thedrifter
10-07-07, 09:50 AM
October 7, 2007
The Basics
Taking Flight Despite the Turbulence
By LESLIE WAYNE
The V-22 Osprey, an aircraft that flies like a plane but takes off and lands like a helicopter, is about to be deployed in Iraq. But what will the Osprey do once it arrives? Far less than the military had hoped, despite the $20 billion spent to develop it.
There is no aircraft more controversial than the Osprey, which has taken 25 years to develop, claimed 30 lives in test flights and survived four attempts by Vice President Dick Cheney to kill the program.
The craft was designed to ferry the Marines, as well as troops from the other services, in and out of combat. But critics, and there are many of them, say design problems may limit its effectiveness and make the Osprey more vulnerable to attack.
For starters, because of concerns over weight, plans to mount a heavy-duty machine gun to allow troops to lay down suppressing fire to clear landing zones was dropped. If the craft’s two engines are disabled by enemy fire, it cannot “autorotate” like a helicopter to a rough, but survivable crash landing.
Even more, the craft’s unusual design and strong propellers make it vulnerable to getting caught in its own downdraft and crashing to the ground. To prevent this, the Osprey must operate with severe flight restrictions that require it to land slowly — making it even more vulnerable to enemy fire. And, because of its inherent instability, it is barred from using the same maneuvers and sharp turns that helicopters employ to evade enemy fire.
The Marines have acknowledged setbacks in the aircraft’s development. But they say the Osprey has undergone one of the most extensive reviews of any aircraft, and that it provides a margin of safety a helicopter cannot because it can fly faster, farther and higher. Still, the fact that the Marine Corps is getting the craft is a testament to its ability to do battle in the halls of Congress. To fend off budget cutters, work on the program was spread across 40 states, giving members of Congress from both parties a stake in the project. More than 100 of them formed a “Tiltroter Technology Coalition” to lobby for it — and the jobs it would create. In the end, the Pentagon has budgeted for 458 of the craft and is planning to invest another $35 billion in the program.
But problems abound: The cabin is not pressurized even though the Osprey can fly above 10,000 feet where breathing becomes difficult. Marines are so packed into the windowless craft that airsickness has become a problem. And, there is no bathroom on board for flights that can last hours.
The Osprey’s giant 38-foot propellers are so strong that they can generate powerful dust clouds that limit the pilot’s visibility and knock down anyone on the ground.
Last year, the Pentagon ran tests of the Osprey in the New Mexico desert. After the craft failed numerous tests, the Pentagon concluded that its problems were brought on by “extended exposure to the desert operating environment” — the same environment that the Osprey will be facing in Iraq.
Ellie
The Basics
Taking Flight Despite the Turbulence
By LESLIE WAYNE
The V-22 Osprey, an aircraft that flies like a plane but takes off and lands like a helicopter, is about to be deployed in Iraq. But what will the Osprey do once it arrives? Far less than the military had hoped, despite the $20 billion spent to develop it.
There is no aircraft more controversial than the Osprey, which has taken 25 years to develop, claimed 30 lives in test flights and survived four attempts by Vice President Dick Cheney to kill the program.
The craft was designed to ferry the Marines, as well as troops from the other services, in and out of combat. But critics, and there are many of them, say design problems may limit its effectiveness and make the Osprey more vulnerable to attack.
For starters, because of concerns over weight, plans to mount a heavy-duty machine gun to allow troops to lay down suppressing fire to clear landing zones was dropped. If the craft’s two engines are disabled by enemy fire, it cannot “autorotate” like a helicopter to a rough, but survivable crash landing.
Even more, the craft’s unusual design and strong propellers make it vulnerable to getting caught in its own downdraft and crashing to the ground. To prevent this, the Osprey must operate with severe flight restrictions that require it to land slowly — making it even more vulnerable to enemy fire. And, because of its inherent instability, it is barred from using the same maneuvers and sharp turns that helicopters employ to evade enemy fire.
The Marines have acknowledged setbacks in the aircraft’s development. But they say the Osprey has undergone one of the most extensive reviews of any aircraft, and that it provides a margin of safety a helicopter cannot because it can fly faster, farther and higher. Still, the fact that the Marine Corps is getting the craft is a testament to its ability to do battle in the halls of Congress. To fend off budget cutters, work on the program was spread across 40 states, giving members of Congress from both parties a stake in the project. More than 100 of them formed a “Tiltroter Technology Coalition” to lobby for it — and the jobs it would create. In the end, the Pentagon has budgeted for 458 of the craft and is planning to invest another $35 billion in the program.
But problems abound: The cabin is not pressurized even though the Osprey can fly above 10,000 feet where breathing becomes difficult. Marines are so packed into the windowless craft that airsickness has become a problem. And, there is no bathroom on board for flights that can last hours.
The Osprey’s giant 38-foot propellers are so strong that they can generate powerful dust clouds that limit the pilot’s visibility and knock down anyone on the ground.
Last year, the Pentagon ran tests of the Osprey in the New Mexico desert. After the craft failed numerous tests, the Pentagon concluded that its problems were brought on by “extended exposure to the desert operating environment” — the same environment that the Osprey will be facing in Iraq.
Ellie