V-22 Osprey Heavy Gross Weight Short Take Off and Landing (STOL) Evaluation

Trevor E Strand, NAVAIR (Naval Air System Command), Patuxent River Naval Air Station, MD, USA
Stephen Augustin, HX-21 Rotary Wing (United States Marine Corps), Patuxent River Naval Air Station MD, USA
Robert J. Mayer, The Boeing Company , Philadelphia, PA, USA
Joshua M. Gorman, The Boeing Company , Philadelphia, PA, USA

Abstract

As a tiltrotor, the MV-22B Osprey has the capability to hover as a helicopter and fly like an airplane. By using intermediate nacelle angles for short-field take offs, the aircraft can liftoff with a gross weight that exceeds the aircraft’s vertical hover capability. Positioning the nacelles in an intermediate position allows the aircraft to accelerate on the ground and use the wing in addition to the rotor to lift the aircraft. Innovative test planning, pilot technique, and procedures had to be developed based on a wide variety of possible nacelle settings and provide optimum performance with acceptable handling qualities.

A test program was designed to develop a repeatable take off technique, optimize performance, and gather quality flight test data necessary to construct take off and landing performance charts for fleet pilots for density altitudes up to 10,000 feet.. In order to gather detailed and accurate data for the model a very repeatable technique, low ambient wind conditions, and established aircraft configurations were required. This optimized technique provided detailed take off, landing, and other performance charts. In addition to providing pilots with performance charts, the test team developed procedures for a “tactical” and “normal” short-field takeoff (STO) configuration to meet the multiple mission requirements of the V-22 Osprey.

The STOL test program was successfully completed during 2005, demonstrating the ability of the V-22 Osprey to conduct heavy gross weight short takeoffs and landings up to 60,500 lbs at sea level, and up to 56,000 lbs at density altitudes in excess of 8,000 ft. Test techniques, instrumentation requirements, and preliminary results are presented.