Ospreys had safety issues long before they were grounded. A look at the aircraft’s history

By TARA COPP
Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — When the U.S. military took the extraordinary step of grounding its fleet of V-22 Ospreys this week, it wasn’t reacting just to the recent deadly crash of the aircraft off the coast of Japan. The aircraft has had a long list of problems in its short history. The Osprey takes off and lands like a helicopter, but can tilt its propellers horizontally to fly like an airplane. It’s a unique and complex technology that has allowed it to deliver troops quickly to the battlefield. But that same technology has also been a factor in multiple incidents. There have been persistent questions about a mechanical problem with the clutch that has troubled the program for more than a decade.