I did see Jelly during the FIST inspection a few weeks back... But anyway, I saw the "MV-22" syllabus coursemap in the MPTS book. I still just don't see them putting that in practice anytime soon. MPTS itself is already later than promised. God only knows when we'll have the rest. I don't doubt that the syllabus will probably be a helo/multi-engine combo platter, but I don't think that it will be putting studs on the street anytime soon.
We still haven't finished OT&E on the MV-22, and there will have to be at least a couple VMM squadrons fully stood up before we start to need boot pilots to fill slots. That will end up being at least 2 years from today. The other thing that sticks out is that the experienced fleet pilots who were picked up for the program are checking into VMX and VMMT this fall to take part in OT&E. What's a boot going to do in an opeval program? I hope you're right, that it will be earlier, because I'm a big proponent of the V-22, I just think there'd be more on the radar screen if V-22 SNAs were right around the corner.
We still haven't finished OT&E on the MV-22, and there will have to be at least a couple VMM squadrons fully stood up before we start to need boot pilots to fill slots. That will end up being at least 2 years from today. The other thing that sticks out is that the experienced fleet pilots who were picked up for the program are checking into VMX and VMMT this fall to take part in OT&E. What's a boot going to do in an opeval program? I hope you're right, that it will be earlier, because I'm a big proponent of the V-22, I just think there'd be more on the radar screen if V-22 SNAs were right around the corner.