thedrifter
02-13-07, 08:25 AM
Tilt-Rotors
01:53 pm - Tuesday
Bell-Boeing suspend the flight tests of V-22 Osprey
Washington, USA - Because of a faulty computer chip
(WAPA) - The Marine Corps has temporarily grounded the V-22 Osprey fleet because of a faulty computer chip. The tilt-rotor aircraft can take off and fly like a helicopter or a plane. The faulty computer chip was found during preflight testing at the Bell-Boeing facility in Amarillo, Texas. Officials say the faulty chip was part of a circuit that enables three flight control computers to provide backup control to each other if one malfunctions.
It was unlikely that the chip would have caused any cold-weather problems during an actual flight, but officials decided grounding all the aircraft was the best thing to do. Specifications call for the chips, manufactured by Texas Instruments, to tolerate temperatures below minus 60 degrees, but Bell personnel encountered chip anomalies at temperature barely below freezing.
According to James Darcy, spokesman for the V-22 Joint Programme Office, this one should not have to delay the combat readiness of Marines predicted for next Summer and of Air Force in the early 2009. The decision regards all the 54 tilt-rotors already manufactured: 46 of Marines and 8 of Air Force.
As regard the program, 360 Osprey could be realized for Marines Corps, 50 for Air Force and 48 for Navy.
(Avionews)
(050) 070213135348-73915 (World Aeronautical Press Agency - 2007-02-13 01:53 pm)
Ellie
01:53 pm - Tuesday
Bell-Boeing suspend the flight tests of V-22 Osprey
Washington, USA - Because of a faulty computer chip
(WAPA) - The Marine Corps has temporarily grounded the V-22 Osprey fleet because of a faulty computer chip. The tilt-rotor aircraft can take off and fly like a helicopter or a plane. The faulty computer chip was found during preflight testing at the Bell-Boeing facility in Amarillo, Texas. Officials say the faulty chip was part of a circuit that enables three flight control computers to provide backup control to each other if one malfunctions.
It was unlikely that the chip would have caused any cold-weather problems during an actual flight, but officials decided grounding all the aircraft was the best thing to do. Specifications call for the chips, manufactured by Texas Instruments, to tolerate temperatures below minus 60 degrees, but Bell personnel encountered chip anomalies at temperature barely below freezing.
According to James Darcy, spokesman for the V-22 Joint Programme Office, this one should not have to delay the combat readiness of Marines predicted for next Summer and of Air Force in the early 2009. The decision regards all the 54 tilt-rotors already manufactured: 46 of Marines and 8 of Air Force.
As regard the program, 360 Osprey could be realized for Marines Corps, 50 for Air Force and 48 for Navy.
(Avionews)
(050) 070213135348-73915 (World Aeronautical Press Agency - 2007-02-13 01:53 pm)
Ellie