V-22 Osprey Head on Flyby Rotor Transition at RAF Mildenhall

YouTuber / AIRLINER VIDEOS

Osprey’s Rotors In Action

Who would have thought we could ever design an aircraft that combined a helicopter’s functionality with a turboprop plane’s performance? Even now, seeing the world’s first tiltrotor aircraft is still noteworthy.

The person behind the “AIRLINER VIDEOS” YouTube channel was able to take a quick peek at a V-22 Osprey as it flies by at RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk, England. It looks like the Osprey took off vertically from Mildenhall but transitioned its rotors forward as it gained more speed. 

While “tilted forward,” the rotors provide thrust by acting as a propeller, and the wings’ airfoil provides lift via the aircraft’s forward motion. For vertical flights, the rotors are angled in a way that enables their rotors to generate lift the same way a normal helicopter rotor does.

Have you seen a tiltrotor in action before? Tell us in the comments below!