@hootnanny:
What does this mean?
MV 167 delivered Feb 2011
OK, the Marines have taken delivery of 167 Ospreys. Is that right?
CV 1028 delivered Feb 2011
The USAF have taken delivery of One Thousand Twenty Eight Ospreys? Or Twenty Eight?
Obviously not, so, what do your numbers mean in plain English?
(edited for brevity)
R 240403Z FEB 11 UNCLASSIFIED//
ALMAR 006/11
MSGID/GENADMIN/CMC WASHINGTON DC//
SUBJ/MV-22 100,000 FLIGHT HOUR MILESTONE//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/
... ON 10 FEBRUARY 2011, AN MV-22 SUPPORTING OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM CROSSED THIS SIGNIFICANT AVIATION THRESHOLD. IT IS FITTING THAT THIS MILESTONE WAS ACHIEVED DURING COMBAT OPERATIONS IN AFGHANISTAN, GIVEN THE CONSTANT OPERATIONAL TEMPO THE OSPREY COMMUNITY HAS MAINTAINED SINCE ITS INCEPTION.
... AS A RESULT OF THE EFFORTS OF THE ENTIRE OSPREY COMMUNITY - AND MARINE AVIATION AS A WHOLE - THIS TRANSFORMATIONAL AIRCRAFT HAS ACHIEVED 100,000 TOTAL FLIGHT HOURS WHILE MAINTAINING THE LOWEST CLASS 'A' FLIGHT MISHAP RATE OF ANY USMC ROTORCRAFT SINCE 9/11. TO ALL THE MEN AND WOMEN WHO HAVE PLAYED A PART IN THE ACHIEVEMENT OF 100,000 FLIGHT HOURS, THANK YOU AND CONGRATULATIONS.
That's a fleeting data point ... with a "since 9-11" caveat that means ... what?
*shrug*
A bit of noise and cheerleading from the Commandant, that's what I see. About par for the course. He's giving the troops an attaboy. That's a good thing.
When I flew new aircraft, they didn't crash as often as the older models. Still glad to see the V-22 doing well, since it has been a hell of a battle to get it to where it is today.