Air Force to Resume Osprey Plane Operations After Crash

The Air Force Special Operations Command has made a huge announcement. It will again deploy its fleet of CV-22B Osprey aircraft. This is despite the deadly crash of its Osprey plane a few months ago. This move is to counter-terror operations. The aircraft will be deployed to combatant commanders across the globe. But now, they are more confident with the CV-22B following their efforts in doing safety checks. The command's head, Lt. Gen. Michael Conley, mentioned at the Air and Space Force Association conference that they are more than convinced about the fleet. More than half of it is now ready for deployment. All of the Osprey military planes should be flying by the first quarter of next year.

Air Force Osprey Crash Investigation Details

On November 29 of last year, an Osprey aircraft crashed into the coast of Japan on Yakushima Island. The crash was about 650 miles southwest of the capital, Tokyo, killing its eight crew members. After the investigation, it was discovered that the cause was a crack in a small pinion gear inside its gearbox and a pilot's error. The crack caused a huge issue, leading to multiple failures across its drive system. After the incident, the U.S. military ceased all the V-22 Osprey's operations. It was even found that its crew did not have a sense of urgency. This is even though they received warnings in the aircraft.The pilot of the Osprey plane had already received warnings to land when they were still close to the mainland. He could have diverted their route to a closer, safer airfield. Even after the warnings, the pilot continued flying 8,000 feet above sea level. The Japanese government accepted the findings. They also acknowledged that other future accidents could be controlled. Yoshimasa Hayashi, Chief Cabinet Secretary, mentioned that the U.S. and Japan had agreed that flight safety would be the top priority. There are around 400 multipurpose Osprey military planes that the Marines, Navy, and Air Force have been using in Japan and across the globe. This aircraft is one of the most used by service members. However, its safety is still sometimes in question. As of 2007, there have been around 20 deaths since the V-22 entered service. The Flight Safety Foundation released a figure that at least 50 personnel have died in a crash due to testing or operating the aircraft.

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Air Force Resumes Osprey Plane Operations