They never really got deployed Spode. They were still in training (learning curve) mode when they were shut down. They've been going through a series of revisions and government reviews. The contract was changed for a slower ramp up in production but a slightly larger end total.
Weight is always a big problem. At one point one of the engineers came up with a change in the computer that would save 5 oz and they gave he and his wife a 2 week trip to Hawaii. This was back before they got the first prototype in the air.
One crashed on its first flight because the sensors were wired backwards and as soon as it was 3 feet off the ground the computer thought the ship was upside and turned it over. Well it tried anyway. Bunch of people got fired over that one.
The one that crashed in MD on it's way back from testing in FL was wierd. I heard they skipped a stop to make up time as there was a bunch of Generals waiting with a brass band to greet them in MD. Never heard what the offical cause was but they had buzzed the field and were coming around for a landing when they went in the water.
Then they had the stink about the commander falsifying records to make it look like they were available for duty when routine maintainance hadn't been done yet. As I understand it they weren't actually flown with out being serviced but it gave the program a black eye. Probably the commander was pressured by higher ups to do it, but he took the fall.
I still don't know why the one that crashed in the Carolinas had so many people on board while training the pilots in group flight.
In our results oriented society and with the high cost of development on new stuff, they're pushing this new equiptment into service as quickly as they can. Might be too quickly.

Oh..for the record..none of the ships I worked on have crashed.

Are you telling me that the govnt. actually "fires" peeps who "F" up? That's a new one on me;) .

That's good to know, Bruce, that none of your handy work has caused a ship to crash. Does that apply on and off record? I didn't know they call flying craft ships too?

Absolutely. All our engineering drawings are dimentioned from the "butt line" which is the longitudinal center looking down from the top and the "water line" which just below the windows looking at the side. The detailed views are also labeled "looking inboard" or looking "outboard". The nose is forward and the tail is aft. The first aircraft production was the crafting of wood and linen which drew on people from the shipbuilding trades. :)

That's very interesting. Thanks Bruce. I thought they were just called aircraft.

But do you still have to make sure your ducks are in a row?

2 Things - I heard that the 3rd crash was a case of the pilot "Hot dogging" it a bit, and was outside the approved flight envelope - ooops

2)Hook at the early flight record of the CH46, and you won't think the V-22 is so bad. There were more than a few "ooops" events there, that killed quite a few folks until they worked out the kinks

Not if you use an 8 gauge "goose gun":D

you nature-loving greenpeacers are all alike, bruce.

For the record I don't own a "goose gun" and I don't hunt.....animals.:p