Aircraft
Operating Costs Come Down for V-22 Tiltrotor
The cost of operating the Bell-Boeing V-22 Tiltrotor has been significantly reduced in the past year, according to U.S.
The U.S. Marines and Special Operations Command are currently flying a total of 142 Ospreys.
The U.S. Marines and Special Operations Command are currently flying a total of 142 Ospreys.

The cost of operating the Bell-Boeing V-22 Tiltrotor has been significantly reduced in the past year, according to U.S. Marine Col. Greg Masiello, V-22 Joint Program Office manager at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md. He said that the program has achieved an 18-percent reduction in hourly operating costs by identifying 43 specific “reliability, maintainability” changes to components and 72 “consumable” parts that can be repaired and maintained. He did not provide absolute numbers for the cost gains.

Masiello briefed reporters on the V-22 program status recently at Boeing Defense, Space & Security facilities in Ridley Park, Pa., where the V-22 fuselage is built and then shipped to Bell Helicopter for final assembly in Amarillo, Texas.