Thursday, August 17, 2006

Ospreys cross 'the pond'!

Right: V22 Osprey over the river Thames.

Two MV-22B “Ospreys,” belonging to Marine Tiltrotor Test and Evaluation Squadron 22, have made history by completing the first-ever Tiltrotor Vertical Assault Aircraft trans-Atlantic flights. The Ospreys successfully flew from North Carolina to England and back.

“The MV-22's ability to make two trans-Atlantic flights within a three week period, and fly every day in Great Britain during that time period confirms its reliability,” said Col. Glenn M. Walters, VMX-22 commanding officer. “The aircraft and aircrew performed above my expectations in accomplishing the most arduous portion of a self-deployment. This was the final event that demonstrated the full range of unique capabilities this aircraft will provide to our war fighters in the near future."

The flight covered more than 4,000 miles, much of it over the North Atlantic, in challenging weather conditions. Both aircraft were conducting a self-deployment rehearsal in preparation for the Osprey’s operational deployment scheduled for next year. Over 40 Marines participated in the exercise, including pilots, aircrew and ground support personnel. While in England, the Ospreys flew a total of 17 flight events, all of which were executed on time. The craft even participated in the Royal International Air Tattoo in Fairford and the Air Show at Farnborough, U.K.

Lt. Gen. John Castellaw, deputy commandant of Marine Corps aviation, remarked on the success of the historic trans-Atlantic flight and how this brings the “Osprey” one giant step towards deployment sometime next year. “The leadership of the Marine Corps and those that have been involved with the aircraft has had confidence that it could complete a mission like this all along.”

Colonel "Whopper" Creedon of the United Nations Extra-Terrestrial Invasion Defence Agency, a strong supporter of the Osprey since it's early design stages, was rather smug about the now-proved abilities of the Marines new craft. "I'm always right" he said "especially about things I know about. I said many, many, many times that this would fly and succeed where others failed, but the Marines were behind this baby 100% so it could not have failed. So to all those who said [the Osprey] was a lemon, I say a big Screw You!". It was obvious The Colonel had been drinking.

Source: Military.com

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

“The aircraft and aircrew performed above my expectations"
- Col. Glenn M. Walters, VMX-22 commanding officer.

I like to know exactly what Col. Walters expectations where, It shoild not fall of the sky in an unprecidable fashion?