Blair Maynard wrote:
I think the assumption would be at the other end the A/C is significantly
lighter because of all the fuel it has burned to get there. Which means, if
it can land, it should be able to leave with the same load. Now, if they
load it up outbound with more (to take advantage of the reduced fuel load)
or if they gas it up, it might not make it out of a higher location.

It would be interesting seeing the V-22 in Afghanistan. It certainly should
be able to fly high in airplane mode (25,000 feet), but landing would be a
problem. It has high loading of its props in heli mode so presumably the
thin air at High Alt would make it more difficult to land as a normal heli,
or at least make it take light payloads.

It is also a very short takeoff and landing aircraft.

-HJC