Going Full Tilt: Tilting Rotors are Poised to Disrupt the Aviation World
After 75 years of steady, systematic innovation and product development – and some very tough lessons learned about design and operation of a new and transformative VTOL vehicle configuration – tilting rotors are poised to disrupt the aviation world.
The convergence of robust and reliable actuation (tilt mechanisms), maturation of simulation and design tools for advanced aeromechanics, and modern computer-assisted flight controls make major productivity gains of tiltrotor, and even their tiltwing counterparts, more attainable than ever.
The U.S. government, and NASA in particular, as well as many top universities, have focused considerable resources and expertise on solving top-tier technical challenges as fast as possible. It is not a surprise that many of the most aggressively pursued configurations are tilting rotor machines.
The V-22 Osprey has led the way after entering military service almost two decades ago. And the results have been game-changing. Unique tactics and concepts of operation have been developed to dramatically increase mission effectiveness and the survivability of the force.
Military tiltrotors provide mission commanders the operational flexibility they need to quickly seize the initiative using the speed, range, and runway independence only a tiltrotor can provide. The Osprey has fundamentally changed how the U.S. Marine Corps, Air Force and Navy operate in combat and humanitarian operations across the globe.
Technology and engineering have been honed to improve reliability and readiness. The maturation of the Osprey has been significant and profound. Many more gains are achievable in future upgrades to critical systems, including wings, nacelles, engines and drive systems, flight controls, and other areas as tiltrotor technology continues its path into the future.
Successful strategic partnerships between the prime contractors, industry, and the military will be essential for the Osprey and future military tiltrotors to evolve. In the case of the Bell Boeing V-22, the Osprey industrial base spans more than 500 suppliers across nearly every state. One thing is certain: The V-22 and its tiltrotor successors will be a go-to capability and a force multiplier for commanders for decades to come.
In the very near future, the U.S. Army’s Future Long Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) program will advance military tiltrotor technology to even greater heights. By capitalizing on the lessons learned from the V-22 program and leveraging its 750,000 flight hours, the next generation will be more dependable than any tiltrotor ever before. At the same time, variants of FLRAA will deliver a radical advance in operational capabilities for all of the U.S. military services as well as any international partners who decide to embrace tiltrotor – and I expect there will be many.
On the civilian side, tiltrotors at many scales will expand throughout the next few decades in passenger transport, air ambulance reach and response times, and open long-distance search-and-rescue roles.
European aerospace companies and research laboratories have invested heavily in tiltrotor products and programs. After many years of progress and enormous corporate investments, the Leonardo AW-609 Tiltrotor is nearing certification and will enter multi-role civilian service soon.
Building on ERICA civil tiltrotor research and development programs, and hoping to complement or surpass U.S. products, the European NexGenCTR next-generation civil tiltrotor program is making rapid progress, advancing the technology on new frontiers.
Worldwide, private investments in accelerating electric and hybrid electric vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) platforms have exceeded $15 billion over the past 10 years.
Because of these efforts, the future promises even higher speeds (450 kts), more autonomous and teamed operations, extended all-weather capabilities, electric and hybrid turbo-electric propulsion systems, and reduced operating costs.
Look up! Exciting times ahead!
Dr. Edward Smith is Distinguished Professor of Aerospace Engineering and Director, Penn State Vertical Lift Research Center of Excellence (VLRCOE). Penn State University, University Park, PA
Featured Photo: U.S. Marine Corps MV-22B Ospreys assigned to Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron One (MAWTS-1), conduct flying maneuvers and day tactics drills during Weapons and Tactics Instructor (WTI) course 1-23 near Yuma, Arizona, Oct. 8, 2022. The WTI course is a seven-week training event hosted by MAWTS-1 providing standardized advanced tactical training and certification of unit instructor qualifications to support Marine aviation training and readiness, and assists in developing and employing aviation weapons and tactics.
10.07.2022
Photo by Lance Cpl. Ruben Padilla
Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron-1
See also the following:
Mastery of the Air: Personal Reflections on 35 years of Watching Tiltrotors Take Flight
For our recently published book on MAWTS-1 which highlights the maturation of the Osprey in the context of USMC transformation, see the following: