Air Force grounds Ospreys for issue the Marines say they already handle OK
The Air Force has grounded its V22 Osprey’s for a ‘hard clutch’ problem which makes them too dangerous to fly, citing two recent incidents in the last six weeks and two more since 2017.
Hard clutch engagement occurs when the clutch connecting the propeller’s rotor gear box to its engine slips. When this happens, Ospreys are designed to transfer the power load from that engine to the other engine immediately, which would allow it to keep operating if an engine failed.
In these incidents, the clutch on the original gear box has engaged and the power load transferred back, within a span of milliseconds. The large transfer of torque causes the Osprey to lurch, and the air crews land immediately.
The Marines, who log the most flight hours in V22s (533,000 of the 680,000 logged by the Corps, Navy, and Air Force combined), say they have been aware of this issue since 2010.
The Corps said that it’s known about the problem since 2010 and its pilots can handle it, with one service official calling the issues “common knowledge.”
“Hard clutch issue has been known to the Marine Corps since 2010, and as such, we have trained our pilots to react with the appropriate emergency control measures should the issue arise during flight,”
Stenger, in his statement, noted that, in all those flight hours, there has not been “a single catastrophic event contributed to this hazard.”
“Simply by doing hover checks significantly reduces the exposure to this incident,” the official explained, referring to a procedure of hovering roughly 30 feet off the ground while looking over the aircraft’s instruments.
Marine Corps officials said that they have shared their knowledge about how to handle the issue with both the Navy and the Air Force as incidents occurred “via various formal and informal methods of communication regularly.”
Some days the articles just write themselves. Out of respect for our AF brethren, I will refrain from snark.
Category: None
You talking about The Chair Farce?
The Marines should have kept the CH46. It was a proven aircraft.
“Why would you jump from a perfectly good aircraft?”
:wpds_unamused:
Why indeed?
https://www.foxnews.com/us/north-carolina-pilot-died-fall-plane-jumped-air-traffic-controllers-say
My old drop zone, I think he knew his life as a jump pilot was done and overreacted.
“North Carolina co-pilot who jumped from plane upset about hard landing: NTSB.”
“‘Got up from his seat, removed his headset, apologized and departed the airplane via the aft ramp door,’ report states of Charles Crooks incident”
https://www.foxnews.com/us/north-carolina-co-pilot-jumped-plane-upset-hard-landing-ntsb.amp
“Pilot ‘upset’ after botched landing attempt, may have vomited moments before fatal jump”
https://nypost.com/2022/08/17/pilot-who-leapt-to-his-death-upset-after-botched-landing-attempt/
Classic response: Ever really been in a C47/C130?
Almost had to do an emergency bail out over (94) Saint Louis in the 82nd. It got spicy real fast.
You should try a C-119, the old Flying Boxcar. Damn things vibrated so badly on their long takeoff runs you had to lift your jump boots off the deck to keep your teeth from buzzing.
When you jumped, you had to get set in the door and make a classic exit. You couldn’t just fall forward because the fuselage was fairly narrow, and even worse, it was boat-tailed where the jump doors were. If you and the trooper jumping opposite you both made weak exits, you were at risk of colliding and possibly getting tangled.
Fortunately, they were phased out for C-130’s not long after young Poe completed jump school at Fort Campbell in 1959. We also jumped the old C-123 Providers which weren’t bad. The best of course, was the Huey–no long, bumpy flights with someone always getting airsick and no prop blast.
Those indeed were the days… 😋
Jump School was the only time I jumped the C-119. It was the most unpleasant plane ride I ever experienced. In addition to the vibration, it was the noisiest aircraft in which I have ever ridden. I was happy to get out the door every time.
The C-123s were in the reserve components until the early 80’s. I jumped from Texas Air Guard 123s in 1980 at Benning.
It goes back to the saying the only two things that fall from the sky. 🙄
I was in 1/5 in the mid-90s and my PLT was the helo PLT. It was particularly nice during ship-to-shore movements due to speed. Sea Knights and Super Stallions were our main mode of transport with the odd Pave Low during our pump to Oki and training with SOTG.
I felt a guilty sense of relief that I was already out when the Osprey entered the service.
Technology really has changed since the mil were trying out the British Jump jets around the same time I was leaving active duty.
Have you tried turning It off and on again?
IT Crowd – Have You Tried Turning It Off And On Again? – YouTube
IIRC, our own Marine Aviator, Mick, stated he was offered a ride on the V22 and he took a hard pass. ’nuff said!
If Chair Force had their way the only pilots in the military would be wearing AF Blue.