V-22 Osprey makes precautionary landing en route to U.K. air show
WASHINGTON -- A U.S. military V-22 Osprey made a precautionary landing in Iceland on Monday, delaying its journey to the U.K. for the Farnborough International Air Show, the U.S. Marine Corps said.
The Pentagon is sending two Ospreys to the show as the aircraft's first overseas journey. Contractors Bell Helicopter, part of Textron Inc. (TXT), and Boeing Co. (BA) are sharing the cost of the trip and will pay for all of the exhibition flights at the event.
The V-22 is a tilt-rotor aircraft that can take off like a helicopter and fly like a plane. The aircraft is expected to become officially combat capable by September 2007, when it is scheduled to be deployed for the first time.
In this week's transatlantic journey, one of the aircraft made it all the way to the U.K. with no problems. The other V-22 experienced "right engine compressor stalls" and made a precautionary landing at a U.S. military base in Iceland.
A V-22 program spokesman said the incident did not indicate any serious problems with the aircraft, nor would it put a big crimp in the schedule. The diverted aircraft should finish its journey later this week, he said.