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Home | Update | Latest Issue | Gallery | FR Profile | Datafiles | FR 4/97 "NEW" OSPREY TAKES OFF AGAIN by Karl Schwarz After the flight tests of the V-22 Osprey had been on a low level for years, Bell and Boeing (helicopter division), are now on the brink of much expanded activities on the way to service entry of the tilt-rotor. Since the program was secured by a new EMD contract (engineering and manufacturing development) in October 1992, the partners had worked for four years on a better and cheaper version of their unique tilt-rotor design. The original Osprey was much too heavy and with a price tag of $41,8 million per aircraft much too expensive. Due to this, the V-22 had to undergo a detailed redesign. Integrated product teams worked on a lighter structure as well as a much simplified production process. An optimized usage of computer design tools and a high degree of automation in the production of the composite structures had remarkable results. All together, Bell and Boeing managed to decrease the required time to build single components or to install systems by 20 to 50 percent. Accordingly, the fly-away price could be decreased to 32,3 million dollars today. The hard work resulted in four pre-production aircraft, all of which are based at Bell's test facilities at Arlington (Texas). While the aircraft were assembled in Texas, beginning in December of 1995, Bell accomplished test bench runs of the rotors with its new ground test article (GTA). Boeing started up the static load tests in March of 1996. On February 5, 1997, Tom Macdonald and Jim Lindsey took the "new" Osprey (prototype number 7) for its first flight with the nacelles being in the vertical position. Until March, the flight envelope is supposed to be opened so much that the V-22 can be ferried safely to the Navy test center in Patuxent River, Maryland. Ospreys No. 9, No. 8, and No. 10 will follow in the coming weeks and months. While No. 7 and 8 will be equipped with up to 2000 kg of test equipment, aircraft No. 9 will concentrate on tests with the Allison T406-AD-400 engines. No. 10 will be used mainly for operational tests. All four aircraft will reportedly be in Patuxent River by September where they will go through an extensive test program. The aircraft will be flown by pilots from the manufacturers and from the Navy. Bell and Boeing are furthermore planning to begin with the assembly of the production aircraft this year. A $1,385 million production contract, which was signed in June of 1996, covers the assembly of four aircraft with the option of five to seven aircraft in the following years. These MV-22 Ospreys will be delivered beginning in mid-1999. The first US Marine Corps unit is supposed to be operational in 2001. The US Marines are already waiting for the new troop transporter, which gives a higher speed and range, along with a higher mission flexibility. Carrying 24 fully equipped soldiers, the Osprey is supposed to have a mission radius of 120 km, allowing the ships to keep a safe distance to the coast. A total of 425 Ospreys are projected to be procured for the Marine Corps, along with 50 CV-22s for the US Air Force which plans to equip parts of its Special Operations Forces with the tilt-rotor aircraft. Bell and Boeing received a $490 million contract in December of 1996 to develop the CV-22. In order to save costs, prototypes No. 8 and 9 will be brought to the new standards in 1999. Changes include the integration of a terrain following radar, ECM equipment, as well as, additional communication and navigation systems. The delivery of the projected 50 CV-22s is to begin in 2003. Another seven years later, the Navy, which has announced the need for 48 Ospreys, could receive its first HV-22As. All together, the potential order volume of the US forces is at around 523 aircraft. However, due to the limited budget of approximately one billion dollars per year, the production will extend until the year 2022. The production rate would not exceed 30 aircraft per year. According to Bell/Boeing, a higher rate would lead to savings in the amount of billions. However, the manufacturers didn't get far with the Pentagon since other projects, such as the Joint Strike Fighter, are competing for budgets also. Still, everything looks like the second start for Osprey will be successful. From page 14 of FLUG REVUE 4/97 Home | Update | Latest Issue | Gallery | FR Profile | Datafiles | FR 4/97 Copyright 1997 by Motor-Presse Stuttgart. All rights reserved. Last updated March 7, 1997