Former ASDF pilot makes visual presentation concerning dangers of Osprey for EACI
January 23, 2017 Ryukyu Shimpo
On January 22, 77-year-old Masumi Okunishi from Haebaru Town spoke about Osprey in front of a full audience at the Ryukyu Center of the East Asian Community Institute (EACI) in Naha. The former Air Self-Defense Force (ASDF) pilot made and presented a picture-story show from a pilot’s perspective, conveying the dangers of Osprey.
During his presentation he said that an Osprey in transition from helicopter mode to airplane mode cannot be adequately described as a helicopter or a fixed-wing aircraft. He raised the point that it is dangerous should engine trouble occur during transition.
Okunishi served in the ASDF for 16 years as an F-104J Starfighter test pilot, among other things. Following his ASDF service he went to work as a pilot for a private airline company, accumulating 41 years of experience as a pilot. He does not pilot Osprey or helicopters.
Last year in October Okunishi used pictures to describe the dangers Osprey pose at a moai (social cooperative group) that he attends. Because people liked his description, he made it into a story-picture show.
Through the story-picture show he explained how the shape and angle of Osprey propellers produce lifting power. He said that during transition the angle of the propellers change with each propeller rotation, causing the whole aircraft to tilt. Also, he emphasized that no one can describe what is happening to the angle of the propellers during transition.
This picture-story show will be presented again at the January 29 regular meeting of the EACI.
(English translation by T&CT and Erin Jones)
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