I was awestruck! Challenger and Osprey

Truly a fantastic aircraft and a magnificent piece of engineering!

While consulting at Boeing Vertol, I was fortunate enough to spend time in the V-22 simulator - also an engineering marvel.

If I may wave my own flag a bit: See those two dark circles inside the oval?
They are indicators that inform the ground crew that the wing is secured in either the stowed or flight position.
I'm proud to say that it's my design and the prototype that I built is still being used for training.

OK, no more boasting!

Bob Z.
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I was a Crew Chief on V22s fun to fly pain in the ass to work on.

I had about 1000 hrs zero mishaps and one trip to Iraq with them.

 

A good name to start with but I wanted to say that what you did is worthy of flag waving. A good job is worthy of it. The good comments about the Osprey are beginning to surface now and it builds confidence in the design that stretched the envelope.Keep it going.

 

Much, much lower accident rate than any similar class helo at its current flight hour total. About the only problem currently is difficulty refueling from KC-135s, and no other helo can even go fast enough to attempt that.

 

Juan- Incidentally, we turn the lights off at night in combat conditions. You would rather be invisible than awesome.

 

I have a few more but the one I'm most proud of is US Patent # 6,784,578 B2, received on August 31, 2004.
It's a self energizing brake for electric motors.
I designed and built the prototype in my home workshop/laboratory.

 

Bob- Impressive thinking and credentials. I know a few Navy guys have taken off and had the wings fold and that one idea would have been pretty handy.

 

Even though I'm not that old, it makes me sound old to say that in no way would I want to fly a V22. I'll take my UH60M and 135-140kts and be just happy lol. Too many moving parts on a concept that already has too many moving parts (helicopter).

 

My father (John McKeown) was on the Critical Design Review and Return to Flight for the V-22. Very cool craft and soon to be replacing C2s for COD I believe I remember him saying. We were just at PAX for the last show and there were a few (rather ragged looking) trainers there. I'll dig up the pics.

 

I think the Osprey is so cool. Just wish they had not given it such a Chinookey-lookin' nose. If it had a Blackhawk front end, it would look down right ready for business!

Nice to see the Knights jumping in a game. Did they jump from the Osprey? My only helo jumps were back flips off the ramp of MH-53s.