The V-22 Osprey Joint Program Office and Naval Air Systems
Command have directed a temporary suspension of flight operations
pending the replacement of specific hydraulic lines in the engine
nacelles of the five aircraft currently assigned to the flight test
program.
After completing extensive quality inspections and tests,
program technicians determined that several production lots of
¼-inch hydraulic lines provided by an Osprey Team supplier
do not meet performance specifications. Although a single failure
of any of the hydraulic lines in question would not immediately
jeopardize an aircraft during flight, program officials decided to
replace suspect high- and low-pressure line components that control
the aircraft's swashplate actuators. That means 20 lines per
aircraft will be replaced.
Replacement of these components in all flight test aircraft
should be complete in about two weeks, and normal flight operations
should resume around March 18-20.
Program officials will make further determinations about the
need to replace suspect lines that may be used in other areas of
the test aircraft as well as in aircraft currently in modification
or production. Bell and Boeing technicians are currently
determining the extent of these quality issues. The V-22 Joint
Program Office has already initiated efforts to qualify new
suppliers and the process is well under way to qualify other
manufacturing sources for similar components to ensure that all
hydraulic systems in the V-22 meet or exceed the program's
stringent quality requirements.
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