A team of pilots and engineers from Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (HX) 21 recently ed colleagues from other Navy and Marine Corps commands to conduct landing and compatibility tests of the MV-22 Osprey aircraft aboard the amphibious transport vessel. USS New York (LPD 21). Testing also included the first landings aboard the Navy's new CMV-22B Carrier Onboard Delivery (COD) Osprey variant.
Over the course of the 10-day deployment in July, the test team flew 180 boarding approaches and landings, totaling just under 45 hours of flight tests, to develop a better understanding of how pilots can successfully avoid the effects of a phenomenon called “recirculation. ”When flying to and from ships. Recirculation occurs when downwash from the aircraft's rotors is reflected off the ship's deck back into the rotors' arc of rotation, causing the aircraft to suddenly lose lift."
The team performed low-power margin tests and developed procedures for daytime and nighttime approaches that would minimize the effects of recirculation. The result of this test was to identify better control limits for the aircraft and to develop guidelines and procedures that will improve safety for the MV-22 fleet. The test clearly demonstrated the value of development testing.
“We reached 100% of the high priority test points”, said Marine Corps Major Nathaniel Ross, operations officer for the HX-21. “And even with a lot of smart people working on our test plan to help us understand the interactions between the ship and the aircraft, when we actually go out on the ship and start flying the test points, we still encounter things (Issues) that we didn't we were necessarily looking for or hoping to find. But, we were able to quickly adjust our test plan to for them, which allowed us to make recommendations to the class table for envelope adjustments. “
Teamwork was crucial to the mission's success, Ross said. Most of the people on the test team, which numbered 50 pilots and engineers at its peak, had served together in a previous deployment, so they had already learned to work together. The test program involved of Marine Helicopter Squadron (HMX) 1 based at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia, Heavy Helicopter Squadron (HMH) 464 based at Marine Corps Air Station New River, Jacksonville, NC, and Expeditionary Strike Group 2 based in Norfolk, Va.
“The CMV-22B is a great choice for this mission”, said Navy Lieutenant Gavin Kurey, test pilot and design officer for the HX-21 who flew the first of two COD voyages to New York with then Squadron Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Colonel John Ennis, and Crew Chief Brian Neseth. “As we planned the payload test missions, we realized that Navy aircraft would be a viable asset to help our team meet its objectives. And the aircraft fit perfectly in its intended role.”
The CMV-22B is designed to carry up to 6.000 pounds of cargo and/or personnel and operate at a range of 1.150 nautical miles. The aircraft will replace the venerable C-2A Greyhound, which has played the COD role since 1966.
Source: NAVAIR
