Boeing Osprey in UK?
Discussion
Heard what sounded like a slow cruising jet just now (Waterbeach, just N of Cambridge) and there was an unusual aircraft flying East to West. Heat-hazey conditions so I couldn't make it out properly but it seemed to have short wings ending in two very large props/rotors - although all I heard was jet noise.
The Osprey is the only one I can think of like that.
Never seen one before - we get the usual array of fast jets and Hercules here.
On its way to an air show?
The Osprey is the only one I can think of like that.
Never seen one before - we get the usual array of fast jets and Hercules here.
On its way to an air show?
ecsrobin said:
They have the speed of a plane to get somewhere and then can land anywhere a helicopter would.
Fantastic idea, only 54 years behind us!http://youtu.be/SJqcVVnk3DM
onyx39 said:
As the saying goes: "You'll never get me up in one of those!"onyx39 said:
ecsrobin said:
They have the speed of a plane to get somewhere and then can land anywhere a helicopter would.
Fantastic idea, only 54 years behind us!http://youtu.be/SJqcVVnk3DM
Noise was cited as the reason why the Rotodyne wasn't proceeded with. However, that was a red herring. The real reason was politics.
In the early 1960s, the UK government was trying to rationalise the British aircraft industry . They felt (quite rightly) that there were two many airframe and aero engine manufacturers. The solution was to force the various independent companies into mergers with their rivals.
Part of this process was the moving of all helicopter manufacturing into one company. In this case, the company chosen was Westland. This meant that Fairey, Saunders Roe and Bristol all had to hand over their various projects to Westland.
Westland then went about cancelling virtually all the projects that weren't originated by Westland themselves.
This signalled the end of the Rotodyne.
In the early 1960s, the UK government was trying to rationalise the British aircraft industry . They felt (quite rightly) that there were two many airframe and aero engine manufacturers. The solution was to force the various independent companies into mergers with their rivals.
Part of this process was the moving of all helicopter manufacturing into one company. In this case, the company chosen was Westland. This meant that Fairey, Saunders Roe and Bristol all had to hand over their various projects to Westland.
Westland then went about cancelling virtually all the projects that weren't originated by Westland themselves.
This signalled the end of the Rotodyne.
For as long as i can remember people seem to have been developing / promising tilt rotor aircraft, but none have actually materiallised till now. I guess we have needed to wait for digital flight control systems and CFD (prop/wing design) to progress to the point where the complicated flight dynamics can be solved?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3lbKqStvHI
that didn't go well !
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3lbKqStvHI
that didn't go well !
The Osprey seems like it has been around for years and years, but only seems to have come into service in the past couple of years or so.
I'm sure I remember reading about it first in the mid to late 80s. I know there's often a relatively long lead time between a flyable concept and coming into service, but 20--25 years seems like a lot!
I'm sure I remember reading about it first in the mid to late 80s. I know there's often a relatively long lead time between a flyable concept and coming into service, but 20--25 years seems like a lot!
Lurking Lawyer said:
The Osprey seems like it has been around for years and years, but only seems to have come into service in the past couple of years or so.
I'm sure I remember reading about it first in the mid to late 80s. I know there's often a relatively long lead time between a flyable concept and coming into service, but 20--25 years seems like a lot!
Didn't they have lots of problems in development? Remember there were a more than usual fatal crashes early on.I'm sure I remember reading about it first in the mid to late 80s. I know there's often a relatively long lead time between a flyable concept and coming into service, but 20--25 years seems like a lot!
Wikipedia has a page on the accidents
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accidents_and_inciden...
but one of them is a bucket falling off one...
I suspect the Rotodyne and similar concepts will make a comeback before long. Before it was canned, they had done work on noise reduction and by all accounts had some pretty good results, but burning fuel at the rotor tip is never going to be a quiet system. There are various alternatives though, and I can't believe a tilt-rotor is a better engineering solution to the problem.
Eric Mc said:
It proved an exceedingly difficult and expensive concept to see through to operational status. It was very nearly cancelled on a couple of occasions.
It was fascinating talking to the folks from Bell and the people from the crew last year at RIAT. The thing that amazed me the most about the engineering is that even allowing for the folding wings there is a cross connect which allows both rotors to be powered even if one engine fails!Gassing Station | Boats, Planes & Trains | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff