Private Air Show!
I am anchored at Mile Hammock Bay on the Camp LeJeune Marine Base here in eastern North Carolina.....listening to the thump of things going bang....and the rattle of small arms and the occasional drum beat of .50 caliber MG's. All around the boat, the Recon guys are doing their swim ops and a CH-53D (remember the Osprey was to replace those) is practicing landings at a field site about a quarter a mile away. As I am typing this post....an Osprey is doing night landings a bit closer than the 53D did.
Observations....
The 53D is a classic!
The 22 is fast, quiet approaching, but noiser than the 53D at a hover.
The 22 is huge compared to the 53D.....function of the prop rotors being on the wings and the downwash (and all the stuff being blown into the air) is much more noticeable during the 22's hovering.
I just pray these aircraft go home early....as there will be no sleep with either of them operating right next door!