Have you not heard of the V-22? I see these things flying over my school on the regular.
Tilt rotors like the V-22 will dominate the civilian and military market.
Yes, I heart them but what I am talking is actually about tiltrotor attack helicopters in my post. US is the first one who come up with first tiltrotor technology. They have been working on this type crafts since 50 years but They are keeping to purchase conventional helicopters in same class even today. If Tiltrotor technology was such a promising without engineering problems of its nature, They would have dominated the markets until today but they couldn’t do yet. In this aspect, What makes tiltrotor tech prevent to dominate the market? Yes, Lets commence the journey!
They are difficult to develop and costly to operate. Training to pilots takes more time and their maintenance are costly as their cost per aircraft (67 million$ per V22). Their cost for per flight hours are higher than the costs of a B1B and F22.
Their twin rotor produces a lot of rotorwash (more than 80knt). Landing operation become a bungejumping advanture for troops. Their propeller rotors (proprotor) are not good at hovering compared to conventional helicopters. At the same time, They are not good at full speed performance compared to turboprop crafts. Although tiltrotors are supposed to combine the missions of both turboprop and conventional rotorcraft, Neither they can do the missions of a conventional helicopters properly, nor considered as being a capable turboprop crafts. An expensive craft which is developed to solve the disadvantages of conventional helicopters, can just perform a max speed around 550km/h, while Ah-1Z performing 410 km/h speed.
Despite the V22 having the power of a heavy lift helicopter, it cannot carry anywhere near as much payload. It has almost the same engine power as the CH-53E (13,140 shp vs 12,300 shp). But for comparison, the CH-53E can lift twice the payload (40,274 lbs vs 19,460 lbs) under the same conditions. Payload per shp wise, the CH-53E can lift 3.06 lbs per shp and the CH-47F can lift 2.68 lbs per shp, whereas the V-22 can only lift 1.58 lbs per shp.
The V-22 is a relatively poor two engine transport airplane. It has relative small wings and huge prop-rotors that create massive drag, limiting its maximum payload, speed and range. As an STOL airplane, the Tiltrotor Osprey can lift a maximum 20,000 lbs payload over 426 miles. It’s nearest two engine military turboprop is the Alenia C-27J Spartan, which can lift 25,353 lbs over a range of 950 nmi using 25% less power (9.280 shp). The Osprey costs $87M each whereas the C-27J cost $40M each. The Spartan top speed is 325 kts vs 275 kts for the Osprey. Compared to a standard turboprop the Osprey has 1/2 the range, less payload and is left fuel efficient.
I believe you will understand now why Tiltrotor technology could not dominate the market compared to conventional helicopters. In foresible future, they can not dominate the market as long as the problems of tiltrotors causing from its nature wouldn’t be solved with expensive engineering solutions.
Think about it, in 20-30 years will most militaries except the poor ones be using regular helicopters? No they won't as Tiltrotor aircraft offer better performance
Be sure that Countries will keep using same rotor technology with additional engineering solutions to improve the speed. Tiltrotors promise huge costs and risks at operations. They have reached the limit of their physics. The future rotor concepts are being changed to meet the requirements of Armed Forces and Turkish industry with national transmission, rotor and turboshaft engine solutions will have a promising future to dominate the market with domestic solutions.
Skorsky concept for future!
