Oh SAS, as big a cynic and skeptic of the V-22 as I am, I do not envision the ship carrying out hoisting operations in hostile areas. I was thinking more along the lines of CSAR. I assumed that the hoist would be positioned at the right-hand forward cabin door, but obviously that is wrong if as Ned sez, it is accessed via the ramp. But...come to think of it, neither *pilot* will be able to see the load/patient. They will have to rely on the crewman for positioning - which I would have to guess isn't all that big a deal. But then, wouldn't the winch operator have to lean out beyond the ramp? How's that work?
Also, having the hoist extend out the ramp would *seem* to be a better place with regard to rotorwash impingement.
But still...
We've all seen videos of dangling stretchers rotating under the hoist for various reasons. And so I wonder how a stretcher would behave under the swirling rotorwash of the twin proprotors?
I suspect that hoisting work is something for which the V-22 is not the optimal platform. I suspect that they are still working out the procedures and details.