The Secret Service Travel In Style......

It seems the early stories of this date back to 2011, such as this one:

In the summer of 2013, the MV-22 Osprey will return to HMX-1. Although never assigned to the unit as a standard aircraft, the aircraft was tested at HMX-1 more than a decade ago. Now the unit is slated to receive about 14 in a one-for-one swap that will replace the unit's CH-46Es, said Maj. Mike Lindblom, an HMX-1 pilot.

The tilt-rotor aircraft will get glossy green paint jobs as they are readied to support presidential travel. By 2014, the transition will be complete. While the president won't fly in the craft, White House staff, Secret Service, the press corps and equipment will. The Osprey will also be used to support Marines in the mid-Atlantic region.

Source: Navy Times

.......and here's their new ride.




It looks like a spiffy new paint job to me too. Right on time, to look at the past story there. Now that's what I call riding with a distinct style. Assuming these are used overseas? They'll likely draw some crowds just to see the planes.

I'd been lucky enough to see 3 V-22's doing touch and go landings at an old abandoned looking airfield just East of Barstow, Ca and attached to the Marine base there. Very impressive things to watch up close like that. So large for the movements they're doing.

i want one but cannot afford the 70 million price tag for one do these not have a bad safety record as the japanese hate them over there i remember hearing a few of those had crashed and were banned from flying over populated areas

reply to post by geobro


In testing there were 4 crashes resulting in 30 fatalities, and in operational service it's had 3 crashes resulting in 6 fatalities.

reply to post by geobro


The Osprey 2.0, as they're calling it, had several systems that proved to be troublesome in testing totally redesigned. There are some aerodynamic problems that simply can't be overcome, but to date, it appears that all the crashes that have happened since the redesign have been pilot error.

April 2010- Afghanistan, three service members and a civilian were killed. Aircraft was at its hovering capability limit, in brownout conditions, which led to a loss of situational awareness, and a high descent rate, as well as a poorly executed approach.

April 2012- Morocco, two Marines killed. Pilots lifted off, and rotated around so they had a tail wind. During transition, the tailwind pushed the nose down, and they impacted the ground.

June 2012- Florida, five injuries. Two MV-22s flying in formation at Eglin Air Force Base, when the trail aircraft flipped over and crashed. It appears that the trail aircraft got too close to the lead, and turbulence off the prop flipped them over.

Those are the only crashes to take place since December of 2000. There were some emergency landings during those years, but no crashes, and no fatalities for almost ten years.