Bell Boeing V-22 Program Delivers 6th Osprey Trainer to US Marines

The Bell Boeing V-22 Program, a strategic alliance between Boeing [NYSE: BA] and Bell Helicopter, has delivered the sixth and final MV-22 Osprey Containerized Flight Training Device (CFTD) to the U.S. Marines. In the past year, the team has delivered five CFTDs to the Marines, as well as upgrades to two trainers delivered previously.

The CFTD trains aircrew on basic aircraft familiarization and handling qualities. Additional training capabilities include systems/subsystems operation, communication, malfunctions, day and night flying, use of night-vision goggles, formation flying, aerial refueling and landing on ships. The device is intended to train crews for any task that might be performed in the aircraft, while limiting the monetary and environmental costs and safety risks of in-flight training.

The sixth device was delivered to Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) New River, N.C., on Aug. 16, six weeks early. MCAS New River has six devices, including the first CFTD -- delivered in 2007 -- plus three full-flight, motion-based simulators and one non-motion-based flight training device. MCAS Miramar, Calif., has four CFTDs. An upgrade delivered to Miramar this month brought all CFTDs to full concurrency with the Osprey aircraft.

"The V-22 Integrated Product Team has made all of these early deliveries possible,” said Mark McGraw, vice president, Boeing Training Systems & Services. “They delivered three devices on this contract early, and all of them for the lowest per-unit cost our customer has seen."

All CFTDs can be locally networked to allow for more robust training capabilities. The CFTDs at MCAS New River also are able to network with AV-8 Harriers at MCAS Cherry Point, N.C.

The V-22 Osprey is a tiltrotor aircraft manufactured by Boeing and Bell Helicopter, a Textron Inc. [NYSE: TXT] company. Bell and Boeing are teamed in a Strategic Alliance Agreement for the design, production and sustainment of the V-22.



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