So I watched a special today about the Osprey and I wonder...have we seriously considered it.

It's twice as fast as the fastest military copter to date and has five times the range. Wouldn't it be a near ideal platform for us?

Rapid response to the rescue site? Hover when necessary and then move out back to base?

Just a thought...

It was considered and although it is really cool, I think the Coast Guard wanted to purchase other things and one Osprey would cost about as much as our entire CG budget for a couple of years.

My understanding is, with the Osprey, there's no autorotation. I'm guessing pilots and crews like the ability for autorotation when an engine fails in flight.

Don

I totally can understand the cost aspect. I did a little checking and they come in around $120 million a piece. That's hefty.

As for the auto-rotation, I have no knowledge of that! They did say that if one engine looses power, it's configured with a drive shaft so the other engine can fly the aircraft.

Again, price is a huge consideration. I was just thinking..wow..and it had a winch...it's like a very good platform for us. I'm sure testing wise would be great but the almighty dollar is the bottom line boss.

A few other points:

It's huge. Not going to land this on a WMEC.

Talking to Marines the prop wash is hell to work under. The 60 is bad enough, I can't imagine working a hoist under one of these.

It floats like a brick with an anchor tied to it. (Note to aircrews buy extra HEEDs).

Did I say it was huge

The Sikorsky X2 looks much more promising for our line of work. But its years from being GTG.

This subject has been discussed here before, about 2 years ago. The CG tested the smaller version, landed on a cutter, etc. Received great reviews, there is a report floating around somewhere.

Good book with the osprey aircraft;
Hammerheads by Dale Brown
Good Coastie read!

Well the prop wash might be a good reason, as well as with the cost! But I don't see why we would consider it for a ship if it’s too large. We have other airframes that aren’t.  Like the C130's etc... I just thought with its dual capability, faster speed and longer range, it might be great for S&R work.

I figured we probably did look at it, I mean, why not...the Marines paid for most of it But smarter folks than I have probably gone over this like a fine tooth comb!

quote:

Originally posted by fiszotcg:
Good book with the osprey aircraft;
Hammerheads by Dale Brown
Good Coastie read!

Yeah and the funny part is that book was written 20 years ago

The test was an Agusta/Bell X-15 standing in for an HV609 on CGC Mohawk off the coast of Key West in May 1999 as part of Deepwater bid trials. Right after contract award, it appeared on the Lockheed-Northrup graphics, but eventually disappeared without comment as Deepwater funds were used for a significant upgrade to the Dolphin fleet.

quote:

Originally posted by dash2:
The test was an Agusta/Bell X-15 standing in for an HV609 on CGC Mohawk off the coast of Key West in May 1999 as part of Deepwater bid trials. Right after contract award, it appeared on the Lockheed-Northrup graphics, but eventually disappeared without comment as Deepwater funds were used for a significant upgrade to the Dolphin fleet.

I reported onboard MOJAWK in June of 1999 so I had just missed it; the video was interesting to watch. I was the Helicopter Control Officer for my 2 years on MOHAWK, I would have loved to be the HCO for that op.

TILTROTOR AIRCRAFT (FOR RELEASE)
Washington, DC (Sept. 8) -- The Bell Textron XV-15 Tiltrotor aircraft prepares to land on the lawn of the Pentagon. The Tiltrotor, painted in Coast Guard colors, was part of the Pentagon Tiltrotor Technology Presentation sponsored by the U.S. Marine Corps in Washington, DC. Bell Textron is partnered with Lockhead-Martin as one of three teams hired to design surface, air and information technology systems for the 21st century Coast Guard. USCG photo by PA3 BRIDGET HIERONYMUS

quote:

Originally posted by jadeel:
This subject has been discussed here before, about 2 years ago. The CG tested the smaller version, landed on a cutter, etc. Received great reviews, there is a report floating around somewhere.

I got to see a prototype of one in Clearwater a few years back. Doing a litter hoist was next to imposible to pull the litter with patient in the door.

Looks like the jet exhaust maybe a bit uncomfortable as well as noxious?

"I got to see a prototype of one in Clearwater a few years back. Doing a litter hoist was next to imposible to pull the litter with patient in the door."
Exactly, it was a PROTOTYPE.

Also remember someone commenting that the jet exhaust melted the flight decks?