did some of the follow on simulation ( CFD ) of the V-22. We showed that the control system for vertical takeoff was so unstable that transition from takeoff to forward flight was, at best, high risk.

Add in factors such as poor visibility, night vision goggles, wind, rain, snow and you had a recipe for disaster.

The entire platform should have been scrapped and a new VTOL platform for the marines designed.

oh well... 25 years later and I don't know if they have been improved at all or at least enough that I would feel safe flying on one.

who would have gone without if this disaster had been cancelled.

What we "recommended" was for them to be scrapped and replaced with a new design... more contracts for the defense industry!!!

DOD and Congress pushed back.

Just like the Space Shuttle, the V-22 should have been a small production run for engineering prototype. Once the issues were found ( Space Shuttle O-rings on solid rocket boosters - rot in hell Orin Hatch , unprotected heat tiles exposed to environmental issues like ice and bird strikes on launch ), after the prototype THEN you take the lessons learned and build the real deal.

Gemini was a technology demonstrator for Apollo.

You can never reduce risk to zero for any of these things, but by building the test vehicles, you can certainly reduce the risk of the final design. The V-22 was a case in point. But nobody wanted to spend the money.

I was just being sarcastic.

before I retired. My command supported repair and maintenance and we heard a lot about dificult maintenance and how many hours of maintenance it took to get one hour of flying time for the V-22. But the Navy/Marines were anxious to replace the AV-8B, it's older V/STOL with something. With all the known problems with the V-22. it should never have come into service.

about the Osprey since it was in trials. The power plant and control services are just too complicated and unforgiving of errors.

Everything I’ve heard has been bad too. I thought they halted their use at one time.

control systems were just not up to the task of keeping the damn thing stable on takeoff or transition to forward flight

…the Osprey is said to be faster than Santa’s Sleigh, assuming the First Lady isn’t a liar.

that 3 or 4 of them were seen flying over my farm a few weeks ago. Suspected to be there for work to be done. I did not see them so I have nothing really to say, we get a LOT of air traffic over the farm with the base so close but I know nothing about any of that. It is fun to watch some of the things flying in. This case makes me a bit nervous so I am hoping those who reported them were blowing smoke.

there but for the grace of god go I.

need to be removed from service