Thanks for the input all - shuffling aircraft around is a flat deck stock in trade - no big deal. Here is a V-22 factoid for youse....
Software Change Gives V-22 Pilots More Lift Options 20 Oct 2011 Renee Hatcher V-22 Public Affairs
V22 Osprey Web
"A test team from the V-22 Joint Program Office spent about six weeks in Logan, Utah [4,400 foot elevation] confirming that a small software change will result in more lift capability for the Osprey.
The actual change, which is barely observable to the eye, calls for the V-22 rotors to be tilted about four degrees outward. This change reduces the air flow from the rotors over the wings, which allows the V-22 to carry more weight and achieve greater overall performance in hover mode.
“We did see the performance gain from the software change that we expected,” said Trevor Strand, V-22 flight test engineer. “It gives the pilot more options. He can either carry more fuel, more troops, go to higher altitudes, or some combination of the three.”
Strand led the 30-person integrated test team (ITT) during the off-site test at the Logan-Cache Airport during July and August. The ITT flew 25 test flights in 31 days. This effort was the result of about two years of work by NAVAIR engineers to improve the hover performance of the V-22.
The software change that was measured and confirmed in Logan has already been implemented into some MV-22s. The plan is to upgrade all V-22s by the end of the year. The test team is currently updating performance documentation for V-22 operators...."
V-22 Performance Graphic from:
http://www.navair.navy.mil/v22/index...45373924,d.aGc (PDF 3.4Mb)
Click thumbnail for big pic:
