21st....in a post a year or so ago I described the airshow I attended over an 18 hour period in the netherlands of Camp LeJeune while anchored in Mile Hammock Bay. Along with the airshow (USMC Ospreys, 46's, and 53's) that took place in both daylight and dark (added to by Recon Marines doing swim quals) I was given a wonderful way to compare the various aircraft doing their thing into the very same LZ's all within very close proximity to my location.
At that time (both the day and later the post recounting it) I expressed my view that the Osprey was fast but that it was not really all that quieter. Depending upon the angle it was approaching from in its flight path it was quieter than the 53 but once in the approach and hover modes all of the aircraft were just about as loud as the other. At a hover the Osprey is much louder than the 46 and quite a bit louder than the 53 due to Prop Rotor noise
Yes...staying high and flying in airplane mode is faster and higher than normal helicopter speeds and heights but once you near the LZ.....that advantage is lost. The one thing I did notice....the approach speeds of all the aircraft seemed way too slow for Tactical Conditions. Whether that was a function of stage of training of the pilot flying or Unit SOP is unknown. Looking back on two combat tours flying Chinooks in Vietnam.....all the aircraft were way too slow on approach and take off and none used any maneuver that could be considered "evasive tactics". Again....being not knowing of what they were tasked to do that day....it would be unfair to suggest they were not training to reality but....but....in a genuine combat enviornment....pretty text book approaches and takeoff's just don't get it.
As to proximity of my view....I could easily see the individual lights on the aircraft at night and tell whether the crewmen on the helicopters were sticking their heads out of the hatches. I was close.
The Recon guys were good fun....every now and then I would pound on the side of the boat to get their attention when it was plain they were missing their turn point next to my boat. I sent them home with a case of ice cold Heinies!