Here's a safety issue with the V-22 that some may not have thought about.
The rotor blades, being made of composite material, are designed to "broom straw" if the engine nacelles get stuck in the forward flight position and the aircraft has to make a run on landing.
I have one problem with this, the V-22 is a combat rotorcraft.
As you know the rotor blades on helicopters such as the AH-64s and the UH-60s are designed to withstand a direct 23mm anti-aircraft hit and still remain intact so the aircraft can continue flying. We all know what happens when a conventional helicopter loses a rotor blade.
In hover mode the loss of a rotor blade from ground fire would have disasterous consequences for the V-22, just as it would for any helicopter. In forward flight mode, the loss of a rotor blade would still be bad, as I can't imagine the asymmetric flight characteristics of the V-22 are anything short of terrible. With the two rotors being linked by a cross shaft, the loss of a rotor blade even in forward flight would still be bad, as shutting one rotor down to prevent the aircraft from shaking itself apart, would mean loss of both rotors.
Come to think of it, there's no way a V-22 could fly in forward flight with a failed rotor blade. If it survived the shaking, it'd be a glider.
I personally think that rotor blades designed to "broom straw" on impact are a bad choice for a combat rotorcraft. I'd be hard pressed to fly a rotorcraft into combat with rotor blades that could turn into horse tails on impact from ground fire. Does anyone else see a problem with this?
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Safe flying to you...
[This message has been edited by Flight Safety (edited 23 February 2001).]