MV/CV-22 Osprey Love it or Hate it?

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 10 Aug 2015 21:56:15 -0400

When I tell people I'm an MV-22 osprey crew chief I always get the typical response of "I hate flying on that thing." Me personally I love flying on the Osprey, even with the near miss I had flying. But what's everyone's else opinion on the Osprey?

Response by Col Kyle Taylor made Aug 10 at 2015 10:07 PM

Col Kyle Taylor — Mon, 10 Aug 2015 22:07:59 -0400

The problem is that some hate it because it isn't a helicopter. It wasn't meant to be a helicopter. It has had problems, but what new technology hasn't? It has some incredible capabilities that need to be harnessed and used properly.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 10 at 2015 10:09 PM

SPC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 10 Aug 2015 22:09:08 -0400

I never actually have flown in an osprey but before I joined the military I worked at a private air field and got to work with them alot, I find them very interesting but have heard from many pilots that they are very problematic and rely heavily on both engines operating flawlessly together. On the other hand I've had some pilots who love flying it . It's an interesting design and idea which I'm sure over time it will be upgraded and perfected.

Response by MSgt Robert Pellam made Aug 10 at 2015 10:51 PM

MSgt Robert Pellam — Mon, 10 Aug 2015 22:51:36 -0400

I never got to work them, I left Kirtland AFB, NM in 2003 before they arrived. I have heard good and bad about them. I loved reading these posts on it. For my thought I think it is a great aircraft that brings an incredible capability to the field.

Response by LCDR Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 10 at 2015 10:55 PM

LCDR Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 10 Aug 2015 22:55:32 -0400

I think people are jaded by some early "failures" and a misconception. It is overall a very powerful and amazing machine.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 10 at 2015 11:06 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 10 Aug 2015 23:06:58 -0400

I think its a wicked aircraft. But the Chinook was just as capable.

Response by Capt Jeff S. made Aug 10 at 2015 11:12 PM

Capt Jeff S. — Mon, 10 Aug 2015 23:12:06 -0400

I think the Marines were very forward thinking in pushing to develop this VSTOL capable aircraft. As with any new technology, there are issues with it. As time goes on, we will continue to shake out its bugs and see it become more and more reliable.

Response by CAPT Kevin B. made Aug 10 at 2015 11:21 PM

CAPT Kevin B. — Mon, 10 Aug 2015 23:21:21 -0400

We had a long standing battle between the Marine BG at Tustin (Rotary) and the Marine Skipper at Yuma (Fixed). I rode with them up to McChord around '80-81, long before the Osprey. They argued the merits of one and the faults of the other. Just as we were on descent, the Fixed Wing Skipper said, I finally figured out how helicopters fly. The Tustin BG had a big smile on his face until the Yuma Skipper finished "They're so ugly, the ground rejects them". I won't go into the retaliation that occurred later that night but it did involve a hooker.

So for many of us who have never flown in one (I'd love to), they're just a bipolar aircraft. It can go either way and that can be upsetting to the purists out there. I've gone down in both types in my career and I can tell you there's a different terror associated with autorotation vs. a belly landing. So get used to it because the future will bring more of this stuff mainstream.

Response by 1stSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 10 at 2015 11:51 PM

1stSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 10 Aug 2015 23:51:52 -0400

The * Apr 2000 crash kind of made me not a fan and I passed on the one flight I had an opportunity to fly on. I knew several of the grunts n that bird.

Response by Capt Walter Miller made Aug 11 at 2015 2:35 AM

Capt Walter Miller — Tue, 11 Aug 2015 02:35:52 -0400

I wrote my senator they should do away with the Osprey when my senator was Al Gore.

They tout the Osprey, oh it's got speed, it's got range. It -cannot- operate anywhere where there is a threat unless Cobras go too. Something like that should never have gotten off the 'restaurant napkin' stage.

There was an article in the Gazette now 5-6 years ago where a major who was an Osprey pilot wrote that 4 of the 12 aircraft in each squadron should be converted to gunships.

Really.

The Osprey is a bazillion dollar boondoggle as bad as the F-35. It always has been. The reasons are tactical not technological.

------

I wrote this is 2008:

"AV-8's go too fast to really see what is on the ground. An AV-8 can't
suppress a treeline the way a Cobra can.

I recall reading in the Marine Corps Gazette back in the early 1980's
what you've seen me post:

1. Doesn't matter what the range and speed of the V-22 is. It is
limited to the range and speed of the escorts

2. The V-22 needs guns of its own, and not one that fires backwards
either. If the rotors are tilted forward then no door gunner can get
a useful firing arc forward due to the arc of the rotors.

3. A chin turret was discussed (being the only reasonable option) but
that was eliminated due to cost.

I remember seeing this info [above] in the MCG about 25 years ago.

The freaking thing is a grotesque boondoggle. It will never be
anything else.

I posted a video of a V-22 crash and some of the info I am posting now on the website togetherweserved.com, which is for Marines only, and I was banned within 24 hours.

-------------------------------------

I am such a sweetheart. Who would ban me?
Walt

Response by Capt Walter Miller made Aug 11 at 2015 2:39 AM

Capt Walter Miller — Tue, 11 Aug 2015 02:39:03 -0400

A long discussion on the merits of the Osprey from 2008:

http://rec.aviation.military.naval.narkive.com/HlLZsAAs/the-osprey-goes-to-war#post40

Walt

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 11 at 2015 8:31 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 11 Aug 2015 08:31:51 -0400

I have never flown in one but hopefully I will one day. Only concern is I get motion sick easily I threw up on the C-17 (a fixed wing) but have had no issues with blackhawk, Chinook, or sea stallion. Does this give people a problem with motion sickness?

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 11 at 2015 10:43 AM

SGT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 11 Aug 2015 10:43:16 -0400

Sure its got the high speed gee whiz new technology, and yes, its cool. I feel bad for the pilots, because just like drones, you can t log any of the time as PIC time in a fixed wing airplane. It only counts as powered lift. So, cool if you want to make the military aviator side your life long career-bad if you want to go work for Southwest etc.

Response by PFC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 11 at 2015 11:01 AM

PFC Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 11 Aug 2015 11:01:47 -0400

My opinion? The fuselage is too small and is cramped for airborne operations, especially MFF. The downward thrust from the rotors makes fast roping a nightmare. The 45 degree angle of the rope makes even reaching for it a challenge.

Response by SMSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 11 at 2015 9:20 PM

SMSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 11 Aug 2015 21:20:09 -0400

This is strictly from the little kid inside of me. I had the pleasure of traveling from FOB to FOB on an Osprey or 2. I absolutely loved it and enjoyed the experience.

Response by LCpl Shane Pearson made Aug 12 at 2015 4:32 PM

LCpl Shane Pearson — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 16:32:35 -0400

After hearing about all of the problems with this aircraft I don't like it but I don't hate it, everything has some sort of design flaw that can usually be fixed. But when it works the way it should (also with proper armament attached) I think it will go a long way for future Vtol designs.

Response by LtCol Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 12 at 2015 10:11 PM

LtCol Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 22:11:34 -0400

After having replaced the H-46 as the Marine Corps Crowd Killer, the Osprey seems a good aircraft.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 24 at 2015 7:22 AM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 24 Dec 2015 07:22:18 -0500

Great machine. Hell to work on. Awesome mission. It's had a troubled past but the aircraft is pretty much the first of its kind, following its predecessor the XV-15 (which was a working prototype to sell the tilt rotor design). With an aircraft like this you're bound to have problems, most of which have been worked out and fixed to make this awesome machine safe and reliable.