Osprey Time
 

I saw one fly over the other day (actually heard it first).

Does anyone know if flightime is logged at fixed wing or rotary?

Thanks.

Is it powered lift?

My guess is RW. Cruise flight is pretty much the same in any type aircraft. The key is the landing phase...it does NOT land anything like a FW.

But it might actually be PL...those blades are bigger than most props, but smaller the helo rotors. A CH-46/47 is obviously a helo, a harrier is obviously PL, but the osprey is somewhere in between.

I'm 99% sure that it's logged as powered lift, which is a separate rating from airplane and rotary wing.

No clue what it's logged as. Aren't those a sight though? I saw one practicing "pattern" work at KAMA about six months ago for an hour or so, I could have watched that thing all day.

Just a followup, The FAA defines "powered-lift" as:

"A heavier-than-air aircraft capable of vertical takeoff, vertical landing, and low speed flight that depends principally on engine-driven lift devices or engine thrust for lift during these flight regimes and on nonrotating airfoil(s) for lift during horizontal flight."

I'd say that the Osprey falls into that category (as does the Bell Civil Tiltrotor, and the Harrier.)

Yeah, that makes sense...a helo always depends on rotary wings, in all phases.

Does that time help with commercial flying?

I'm not a Harrier guy, but the implication of this thread is that PL isn't the same as FW which would seem like a negative connotation in regard to what the airlines are looking for. Seems like most AV-8's I've seen take-off or land do a conventional FW take-off or landing. Although capable of vertical lift, they rarely actually do it.

Hi!

When the Harriers are at sea, they do a rolling takeoff, and then they, virtually, ALWAYS land vertically at the end of their missions.

cliff
ABQ