Gads! After TOO many deaths, The Osprey is being put into action!
The Marine Corps announced Friday the V-22 Osprey will see action in Iraq in September when it will be deployed for seven months to help move troops and equipment. Gen. James T. Conway, commandant of the Marine Corps, made the announcement in the Pentagon, in what was called a historic move for the Marines.
The Osprey, manufactured jointly by Textron’s Bell Helicopter in Texas and Boeing in Ridley Township, will be the first tilt-rotor aircraft used by the military. The Osprey can take off and land like a helicopter, tilt its rotors and then fly like an airplane.
The Osprey was Billions over budget in development and has one of the worst safety records, but our Gov’t still bought 10 of them.
We won’t ever know how many men died while testing that bird …
but I do know one craft, that in 10 years of development and test flights which endured wheels up landings and engine failure crashes - that each and every time brought the crew back safely, without a scratch …
