ALPENA -- Wings Over Alpena has been chosen this year by the US Marine Corps as one of only eight air shows to receive the MV-22 “Osprey” as a display aircraft.
Two Ospreys will be on static display at this years' show.
The Osprey’s primary function is amphibious assault transport of troops, equipment & supplies. It is manufactured by Bell Boeing.
The MV-22 is the first production tilt-rotor aircraft. For takeoffs & landings, the Osprey operates as a helicopter. Once airborne, the nacelles rotate forward in as little as 12 seconds to convert the aircraft to a more efficient turboprop airplane. The prop rotors also fold in when the aircraft is not being used, a sequence that takes approximately 90 seconds.
The Osprey can fly twice as fast as the Marines current helicopters, cruise at 13,000 feet for several hours, and get in and out of a combat zone more swiftly than can anything else on the battlefield. With its speed, endurance and quietness, the Osprey is far more than just an airplane. The Commandant of the Marine Corps has challenged Marines in Iraq and Afghanistan to think of new and different uses for an aircraft this fast and this effective.
The Ospreys should be arriving in Alpena Thursday.
You can meet the crew of the MV-22 on Thursday at Granum Theatre at 6:00 PM, where the pilots will give a short talk about life in the military & flying the Osprey.
