I always thought these had a reputation for being a real life version of the fallout vertibird and unfortunately they seem to have lived up to that here.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accidents_and_incidents_involving_the_V-22_Osprey
Wiki not updated as I type this, but this would be the 11th crash since entering service in 2007.
Honestly I expected more, but that still seems quite bad given that only about 400 have been built.
While the Osprey is the best of both worlds in terms of range, speed, and operational flexibility, it’s the worst of both worlds in terms of engine-out survivability. It doesn’t have enough wing area to glide like a plane to a safe landing, and the rotors don’t have enough inertia to preform an autorotation landing like a helicopter, unless the aircraft was already configured for vertical flight. Training pilots is also difficult, as you basically need someone who’s skilled in both helicopter and fixed-wing flight.
This shit again?
Why does it feel like the US Military has more Osprey incidents than there are car crashes involving Honda Civics?
These things make the Comanche attack helicopter look like proven technology.
Because they’re complicated and prone to failure and aerodynamic issues. But they fill a niche of a VTOL C-2, or a Chinook with twice the range and half again as much velocity so they’re not going anywhere.
Best part about the Osprey program? They decided it was a good enough idea to work on replacing the blackhawk with the Bell V-280 Valor VTOL.
Expect more VTOL crashes.
Australia just scrapped theirs after a few people died in one.
They seem inherently unstable. One fan stops working at the same speed as the other and wheeeee.
I read that the rotors share a common drive shaft that runs all the way across to keep them locked in sync and so one engine can power both equally. I guess they feather the blades differentially to control bank angle?
Not an aeronautical engineer, but that’s how all helicopters work in general, they change rotor pitch with constant angular velocity.
I’m not able to find it in the video linked below right now, but if I remember correctly, helicopter programs are pretty deadly in general. The Apache and other helicopters had a bunch of crashes when they were introduced, they just have had much longer to work out all the problems. But I don’t remember what the exact failure rate comparison is, especially since you’d need to adjust for fight hours. The Osprey is definitely pretty complex with it’s folding wings and rotors.
One of my college professors was involved in the development program for ~4 years, and said it was (one of?) the most stressful experiences of his life.
Major General Craig Olson, he (and his wife) are some of the most caring people I’ve met, I’m sure the weight of managing a program like that was a lot to bear. Looks like he left the program shortly after the March 2006 accident. He presented on some of the engineering challenges they faced and solved in the program (especially failure modes), but my memory is hazy.
Ospreys are easily the coolest and dumbest machines we’ve got. They need to be phased out ASAP.
That was an entertaining podcast, thanks!
“Helicopter: A thousand moving parts looking for a place to crash”
😂
I don’t know what you would have to pay me to get into a helicopter, but it would be a lot. Planes scare me enough as it is.
Helicopters are very safe. These things appear to be death traps.
Kobe Bryant told me to downvote your comment. But at least he didn’t go out in a fucking Osprey.
VFR into IMC is pretty deadly no matter which way the rotors are pointed.
I have never understood why any airport/airspace is VFR. I used to work at one that was (as a weather observer) and sent in an unofficial (15 minutes before the station opened) WOXOF report for an incoming medic flight cause the ceiling was below 50’.
Pilot landed by the skin of his teeth, then came to my office to thank me. If they hadn’t had the report they would have had to fly another 380 miles return to drop the patient off.
I’ve done a few heli tree plants and riding in the chopper was the highlight of our day!
