Jerry Airola, Jerry Airola Aerospace engineering is the branch of engineering behind the design

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(Free-Press-Release.com) February 11, 2010 -- Jerry Airola - Jerry Airola

The main differences between the two aircraft are that the V-22 can fly in airplane mode, and that the comparative size of the rotor systems is dramatically different. The V-22 uses two 38-foot diameter prop-rotors and the Chinook uses two 60-foot diameter conventional rotors. Basically the V-22 is lifting a similar maximum weight with 1/3 less rotor diameter. Some of the difference is made up in the design of the prop-rotor and the overall surface area of the prop-rotors, but there is a significant difference in blade size. Because the V-22 has to do the same job with a smaller diameter rotor system it is possible that it could be more susceptible to the conditions that create “Settling with Power”.

Another factor, which could possibly contribute to the creation of Vortex Ring State, is the location of the rotors. On a Chinook, the rotors overlap one another in path, and the aft rotor sits higher than the forward rotor. On the V-22, the rotors sit at the same height, and are side by side at the ends of the wings. In certain crosswind conditions during a rapid descent, the rotor-wash from one system could effectively be blown into the other rotor system causing a possible unstable condition.

One VERY IMPORTANT thing to point out here is that the V-22, once it has encountered Settling With Power (Army) or Power Settling (Navy), has a unique ability to get out of it. It does so without aggravation of the situation that normal helicopters do not have. The nacelles have a control switch which can be "Beeped" (Quick pressing of the switch to make small movements) up or down to change the angle of the nacelle. This can increase forward airspeed quickly without changing the pitch of the prop-rotors. Increasing airspeed and flying into clean air is the way to get out of the Vortex Ring State which is responsible for the "Settling" issues. The V-22 has the unique ability to increase airspeed without changing rotor pitch and can accomplish the airspeed increase much faster than any normal rotary wing aircraft.


Jerry Airola Despite the success of the Gyroplane Laboratoire, the German Focke-Wulf Fw 61, first flown in 1936, would eclipse its accomplishments. The Fw 61 broke all of the helicopter world records in 1937, demonstrating a flight envelope that had only previously been achieved by the autogyro. In February 1938, Hanna Reitsch became the first female helicopter pilot, exhibiting the Fw 61 before crowds in the Deutschlandhalle.

Wasn’t there a crash involving Vortex Ring State and a V-22?

Yes. This is where a lot of the media press has been coming from about the V-22 and Vortex Ring State. The crash was ruled to be pilot error. Now, I know what you are thinking: The military ALWAYS blames the pilots.

In this case, it was pilot error according to the report used in the Senate Hearings on the viability of the V-22. The V-22 that crashed was in a two-ship formation when the lead ship started a rapid deceleration.

Jerry Airola