of the aircraft. It was really hard to stay upright the thrust was so dramatic. It reminded me a bit of a catapult shot off an aircraft carrier (notice in the video how fast the ground flows below, and see how hard it is to keep the camera steady when the Osprey banks to the right or left).
We jinked and jived over the rolling woods of Quantico, then evened out and glided in for a quick landing in a pretty large field. I noticed the whiff of burning grass as we settled down, an indication of the intense heat streaming out of the powerful engines in helicopter mode. We hovered a bit more – turning left and right – then lifted out dramatically and sped ahead in conventional flight. After more banking and turning (with a few of my colleagues making use of the airsick bags handed out before the flight) the Osprey alighted once more on the field where we began.
I’ll let you judge for yourself how impressive the Osprey’s flight characteristics are (please forgive how raw the video is). But I’ll tell you something, every single one of us – even the pukers – was beaming when we emerged from the plane. It was one of the most exciting rides I’ve ever taken – and I’ve taken some pretty cool ones.
So there’s your explanation as to why -despite an atrocious safety record during trials- the brass insisted on deploying this airframe.
That, and I support any technological advancement that inches us closer to the Pelican Dropship from Halo.
Bouhammer, OUT!
I wonder. Couldn’t you theoretically take the HARRIER concept and upsize it to a ship the size of something able to carry troops, supplies etc? Maybe like C130 sized, or at least as capable for troop movement as a Blackhawk?
see, that’s what I was thinking Han (har).
Forget blackhawks though, what about C-17 sized aircraft?
There was a lot of blood involved in getting the Osprey out to the fleet. Some VMI blood, too. One of the pilots who died in the 08 APR 2000 crash was MAJ Brooks Gruber, VMI ’87. I remember when that crash occurred, I had just started my job up here in Michigan. I scanned the names and came across the one I recognized, the guy I knew who also lived in Naples, FL. I did not know him very well (I was a third and he was graduating), but anytime someone you know goes that way…it kind of punches you in the gut.
It seems the problems that plagued the Osprey in development have been worked out and I truly hope this aircraft will benefit the USMC. A lot of guys paid for it with their lives.
I forgot to add this link: http://www.zpub.com/notes/osprey.html
which has the names of those who lost their lives in Osprey crashes.
I concur. Osprey is a fantastic concept. I just hope the kinks were ironed out.
We’ll see…
By all accounts the Marines love them. Takes off faster than a helicopter, but looks slower on the landing. Hope that’s armor around those engine nacelles.
Remember the cost in lives of developing the first generation of military aircraft, or the first generation of combat jets.
The Osprey is closer to, say, the pre-Century Series fighters than current helicopter and jet aircraft engineering in terms of maturity.
I belive the pelican’s call sign was Foe-Hammer. As in one who hammers foes. But other wise a great post.
I believe the Pelican pilot’s call sign was “Foe Hammer”, as in one who hammers foes.
Other wise a great post.
as a 5 year halo-player, I hang my head in shame upon your correction Maarek.
The incorrect “Bouhammer” will remain up as my penance.
Don’t feel bad about getting the name wrong, your usually too busy getting your breath back to catch it. I just think we should already have tilt-rotor perfected since COBRA command had production model tilt-rotor/VTOLs back in the 80′s. Even if Bell couldn’t develop it, you’d think GI Joe could have reverse-engineered the whole thing.
The reason they can’t make a ship like the Pelican is a lack of jet technology.
It is possible but the amount of fuel needed and the size of the engine needed for vertical flight is to great for any real aircraft… yet, plus ram jet (super-sonic jets) only work at high air speed so that the air compressor and turbine are no longer needed.
But that wold be cool if they could maybe ion proportion but then you’d have large amounts of deadly ozone.
hmmmm???
The reason they can’t make a ship like the Pelican is a lack of jet technology.
It is possible but the amount of fuel needed and the size of the engine needed for vertical flight is to great for any real aircraft… yet, plus ram jet (super-sonic jets) only work at high air speed so that the air compressor and turbine are no longer needed.
But that wold be cool if they could maybe ion proportion but then you’d have large amounts of deadly ozone.
hmmmm???
The reason they can’t make a ship like the Pelican is a lack of jet technology.
It is possible but the amount of fuel needed and the size of the engine needed for vertical flight is to great for any real aircraft… yet, plus ram jet (super-sonic jets) only work at high air speed so that the air compressor and turbine are no longer needed.
But that wold be cool if they could maybe ion proportion but then you’d have large amounts of deadly ozone.
hmmmm???
The reason they can’t make a ship like the Pelican is a lack of jet technology.
It is possible but the amount of fuel needed and the size of the engine needed for vertical flight is to great for any real aircraft… yet, plus ram jet (super-sonic jets) only work at high air speed so that the air compressor and turbine are no longer needed.
But that wold be cool if they could maybe ion proportion but then you’d have large amounts of deadly ozone.
hmmmm???
sorry for the multiple post
The pilots callsign was Foehammer.
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