Dispelling the Myth of the MV-22: The Saga Continues

The Osprey saga continues as the costs of development rise. The Marine Corps must have a lot of faith to continue in this endeavor:

Dispelling the Myth of the MV-22

By Lieutenant Colonel Kevin Gross, U.S. Marine Corpsv
Proceedings, September 2004


In 2000, two tragic accidents grounded the Marine Corps� newest and most innovative aircraft, miring it in controversy and casting doubt on its future. Rigorous testing since then, however, has resulted in measures that should prevent the unusual aerodynamic condition that caused the first accident from happening again. (Photo by Mike Jones, U.S. Navy)

The MV-22 Osprey is a very capable medium-lift military transport aircraft the Marine Corps has needed for a long time. It is twice as fast, can carry three times as much, and goes six times farther than the CH-46E, the aircraft it is replacing. It is no reach to say that if the MV-22 continues its current run of success in testing and is fielded as planned, it will change everything about how maneuver warfare is conducted.

The Osprey, however, also is an airplane with an image problem, primarily resulting from two highly publicized mishaps that killed 23 Marines four years ago. The investigation into these accidents resulted in the discovery and subsequent resolution of an aerodynamic condition affecting all rotorcraft but unduly linked with the MV-22: vortex ring state (VRS).

On the evening of 8 April 2000, a flight of four MV-22s was conducting a night assault mission to a small airfield in Marana, Arizona, when the second airplane (or �Dash 2�) rolled nearly inverted on short final and crashed, killing all on board. During the subsequent investigation, it was discovered that the lead aircraft was almost 2,000 feet higher than planned at the initial point (the location where the conversion from airplane mode to VTOL [vertical take-off and landing] mode for landing begins). The lead aircraft entered a steep approach profile with a high rate of descent while it rapidly decreased speed for landing. During the rapid deceleration, Dash 2 no longer could remain in trail as briefed but came abeam of the lead�s right side. To return to the trail position, Dash 2 flew slower and with a higher rate of descent than his lead. At approximately 300 feet above ground level, with a more than 2,000-feet-per-minute rate of descent and with less than 30 knots forward airspeed, the mishap aircraft started a right roll that could not be corrected by the pilot.

The mishap investigation, having ruled out all other possibilities, soon focused on the extremely high rate of descent at low altitude as the primary cause of the accident. It was concluded that during the descent, the aircraft entered an aerodynamic condition called vortex ring state.

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Other Osprey related links:
www.defencetalk.com...

www.dfw.com...

www.newbernsj.com.../GlobalTemplates/Details.cfm&StoryID=17523&Section=Local

www.charlotte.com...

www.boeing.com...

www.boeing.com...

www.boeing.com...

198.65.138.161...

198.65.138.161...

pma275.navair.navy.mil...

pma275.navair.navy.mil...

www.helis.com...

www.helis.com...

www.g2mil.com...

wais.stanford.edu...

en.wikipedia.org...

www.geocities.com...

people.howstuffworks.com...

www.theaviationzone.com...

www.cato.org...

www.cato.org...

www.faa.gov...

www.ainonline.com...

boatcoach.tripod.com...

www.insidedefense.com...

www.globalsecurity.org...

www.globalsecurity.org...

www.google.com...

www.google.com...

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[edit on 04/9/19 by GradyPhilpott]

The Marines work with stuff that was considered advanced in the 1960s. I'm sure they can get something new to work.

The USMC has pioneered many warfighting concepts. They WERE the first US branch to hang weapons on a helo' and, also set up a c119 flying boxcar as a gunfire and airstrike coordinator (FAC). They also led the M-16 improvement program that gave us the M16a2. Their success and efficiency is whats driving our army to transition into more of an expiditionary force as we speak.(marine expiditionary unit, marine expiditionary brigade)MEU,MEB.------------------OORAHHH!!!!!!!!!