The XV-15 tilt rotor ships #1 and #2 parked on the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center ramp. The XV-15s, manufactured by Bell, were involved in limited research at Dryden in 1980 and 1981. The development of the XV-15 Tiltrotor research aircraft was initiated in 1973 with joint Army/NASA funding as a "proof of concept", or "technology demonstrator" program, with two aircraft being built by Bell Helicopter Textron (BHT) in 1977. The aircraft are powered by twin Lycoming T-53 turboshaft engines that are connected by a cross-shaft and drive three-bladed, 25 ft diameter metal rotors (the size extensively tested in a wind tunnel). The engines and main transmissions are located in wingtip nacelles to minimize the operational loads on the cross-shaft system and, with the rotors, tilt as a single unit. For takeoff, the proprotors and their engines are used in the straight-up position where the thrust is directed downward. The XV-15 then climbs vertically into the air like a helicopter. In this VTOL mode, the vehicle can lift off and hover for approximately one hour. Once off the ground, the XV-15 has the ability to fly in one of two different modes. It can fly as a helicopter, in the partially converted airplane mode. The XV-15 can also then convert from the helicopter mode to the airplane mode. This is accomplished by continuous rotation of the proprotors from the helicopter rotor position to the conventional airplane propeller position. During the ten to fifteen second conversion period, the aircraft speed increases and lift is transferred from the rotors to the wing. To land, the proprotors are rotated up to the helicopter rotor position and flown as a helicopter to a vertical landing.

XV-15 Navy Sea Trials, Carrier Landing. Ref.: 024506.

Army Camouflaged XV-15 flying NOE (nap-of-the-earth) tests (ref# 024398_

Army Camouflaged XV-15 flying NOE (nap-of-the-earth) tests (ref# 024398_

composite art Tilt Rotor (XV-15) JVX composite; vertical, transition & horizontal flight; artwork.

XV-15 (NASA-703) Evaluation Flight @ Ames

Bell XV-15 Tilt Rotor Army Configurations; Combat

XV-15 Tilt Rotor (NASA-703) hovers at Ames Research Center

XV-15 Tiltrotor Aircraft in 40x80ft w.t. - helicopter (take-off) mode

XV-15 Tilt Rotor (NASA-703) hovers at Ames Research Center

XV-15 Tilt Rotor Aricraft at lamore Naval Air Station

XV-15 Tilt Rotor (NASA-703) in flight at Ames Research Center

XV-15 (NASA-703) ATB Rotor Hub on trumack

XV-15 Tilt Rotor Aricraft at lamore Naval Air Station

XV-15 Tilt Rotor (NASA-703) in flight at Ames Research Center

XV-15 (NASA 702) Tilt Rotor flight to DFRC- (at Dryden)

XV-15 Tilt Rotor in flight by Jefferson Memorial, Washington D.C.

XV-15 Tiltrotor Aircraft in 40x80ft w.t. - flight mode

Bell XV-15 Tilt Rotor Army Configurations; Rescue

XV-15 Tilt Rotor (NASA-703) in flight at Ames Research Center

XV-15 (NASA-703) in flight at Ames static test site

XV-15 Tilt Rotor Aircraft in flight at Bell helicopter

XV-15 Tilt Rotor (NASA-703) hovers at Ames Research Center

Bell XV-15 Tilt Rotor Army Configurations; Rescue at sea

XV-15 Tilt Rotor (NASA-703) hovers at Ames Research Center

XV-15 (NASA-703) Evaluation Flight @ Ames; Helicopter Mode

Tilt Rotor and Tilt Wing Concepts: Bell-Boeing and Bell-Textron: showen is the NASA/ARMY/Navy XV-15

XV-15 Rotor Installation in 80X120 ft. Wind Tunnel Test-0048. Noise Reduction

XV-15 Tilt Rotor (NASA-703) in conversion flight at Ames Research Center

XV-15 (N703NA) Tiltrotor in hover - conversion flight at Bell Helicopter Co. Bell Photo number 043443

XV-15 (NASA-703) Evaluation Flight @ Ames; Above Title and Helicopter Mode

XV-15 Rotor Installation in 80X120 ft. Wind Tunnel Test-0048. Noise Reduction

XV-15 (NASA-703) Evaluation Flight @ Ames; Above Title, Conversion Mode, and Helicopter Mode

XV-15 Tilt Rotor (NASA-703) in conversion flight at Ames Research Center

XV-15 Rotor Installation in 80X120 ft. Wind Tunnel Test-0048. Noise Reduction

Bell XV-15 Tilt Rotor Army Configurations; Combat, Rescue, and JVX artist renderings

XV-15 prototypes: Multi-Mission BAT-LHX design, Search & Rescue, Marine assault

XV-15 prototypes: Multi-Mission BAT-LHX design, Search & Rescue, Marine assault

XV-15 prototypes: Multi-Mission BAT-LHX design, Search & Rescue, Marine assault

XV-15 Tilt Rotor (NASA-703) in conversion flight at Ames Research Center

XV-15 Tilt Rotor (NASA-703) in conversion flight at Ames Research Center

XV-15 Tilt Rotor (NASA-703) in conversion flight at Ames Research Center

XV-15 Tilt Rotor (NASA-703) in conversion flight at Ames Research Center

XV-15 (NASA-703) Evaluation Flight @ Ames; Above Title and Helicopter Mode

XV-15 prototypes: Multi-Mission BAT-LHX design, Search & Rescue, Marine assault

XV-15 Rotor Installation in 80X120 ft. Wind Tunnel Test-0048. Noise Reduction

XV-15 Rotor Test Apparatus (RTA) flow visualization Hover test-80-0021 in 80x120ft w.t.

XV-15 prototypes: Multi-Mission BAT-LHX design, Search & Rescue, Marine assault

XV-15 Rotor Installation in 80X120 ft. Wind Tunnel Test-0048. (microphone set up) Noise Reduction

XV-15 (NASA 702) Tiltrotor in airplane flight at Bell Helicopter Co. Bell Photo number 029552

XV-15 Rotor Installation in 80X120 ft. Wind Tunnel Test-0048. Noise Reduction

XV-15 Rotor Test Apparatus (RTA) flow visualization Hover test-80-0021 in 80x120ft w.t. (rotor tip)

XV-15 Rotor Installation in 80X120 ft. Wind Tunnel Test-0048. Noise Reduction

XV-15 (NASA-703) Evaluation Flight @ Ames; Above Title and Helicopter Mode from East Side Runway

XV-15 (NASA 703) in flight with ATB (Advanced Tiltrotor Blades), Conventional mode

XV-15 Tilt Rotor (NASA-703) hovers at Ames Research Center with Navy P-3 Orion overhead

XV-15 Tilt Rotor (NASA-703) in conversion flight at Ames Research Center

XV-15 (N703NA) Tiltrotor in hover flight landing on rooftop. Bell Photo number 042669

XV-15 (NASA-703) Evaluation Flight @ Ames; Above Title and Helicopter Mode

XV-15 prototypes: Multi-Mission BAT-LHX design, Search & Rescue, Marine assault

XV-15 (NASA 703) ATB Blade baseline tie down test with RADS

XV-15 (NASA-703) Evaluation Flight @ Ames; Above Title and Helicopter Mode

XV-15 (NASA-703) Evaluation Flight @ Ames; Above Title and Conversion Mode

XV-15 prototypes: Multi-Mission BAT-LHX design, Search & Rescue, Marine assault

Tilt Rotor and Tilt Wing Concepts: Bell-Boeing and Bell-Textron: show is the NASA/ARMY/Navy XV-15

XV-15 (N703NA) Tiltrotor at the Dallas Convention Center Heliport/Vertiport Bell Photo number 042869

XV-15 (NASA-703) Evaluation Flight @ Ames; Above Title and Helicopter Mode from East Side Runway

XV-15 Tilt Rotor (NASA-703) hovers at Ames Research Center, helicopter mode

XV-15 prototypes: Multi-Mission BAT-LHX design, Search & Rescue, Marine assault

XV-15 (NASA-703) Tilt Rotor take-offs at the NASA Ames facility at Crows Landing, CA

XV-15 Tilt Rotor (NASA-703) hovers at Ames Research Center with Navy P-3 Orion on taxi way

XV-15 (NASA-703) Evaluation Flight @ Ames; Above Title and Helicopter Mode

XV-15 Tilt Rotor (NASA-703) hovers at Ames Research Center with Navy P-3 Orion on flight line in foreground

XV-15 Tilt Rotor (NASA-703) in flight at Ames Research Center Note: Used in publication in Flight Research at Ames; 57 Years of Development and Validation of Aeronautical Technology NASA SP-1998-3300 fig 122

XV-15 Tiltrotor in hover helicopter flight at Bell Helicopter Co. Bell Photo number 043901 (credit and permission required from Bell Helicopter Company for any non-governmental reproductions)

XV-15 Tiltrotor in hover helcipter flight at Bell Helicopter Co. Bell Photo number 043903 (credit and permission required from Bell Helicopter Company for any non-governmental reproductions)

Bell XV-15 (NASA 703) and YO-3A (NASA 718) fly IRAP (inflight rotorcraft acoustics program) tests over Bell Helicopter Textron Co., Arlingtron, Texas

JVX/ATB Rotor Blade Project: Bell Boeing Rotor for the XV-15 tilt rotor Research Aircraft (TRRA)

JVX/ATB Rotor Blade Project: Bell Boeing Rotor for the XV-15 tilt rotor Research Aircraft (TRRA)

JVX/ATB Rotor Blade Project: Bell Boeing Rotor for the XV-15 tilt rotor Research Aircraft (TRRA)

JVX/ATB Rotor Blade Project: Bell Boeing Rotor for the XV-15 tilt rotor Research Aircraft (TRRA) and test crew in front of the OARF

XV-15 PROJECT TEAM. AEROSPACE SYSTEM DIVISION (CODE F) & FLIGHT OPERATIONS & RESEARCH (CODE O) PERSONNEL Front row: Mike Bondi, Dan Dugan. Shorty Schroers, Wally Deckert, Marty Maisel, Violet Lamica, Robby Robinson, Demo Giulianetti. Back row: Jerry Bree, Gary Churchill, Dave Few, Jerry Barrack, Kip Edenborough, Jim Lane, Mike Carness, Dave Chappel, Duane Allen, Not pictured: Woody Cook, Jim Weiberg, Dean Borgman, Jim Brown, John Hemiup, Al Gahler, Ron Gerdes, Cliff Mckiethan, Bill Snyder, Rick Simmons Note: Used in publication in Flight Research at Ames; 57 Years of Development and Validation of Aeronautical Technology NASA SP-1998-3300 fig 123

NASA AMES Photographers N-258 NAS DEDICATION CEREMONY. air show VSTOL aircraft QSRA, XV-15 Tiltrotor, AV-8B Harrier in flight formation NOTE: CROP IN ON IMAGE VERTICAL format is AC87-0180-454.1

Ames Aircraft complement on ramp DC-8, C-130, QSRA, RSRA, C-141, U-2, SH-3G, King Air, YO-3A, T-38, CH-47, Lear Jet, AH-1G, AV-8B Harrier, OH-58A, XV-15, UH-1H

XV-3 in Ames Reseach Center 40x80ft wind tunnel with K. Edenborough and B. Ramsey, engineers Published in The History of the XV-15 Tilt Rotor Research Aircraft (from Concept to Flight NASA SP-2000-4517)

NASA Ames Graphics of LARGE-SCALE TILTING PROP ROTOR HOVER PERFORMANCE TESTS AMES OARF COMPOSITE. (ref: XV-15 Metal Rotor AC84-0176-13, XV-15 Composite Rotor from AC84-0498 series, V-22 Osprey AC84-0059-11 testing at OARF)

Artists' renderings of Bell XV-15 Army Configurations: Combat, Rescue and JVX

Artists' renderings of Bell XV-15 Army Configurations: Combat, Rescue and JVX

NASA Aircraft on ramp (Aerial view) Sides: (L) QSRA (R) C-8A AWJSRA - Back to Front: CV-990 (711) C-141 KAO, CV-990 (712) Galileo, T-38, YO-3A, Lear Jet, X-14, U-2, OH-6, CH-47, SH-3G, RSRA, AH-1G, XV-15, UH-1H

NASA Aircraft on ramp (Aerial view) Sides: (L) QSRA (R) C-8A AWJSRA - Back to Front: CV-990 (711) C-141 KAO, CV-990 (712) Galileo, T-38, YO-3A, Lear Jet, X-14, U-2, OH-6, CH-47, SH-3G, RSRA, AH-1G, XV-15, UH-1H

VMS: Variable Diameter Tiltrotor Simulation Project. side view display with XV-15 aircraft

Aviation Week Magazine Cover (August 21, 1978) depicts Ames XV-15 Tiltrotor Aircraft in 40x80ft w.t. test - helicopter (take-off) mode

BELL HELICOPTER BELL TEXTRON XV-15 TILT ROTOR AIRCRAFT IN FLIGHT OVER NEW YORK, ELLIS ISLAND AND STATUE OF LIBERTY

HISTORICAL COLLECTION OF TILT ROTOR Note: printed in NASA SP 2000-4517 The History of the XV-15 Tilt Rotor Research Aircraft; Concept to Flight

Bell Textron XV-15 Tilt Rotor Aircraft flight demo at airshow - Navy Blue Angles in forground) (Bell Helicopter Textron ref: 05136)

Megan McCluer in cockpit of YO-3A (NASA 718) during IRAP (inflight rotorcraft acoustics program) tests with XV-15 (NASA 703) over Bell Helicopter Textron Co.,

NASA Ames Graphics MAJOR NATIONAL FULL-SCALE AERODYNAMICS COMPLEX (NFAC) ROTORCRAFT TESTS SINCE 1977 COMPOSITE. Sikosky S-76 Rotor AC77-0045, Bell 222 fuselage AC77-1388-1, Bell XV-15 Aircraft AC78-0579-3, Kaman CCR Rotor AC78-0731-1, Lokcheed X-Wing Rorotr AC79-0367-4, Boeing VERTOL BMR Rotor AC80-0120-2, Sikordky ABC Helicopter AC80-0467-17, MBB BO-105 Rotor AC83-0309-157

NASA's YO-3A parked on the Dryden ramp.