GovernmentExecutive.com

The Marine Corps and the Bell-Boeing manufacturing team have identified and corrected a computer problem that forced the grounding of the V-22 Ospreys earlier this month and expect to have the tilt-rotor troop transports flying again within days, a spokesman told CongressDaily Wednesday.

The computer fix will end another, although relatively minor, interruption in the troubled 25-year effort to get the exotic airplanes ready for combat duties with the Marines and with the Air Force Special Operations Command. The hybrid airplanes were barred from flying Feb. 9 after a problem was discovered in a circuit designed to enable back-up computers to take over automatically if something happened to one of the systems that manage the complex flight control components.

The problem was traced to a chip in some computer circuit boards that did not perform as expected, according to James Darcy, spokesman for the Osprey program at the Naval Air Systems Command. After the problem was discovered, the control computers were pulled from the 46 MV-22 Ospreys being operated by the Marines and the eight CV-22s owned by the Air Force.

An inspection found no problems with the chips in 16 Marine and three Air Force Ospreys, which were able to resume flying last week; the other aircraft will be receiving replacement chips, Darcy said. The V-22, which has been the Marines' top aviation priority for a decade, is intended to replace the Vietnam-vintage CH-46 twin-rotor helicopters as the Corps' primary combat troop transports.

The Air Force plans to use a different version of the Osprey to replace both its helicopters and fixed-wing C-130s for transporting special operations commandos.

COMMENTS

• To (Whatever)Taxpayer, thanks for the lesson in courtesy! Check out the Merriam-Webster definition of the term ad hominem:" 1. appealing to feelings or prejudices rather than intellect. 2. Marked by or being an attack on an opponent's character rather than by an answer to the contentions made". Enough said, I'd be overjoyed to get back to the original topic of Humvees, but we're too far down the river now for that. You seem to hate the US government, it's employees and retirees, good for you under the First Amendment, but don't expect much support from us given the above. Have a great weekend! GovExec.com reader Posted March 2, 2007 1:27 PM
• "Ad hominem" is a fallacy in argument. Not my problem, but it seems to be yours. You cannot face the fact that the original comment had to do with setting priorities in a budget process and not the weapons system used as an example of a lower priority. Now you state that I call all government workers crooks. I never said that and never even implied it (although a fair number of acquisition people are being arrested recently and many in Congress and OMB are associated with Jack - you may have a point. Oh don't forget your friends that shot up a couple of illegals)! Seems you not only cannot adjust to change but you state fallacious arguments and probably resort to volume rather than apply reason and logic to a situation. I think you need to get on to another topic. P.S. Retiree, don't call me “Mr.” taxpayer Posted February 28, 2007 7:45 AM
• Dear Mr. Taxpayer, thanks for the venom! Start by looking up the term; "ad hominem" in the dictionary. You always have us federal employees at a disadvantage, because you reveal nothing about your background. But it's fairly obvious that you feel (as previously stated by me) that all the crooks are in the government. Well, I respect your right to have that opinion, wrong as I think it is. But since you never directly answer any questions about your views, have a ball, enjoy your First Amendment right to free speech, but leave comments about federal issues to those who know more than you do. GovExec.com reader Posted February 27, 2007 9:36 AM