Ospreys Cleared for Takeoff: Navy and Air Force Resume Flights After Gearbox Inspections

After careful checks of the planes' Proprotor Gearboxes (PRGB), the Navy and Air Force have started flying their V-22 Ospreys again. An Air Force Osprey in New Mexico had a problem with its engine on December 6, which led to the grounding. Operations were stopped while safety checks were done.

Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) put out a notice on December 20 that said Ospreys could go back into service as long as they took specific steps to lower the risk. The Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) stated that the same steps would be taken for its CV-22 fleet.

A spokesperson for AFSOC said, "In line with the NAVAIR fleet bulletin and interim flight clearance, AFSOC has resumed flight operations of the CV-22B Osprey." Before activities can resume, the precautionary checks will make sure that the number of flight hours on each gearbox meets safety standards.

The Marine Corps has more than five times as many Ospreys as the Navy and Air Force put together, so in December, it briefly stopped its fleet. Marine officials said that some of their MV-22s would be able to fly again with more safety controls.

Multiple deadly accidents have been linked to problems with the gearbox. For example, eight Air Force members died in a crash in Japan in 2023, and five Marines killed in an accident in California in 2022.

The Osprey is still an essential but closely watched tool for U.S. troops. Japan is the only country other than the U.S. that uses the plane, and they only have less than 20 cargo tiltrotors. Once the inspections are done, the operators want to keep the pilots skilled and ready to go while also handling ongoing safety concerns.

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