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Old 23-11-2007, 03:18   #1
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Osprey Tilt-Rotor flies first SAR mission

CV-22 “Osprey” flies first search and recovery mission
CV-22 Osprey flies first search and recovery mission

Though the Osprey was primarily built to be an amphibious assault transport of troops, equipment and supplies from assault ships and land bases, it has proved it can be versatile on search and rescue missions. The Osprey incorporates features of a helicopter and a fixed-wing plane.

The Osprey is a tilt-rotor aircraft which can operate as a helicopter when taking off and landing vertically. Once airborne, the CV-22 converts to a high-speed, fuel-efficient turboprop airplane.

The Osprey can fly at 316 miles per hour in airplane mode and 115 miles per hour in helicopter mode. The aircraft's ceiling is 26,000 feet and it can hold 10,000 pounds of cargo. The aircraft is used by the Air Force, Marines and the Navy.
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Old 23-11-2007, 03:38   #2
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Mr

Gord,

I used to see these strange birds flying low and slow near the St. Mary's River in southern Maryland. They must have been testing them at Pateuxent River NAS. I wonder if they can hover like a copter in order to retrieve swimmers.

I'm recovering from an emergency appendectomy right now. If I had been crewing on a boat in the recent Caribbean 1500, I would have been 2-3 days north of Tortola at the time I was actually operated on. I've been wondering if a copter could have reached me that far out.
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Old 23-11-2007, 04:24   #3
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The V-22 "Osprey" is a tiltrotor aircraft that combines the vertical takeoff, hover, and vertical landing qualities of a helicopter with the long-range, fuel efficiency and speed characteristics of a turboprop aircraft.
The CV-22 has the capability to fly at turboprop speeds like a C-130 (Hercules), pull into helicopter mode and land like an MH-53J/M (Pave Low).
The Osprey has a range of 2,289 nm (4,239 km) self-deployment, and also has air-to-air refueling capability.
I don't think (but not certain) that the USCG has deployed the Osprey.
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Old 23-11-2007, 06:03   #4
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So far just Navy (Marines) and a small air force contract.

Every once in a while one flys over my house here in Florida. They must be making improvements since the noise level these things make is steadily decreasing. Early Flights were so loud you could hear them coming minutes before you could see them. Recent flights sound more like a fixed wing aircraft.
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Old 23-11-2007, 06:16   #5
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I’ve lusted after one, ever since I first saw one in the early 90's (prototype?).
What a live-aboard cruising vessel.
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Old 23-11-2007, 06:18   #6
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Like all VTOL aircraft, this one has had it's share of accidents too. I'd probably be willing to trust it if I had no other choice, but honestly, I don't think I'd ever get off of a floating boat onto one of these until they've been operating for quite a bit longer and their record is better. (Yes helicopters had their share of accidents too, when they were first developed, but they've gotten things down pretty good now as long as things stay maintained and the pilot doesn't fall asleep.)
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Old 23-11-2007, 07:41   #7
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The Osprey is a project that not one of the services wanted or needed, even the entire joint Chiefs of Staff recommended its termination many times during development and early deployment... it was forced on them by local/ national political pressure. It remained the least "safe" and one of the more difficult systems to fly and maintain. I sure would not want one flying over my head!!!

The ground wash would probably sink most smaller boats... under 40 feet and it is unlikely they could effectively hover and extract in any conditions with winds. In military service they only have one rear machine gun and can not defend themselves in-spite of the fact they make one of the easiest aircraft to target and take down. Lots of single point failure locations with minimal protection even if it were not from hostile fire. While it can fly faster than a typical helicopter after transistion... a bit over 400MPH last I knew... it is ineffective and difficult to control at low altitudes and 400MPH at reasonable altitudes makes it an easy target.. standard helicopters can get low and still use max speed to present the minimal target acquisition time... still not very good in a desert but very effective in a jungle or many urban areas... something the Osprey is not capable of.

It does resemble some of the old 50' 60's Mechanics Illustrated magazine concept of the personal transporters to replace cars. Still it is a very interesting thing to look at... from a safe distance
BTW, I'm a former aero engineer in past life McDonnell Douglas / Boeing
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Old 23-11-2007, 09:12   #8
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I would take a rescue from one over swimming for it. Like all new things, it will get better with time.
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Old 23-11-2007, 10:15   #9
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"If...I would have been 2-3 days north of Tortola at the time I was actually operated on. I've been wondering if a copter could have reached me that far out."

That would very much depend on who assets who had available. Tortola is about 60 miles east of Puerto Rico, and I'd assume the USCG had standard air rescue choppers based somewhere on PR. You say 2-3 days north of Tortola...let's say a full 72 hours sailing at 6 knots? To make 426 miles?

If the run from PR was the long side of the right angle those two make...It would still be about 430 miles, let's say 450 to 500, so the rescue chopper would need a range of a thousand miles plus to recover you, assuming no weather problems.

The standard "Jayhawk" is rated "The HH-60J can fly 300 miles offshore, remain on-scene for 45 minutes, recover six survivors, and return with fuel reserves. " (HH-60J Jayhawk)

But lightly loaded, picking up only one person, and remaining onscene for a shorter time, it has a range of almost 1000 miles round-trip. Let's say, in good wx they might have gotten you. If there were assets right on Tortola, or a USN vessel closer to you with a helipad and sick bay onboard, they could have assisted you for certain.

(And that's without looking at maps to see what bases and assets might have been closer, or scrutinizing the USCG inventory on PR.)
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Old 23-11-2007, 10:38   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hellosailor View Post
Hud-
...It would still be about 430 miles, let's say 450 to 500, so the rescue chopper would need a range of a thousand miles plus to recover you, assuming no weather problems.

The standard "Jayhawk" is rated "The HH-60J can fly 300 miles offshore, remain on-scene for 45 minutes, recover six survivors, and return with fuel reserves. " (HH-60J Jayhawk)

But lightly loaded, picking up only one person, and remaining onscene for a shorter time, it has a range of almost 1000 miles round-trip. Let's say, in good wx they might have gotten you. If there were assets right on Tortola, or a USN vessel closer to you with a helipad and sick bay onboard, they could have assisted you for certain.
Hellosailor,

Your guesstimates are pretty darn accurate. Bermuda would be too far, so it would have to have been from PR or a nearby ship. Frankly, I'm happy the appendix went south on me on shore--glad to be rid of it, so I don't have to worry about it on future offshore passages.
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Old 07-02-2008, 22:42   #11
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The Osprey is a project that not one of the services wanted or needed, even the entire joint Chiefs of Staff recommended its termination many times during development and early deployment... it was forced on them by local/ national political pressure. It remained the least "safe" and one of the more difficult systems to fly and maintain. I sure would not want one flying over my head!!!
The Osprey that is flying now is not the same bird in many respects as the Osprey that had all of those horrible accidents. There were major problems in the electronics and tilt-angle controls that contributed to those accidents, and the safety record is much better now. As far as the services not wanting them, my understanding was that the Marines were lobbying pretty hard for them.
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Old 08-02-2008, 05:17   #12
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I don't think (but not certain) that the USCG has deployed the Osprey
You are correct. The Coast Guard does not have any V-22's. I know a smaller version was looked at several years ago. I was told ( and this is at least third hand info, so take that for what it's worth) that the rotor wash was horrific, to the point of capsizing and or sinking small vessels.
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Old 08-02-2008, 05:25   #13
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Most great advances in aviation came with problems, accidents and ultimately fatalities. I am sure the first time man ventured out of the caves there where issues.
If we are not willing to explore and push the limits where would we be?
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Old 08-02-2008, 05:34   #14
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I worked closely on the V22 EMD, V-22 FSD for many years. The design IMO is a perfect picture of the worst compromises. This bird has it’s construction spread so widely that many, many pockets are lined. So it really does not matter what the troops want/need. I will not fly on one unless my life depended on it. I’m out of he business now and don’t have first hand knowledge of the production AC.

gobi1570: I don’t know where you got your info, but neither the desert or river crash where “electronics or tilt angle control”. I helped investigate both and knew the pilots of the river crash. I haven’t kept up with it so maybe your speaking of other crashes.
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Old 08-02-2008, 06:38   #15
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Bell was a customer back in the '80s when this was first being developed. I remember watching them fly over Grand Prairie. Despite defence industries being a big part of the DFW economy the local business community was divided on the project. I remember everyone being proud to see some of the early ones fly and at the same time hoping it would stay in the air. One thing I clearly remember was how noisy it was.
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