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View Full Version : Cool flyover this morning......



luckydog
December 18th, 2009, 09:34
Having spent most of my life around aircraft, I've become quite skilled in identifying a general type by the sound of the engine ( I'll drop everything and race outside if I hear a radial ).
This morning I heard a sound that freaked me out...... a deep rumbling with a helicopter accent..........like a dozen giant mutant dragonfly / helicopters at tree-top level.
I was outside in a flash and managed about a 10 second observation of five V22 (?) Osprey in a loose V-formation at about 1,000' agl, heading east. WOW !!!!

Made my day.

Craig Taylor
December 18th, 2009, 09:42
Maybe on a cross-country from New River, over by Camp Lejeune.

I seem them occasionally running up and down the Potomac. I live just north of Quantico and work in Alexandria and DC. They're very loud.

Cazzie
December 18th, 2009, 10:47
Yep, going to Lejeune or Cherry Point LD. See them all the time when in Jacksonville, NC.

Caz

Railrunner130
December 18th, 2009, 10:52
You definately know an Osprey vs. another aircraft when it comes to engine noise. They used to test them here (KILG) and even had one crash due to misprogrammed software in the flight control system. They are very unique and totally cool.

Hopefully, the Marines will beat the learning curve and get Congress off their backs about its low in-commission rates. There are three times when an aircraft has poor in-commission rates-

1. When the aircraft is brand new and nobody has experience with it.
2. When spares aren't properly funded.
3. When the aircraft is really old and needs to be replaced.

I think the USMC is in #1 with partially #2 to blame.

Sorry for the diversion. I'll get off my soap box now.

Craig Taylor
December 18th, 2009, 11:44
I saw a show on one of the history channels that showcased its first deployment to Iraq a year or so back. It seemed to perform well. Don't know how it 'actually' did. It doesn't seem to make the news anymore. I guess that's a 'good' thing.

I got to walk through one at a Marine Expo at Quantico about 5 years ago. The glass cockpit looked wild. It didn't seem that much bigger inside - maybe between a '46 and a '53...?