Comments on: Bye-Bye Pave Low, Hello Osprey

By: Vince

Vince — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 16:41:52 +0000

If you would like to learn more about the USAF H-53 (MH-53M PAVE LOW), please visit http://www.thepavecave.com.
Sincerely,
Vince
Webmaster for The Pave Cave

By: AD2 Bill Robinson USN

AD2 Bill Robinson USN — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 21:20:22 +0000

I have had the great privelage of having flown on the MH53 (Navy) out of Barber Point Hawaii on several occasions for various resons and I can say without pause that the V-22 does not hold a candle to that class of Helo. I was also able to catch a ride on a Pave Low III from Tampa McDill to Hurlbert Field in Fl and I spent the entire 2 1/2 hour flight with my jaw hanging. The FE was nice enough to describe the features of that fantastic bird. Top Notch! They had better keep those retired birds close because they will be called on again.

By: lance d logue panama city, FL

lance d logue panama city, FL — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 14:00:13 +0000

just speculation, but i suspect that during the aborted ship rescue off Galveston, the ’53 was recalled so as not to show up incapable V-22’s. As the fighter mafia demonstrated, higher, faster, further doesn’t necessarily give you the best aircraft for the job.

By: steve

steve — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 22:50:07 +0000

The 53 how will we miss thee. I remember the first time I saw one flying low to the Ranger School when I was in boot at Benning, thinking “what the @#$% is that giant thing?”.

By: PaveHYD

PaveHYD — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 11:59:15 +0000

Pave Low Leads!

By: Greg

Greg — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 10:54:07 +0000

Yeah, no shit GEN Castellaw. Working as a Aviation Weather Forecaster, I can assure you that the pilot in command for that flight should have taken the Forecaster’s warning a little more seriously; especially with an up-and-coming aircraft lacking anti-icing equipment. Just another case of ignorance brought to you by U.S. “Flyboys”

By: springbored

springbored — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 05:23:37 +0000

Norman–That 2006 “cross the pond” jaunt.…didn’t exactly go without a hitch:
The only sour note so far during the V-22’s appearance in England, which began last week with flight demonstrations at the far smaller Royal International Air Tattoo air show 75 miles away in Fairford, was a precautionary landing one Osprey made in Iceland on the way over.
That aircraft suffered compressor stalls in its right engines, leading its pilots to divert to Keflavik, where the suspect engine was replaced with a spare that had been stationed in England in advance.
The engine replacement took 36 hours, Gen. Castellaw said.
The compressor stalls appeared to be related to “weather conditions that we didn’t anticipate,” Gen. Castellaw said.
On its way
The Block A model V-22s flown to England lack anti-icing gear installed on the Block B Ospreys the Marines will deploy next year, he said.
But he offered that the diversion did nothing to dampen the Marines’ pride in getting two V-22s to England by flying them from Goose Bay, Canada, with two aerial refueling tankers that refilled their tanks three times on the way — the Osprey’s first trans-Atlantic trip.
“We got two aircraft over here,” he said. “When we fly them back, we’re going to be a little bit more careful where we fly into weather.
july 18 Dallas Morning News 2006

By: SMSgt Mac

SMSgt Mac — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 04:54:39 +0000

Because of attrition due to combat and age and the repeated recycling and remanufacturing of the airframes, just about the entire Pave Low fleet has a history worthy of displaying in an honored place within any aircraft collection.
I’d like to see all of the ones that remain put out to stud in major aerospace museums.

By: stephen russell

stephen russell — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 02:25:23 +0000

Produce more Ospreys (some for Civil use)
Expand line more.
Cut Prod costs alone.
We need more V22s.
Have V22 for MARINE ONE
V22 for 2020 White House use?

By: Jon Owens

Jon Owens — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 00:06:10 +0000

As a former MH-53 PAVELOW driver it was sad to see the “great beast” retired. It served with distinction from the Vietnam War to Iraqi/Enduring Freedom.