Note to readers: In our ongoing series asking our journalists about their jobs today we talk to photojournalist Andrew West about a photo he took recently Question: Where and when was this photo taken and time of day Answer: I photographed at the Bailey Tract at J.N "Ding" Darling National Wildlife Refuge on Sanibel Island just after sunrise on April 1 What were you trying to capture or express I was there for a story about wading birds and this guy swooped in and made my morning What type of lens/equipment did you use to get this image It was photographed hand-held with a Sony A7iV with a 200-600mm lens set at 600 Wildlife photography is about putting yourself in the right position and using light to your advantage Animals and birds don't care about light and poses so it is up to the photographer to learn habits are also better for certain types of wildlife photography For example; spring and early summer is nesting season for wading birds Breeding plumage is beautiful to photograph Dry downs make fish congregate as ponds get shallower It makes it easier for birds because the prey is not so spread out over the landscape It was right behind me as the osprey swooped in for the catch The only real challenge was when it was swooping in it crossed paths with a white pole with signage on it the photo of it actually capturing the fish has the white pole and it is distracting but it takes away from ambiance of the image what were the factors for this photo we are looking at for making the cut and being published I had an awesome sequence as the osprey came diving in for the catch so I had a difficult time deciding on which image was the best I decided on this one because I love how the water droplets are dripping from the fish and how the osprey is looking in my direction Are there any details in the photo that people might overlook These types of moments are relatively rare to photograph Those are sometimes very difficult things to accomplish on a shot like this A lot of it is just being there and knowing how react when a subject does something spectacular Did this photo teach you anything new as a photographer or remind you of things you have learned I am reminded that capturing wow moments is really difficult in wildlife photography I may have photographed a similar situation and missed it and thought I'll get it next time or that happens all the time But it has been a few years since I have had a situation like this happen right in front of me 'We are vilified by special interest groups and verbally threatened at-sea and online positions advanced by environmental activist groups are frequently seen as representing the broader public interest This perception demands scrutiny' - menhaden harvester union leaders will be front and center when the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission (ASMFC) Menhaden Management Board meets Wednesday (May 7) to debate proposals that could limit commercial harvesting in the US' Chesapeake Bay [...] Sign up for a trial to have access to our articles Please check your inbox to reset your password securely and easily Contact the author [email protected] and the latest news from around the seafood world straight to your inbox Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement (updated as of 1/1/21) and Your California Privacy Rights The material on this site may not be reproduced except with the prior written permission of Undercurrent News She was appointed to the board of county commissioners in 2024 by Gov Ron DeSantis and won reelection in November 2024 shortly thereafter Miller is an influential leader who has played a pivotal role in her community Miller served as the president and CEO of the Plant City Chamber of Commerce she was committed to promoting exponential growth for commercial agricultural and civic interests in the East Hillsborough region As part of her duties as a county commissioner she serves on the following boards: Port Tampa Bay the Hillsborough River Interlocal Planning Board Hillsborough Area Regional Transit Authority (HART) the Tampa Bay Estuary Program Policy Board The Florida Aquarium Board of Directors and the Commission on Human Trafficking (alternate member) “I felt called to serve after the COVID pandemic when I saw the egregious overreach that some of our commissioners I would not waver in the face of adversity Since being elected and serving as vice chair I have championed several issues for our community such as establishing Hillsborough County’s first-ever DOGE citizen-led committee; spearheaded the creation of a stormwater prevention task force that would focus on Baker Creek Lake Thonotosassa and the Shangri La neighborhood in Seffner; and worked alongside the Port of Tampa Bay to enhance business diversification to ensure long-term financial success for our district.” District Four is the largest single-member district that incorporates East and South Hillsborough County “I also represent the coastal regions of Hillsborough County along the Tampa Bay That’s why my appointment to Port Tampa Bay is crucial because of my district’s impact on the waterways of Hillsborough County.” Miller has been a county commissioner for more than nine months and it has been a whirlwind experience for her and immediately helped deliver a $9.1 billion budget for the residents of Hillsborough County,” Miller said our county was devastated by two named hurricanes and our office served as a hub for information recovery and a beacon of hope for our constituents during such a volatile time in their lives.” Miller is looking forward to the challenges of being a county commissioner “I think the biggest challenge facing District 4 is constant change,” Miller said because we create a safe and prosperous environment to raise a family we are incredibly pro-business and that helps us retain local talent here I am confident that we will strike a balance between growth and preserving the culture and foundation that created these communities since their founding.” I would like to receive emails from Osprey Observer Sign up for the Breaking Defense newsletter Marines refuel an MV-22 Osprey at the Kilimanjaro International Airport in Tanzania as part of a troop transport flight during Exercise Cutlass Express 2025 Feb Navy video by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Chance Hanson) MODERN DAY MARINE 2025 — The troubled V-22 Osprey will not resume full flight operations until 2026 according to the aircraft’s program manager as officials roll out an upgrade to the tiltrotor’s gearbox that they hope will address safety concerns In a briefing held at the Modern Day Marine conference in Washington today Robert Hurst said an effort to upgrade the tri-variant V-22’s proprotor gearbox — consisting of internal components made with triple-melted steel — should start delivering in January officials can then gradually implement the aircraft’s full mission profile with the goal of having an “unrestricted” operational fleet by the end of next year The new timeline marks a setback for the Osprey program, as officials projected last year that the tiltrotor would resume its full mission profile around this summer Following a crash of an Air Force CV-22 Osprey off the coast in Japan in November 2023, the Pentagon grounded Ospreys for about three months. Since the return to flight, the aircraft has had to operate under limitations requiring pilots to maintain certain distance from land when flying in case of an emergency. The Osprey is operated by the Air Force Marine Corps and Navy as well as the Japanese military and is jointly manufactured by Bell and Boeing “We had some learning in the middle,” Hurst said “and that learning in the middle took us from the summer of ‘25 to start in the spring of ‘26.” He declined to specify exactly what program officials discovered but said the delay stems from wanting to incorporate the triple-melting process into a greater number of gears “The generic form of that is we had certain gears we were targeting,” he said Bell Boeing said in a statement that the company is “working in lockstep with the V-22 Joint Program Office to enhance Osprey safety and reliability We fully support the program office’s diligent approach ensuring these solutions are implemented correctly for the long-term health and safety of the fleet.” Officials expect the gearbox upgrade can essentially strengthen metal components by removing impurities known as “inclusions” through the triple-melting process. Investigators determined that an inclusion issue was at fault for the November 2023 crash though they also said the crew’s decision to keep flying the aircraft amid warning lights and a failure by the program office to communicate data to the military services contributed as well the new process is expected to reduce inclusions by roughly 90 percent Hurst today downplayed the effect of limitations on the fleet saying that they “by and large” have “not impacted” Marine operations “The Marine Corps has been executing their mission since March of 2024 and we’ve been executing that mission because it is a requirement of the nation to be ready for when the nation calls,” he said RELATED: 6 months after fatal V-22 crash, an Air Force Osprey squadron in Japan prepares to fly again Other efforts are underway to upgrade the gearbox as well. Program officials are currently testing a new input quill assembly design, which houses the aircraft’s clutch and has been traced to a problem known as a “hard clutch engagement” (HCE) that killed five Marines in June 2022 officials have also mandated that current input quill assemblies be replaced after 800 flight hours Hurst said the Osprey has not suffered a single HCE event.)  A third effort to improve the gearbox consists of incorporating a new network of sensors through an effort dubbed the Osprey Drive System Safety and Health Instrumentation (ODSSHI) which will help monitor the health of parts and provide predictive maintenance data “We’re moving in parallel for both development and production on both of these,” Hurst said about the input quill assembly and ODSSHI upgrades In an effort to keep the Osprey flying until the mid-2050s officials are also exploring other improvements One effort will redesign the aircraft’s flight control computer with a modern processor which Hurst explained will bring it up to speed with modern standards after originally being coded in the 1990s known as the Renewed V-22 Aircraft Modernization Plan (ReVAMP) is a larger study of the platform that is expected to wrap up around the fall the V-22 Enhanced Cockpit Technology Replacement (VeCToR) will “replac[e] hardware inside the cockpit,” Hurst said with the aim of resolving obsolescence issues with a sources sought notice expected to be released to industry “in the next month or two.”  UPDATED 5/1/25 at 3:50 PM ET with comment from Bell Boeing Sign up and get Breaking Defense news in your inbox Best Gear HaulerMystery Ranch Coulee 30 Day PackRead more Best Ultralight PackGossamer Gear Cima PackRead more Cheapest PackREI Co-op Flash 22 PackRead more Best Waterproof PackFjällräven High Coast Rolltop 26Read more Day hikes can mean a 30-mile trek over the mountains you're going to want a pack with room for water the bigger the pack you'll need to carry it Whether you're traveling fast and light or hauling gear for the family we've tested dozens of packs to find the most comfortable We're confident that we've found the best day-hiking backpack Once you've got your pack, check out the rest of our outdoor buying guides, including the Best Backpacking Water Filters, the Best Merino Wool Clothes, and the Best Rain Jackets Power up with unlimited access to WIRED. 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Subscribe Today Day-hiking packs come in a nearly endless array of shapes and sizes with everything from ultra-minimalist frameless packs to 35-liter monsters with separate sleeping bag compartments The best day-hiking backpack for you will depend on what you're doing here are some things that are key to getting the right pack: This is the single most important thing about any pack Make sure the pack you want fits your body or carrying it will suck no matter how many great features it has I highly recommend heading to your local outdoor retailer and trying packs weighted with sandbags This experience will tell you more about which pack is right than anything else read the manufacturer's suggestions on fit and sizing The vast majority of packs over 10 liters have some kind of internal frame whether it's aluminum or titanium rods the more comfortably it will carry heavier loads (generally) Frameless packs are fine up to about 8 pounds or so they tend to get very uncomfortable over long hauls but different methods work better for different people but other people love bags with front access Most day packs offer access from the top in some way Many top loading day packs have a lid for smaller items and an expandable sleeve that can fit extra gear Panel loaders have zippers or other fasteners on the front of the pack to allow access all the way around Some packs combine top access with a side zipper letting you get into the main compartment without taking the pack completely off with its distinctive Y-shaped zipper access that's somewhere between top loading and panel loading but also its own thing heavier packs often offer a nice mesh back panel that will help keep you cooler which has a channel down the middle that helps with airflow Anything that sits directly on your back is going to get sweaty A “day hike” is a common description of an all-day outing The best pack for a 4-miler with the family is different than the best pack for a half-day trail run which is different than the best pack for hauling climbing gear to your favorite crag The best day packs are versatile enough to handle multiple use cases The first place to start is how big of a pack you need Here's a rough breakdown of pack sizes in liters What you need on a day hike varies a lot depending on your outdoor skill level, environment, and weather, to name just a few factors. To give a detailed list is impossible, but a good rule of thumb is to always carry water, some food, a rain jacket and a small first aid kit for blisters and cuts Beyond these essentials other items you might want to consider include, map and compass, knife, some way of making fire, headlamp or flashlight, sunscreen, hat, and any personal items you need (like medication, prescription glasses, etc). Photograph: Mystery RanchMystery Ranch Mystery Ranch's Coulee 30 (8/10, WIRED Recommends) is everything you need in a day pack With a 30L capacity and weighing 2.7 pounds (men's L/XL) this is definitely not a pack for those looking to travel light and other hiking gear for my family of five no daypack I've tested handles the load better than the Coulee 30 The suspension system is highly adjustable (with two pack sizes for different torso lengths) I've even used this for a solo overnight trip carrying 18 pounds When you don't need the full capacity you can compress the back down quite a bit with the side compression straps The hip belt is removable for situations where it would get in the way (when wearing a climbing harness Organizational options abound on the outside of the Coulee 30 where you'll find side pockets for water bottles rear pockets for rain jackets and other gear and a front-facing top zipper pocket for quick access I prefer to build my own little kits using smaller bags to organize (it's bags all the way down If you like lots of little internal stash pockets Photograph: Scott GilbertsonGossamer Gear the REI Flash 22 pack is a bargain that's hard to beat The 22L capacity is just about perfect for day hiking and the plethora of pockets and a laptop-compatible hydration sleeve mean it can double as an everyday carry pack as well The weakness of the Flash 22 is the shoulder straps, which are quite thin. They're good for loads around 5 pounds, maybe 8 in some cases, but once you go over that, this pack gets uncomfortable. Stick with lighter loads, though, and the Flash 22 is one of the best values on the market. It also packs down very small. I often bring this when I'm traveling and want a pack for walking around town. Photograph: Scott GilbertsonFjällräven The clever back panel used here can be adjusted between 17-22 inches to fit a good range of torsos, and the injection-molded design combines well with the wide hip belt to offer a great level of support. That said, the hip belt has day-hike, rather than multiday, levels of cushioning, but that’s fine as the 33L capacity limits how much you can take anyway. It is a versatile pack with a large top lid, two zippered pockets and a large front stretch pocket that I stash jackets, bike locks and all sorts in. There’s a couple of stretch side pockets too, zipped snack pockets where you need them, and everything can be cinched down tight to minimize bouncing. You can safely carry two ice axes too, and the clever hiking pole storage means you can access and stow them without taking the pack off. —Chris Haslam When Yeti bought the pack manufacturer Mystery Ranch it also bought the rights to Mystery Ranch’s designs If you haven’t yet experienced the joy of a Mystery Ranch Y-shaped zipper you can keep the lower zipper zipped and use the bag as a top-loader or unzip the lower zipper to access items further down the bag What works for woodland firefighters also works well for day hikers this bag is a horrifically heavy 3.2 pounds but it weighs that much because it’s made from Yeti’s Tuffskin water-resistant fabric (I have Yeti Tuffskin bags that have withstood almost a decade of abuse at this point) I've used the 21L version for many a day hike and it comfortably carries everything I need to keep a family of five fed and happy in good weather There's plenty of MOLLE webbing on the outside too if you need to strap extra stuff on You can even weave some stretchy nylon shock cord through the MOLLE and have a place to stash wet jackets and the like bags advertised as “hydration packs” are one trick ponies—great for tackling thirst But the CamelBak Octane 16L is a rare example of a superb hiking-ready pack loaded with features that just happens to come with a really good two-liter water reservoir It has a polyurethane water-resistant coating and weighs just 15 ounces The semi-rigid EVA foam back panel and well-ventilated shoulder straps It comes with the Fusion 2L Reservoir (68 fluid ounces) which has one of the best waterproof zippers we’ve used it also goes someway to justifying the high price for such a moderately sized pack but it’s an annoying tight squeeze (my 16-oz Nalgene fits fine) the 20-liter size fits well on my 5’2” frame and the design is unobtrusive enough that I don’t feel silly using it for both casual hikes around the river with my kids and going to lunch and the bookstore The chest strap holds the pack in place if your casual Sunday stroll suddenly involves an unexpected rock scramble (not an unusual occurrence with my family) The front hidden zipper pocket is big enough to easily access my phone and credit cards and 20 liters has much more capacity than you might think—on a recent hike I was able to fit in multiple jackets and multiple stuffed animals all at once.—Adrienne So Photograph: GettyImagesWe've tested dozens of packs over the years but are still great packs and might be perfect for what you need This is a great little pack for hitting the trail or just walking around town and safely.Matthew KorfhageWired CouponsWayfair Coupons10% Off Wayfair Promo Code with sign-up $50 Off In-Person Tax Prep When You Switch From Your Tax Current Provider Exclusive: Up To 50% Off 6 Boxes With Factor Promo Code It is the essential source of information and ideas that make sense of a world in constant transformation The WIRED conversation illuminates how technology is changing every aspect of our lives—from culture to business The breakthroughs and innovations that we uncover lead to new ways of thinking “we’re very much at the end of the beginning” for the Bell Textron and Boeing tiltrotor aircraft.  The aerospace firms announced the completion of the Program of Record (POR) for the United States Air Force last month with the final CV-22 being prepared for delivery The aircraft is now being finalized at Bell’s assembly plant in Amarillo It will be the fifty-sixth CV-22 to be delivered to the service “Completing the CV-22 production aircraft for the U.S Air Force is an immense honor and testament to the amazing men and women who have worked to design and build these incredible aircraft,” said Eldon Metzger “As we reach this milestone of CV-22 production we embark on the next chapter of our journey as we transition from full-rate production to fleet-wide sustainment.” The Air Force is the first operator of the tiltrotor aircraft to see the completion of the POR, while Bell will continue to produce the MV-22 variant for the United States Marine Corps, and the CMV-22 models for the U.S. Navy.  According to Flight Global production will continue through the end of 2027 When those programs are completed in the coming years the “Team Osprey” group of industry partners will focus on fleet-wide sustainment and upgrades “The CV-22 Osprey represents the dedication and determination of all those who had a hand in creating a unique aircraft and capability for the U.S  “We are proud of all the work that has gone into the program over the years and look forward to maintaining the CV-22 for decades to come in support of its mission-critical operations.” All variants of the V-22 Osprey are tiltrotor aircraft and vertical landings of a helicopter but also offer the longer range and fuel efficiency of a turboprop aircraft The aircraft is capable of carrying up to thirty-two troops or 10,000 pounds of cargo and is seen as a robust and flexible platform The CV-22 has expanded fuel capacity and is outfitted with advanced navigation systems while it can also “operate in various austere conditions.” “One of the aircraft’s most notable missions was the longest-distance nighttime hostage rescue in U.S. military history, carried out in Africa in 2020 by the USAF’s 58th Special Operations Wing,” Air Data News reported Despite the flexibility that Osprey offers the three services in just over three decades from 1991 to 2023 there had been thirty-seven accidents involving V-22s Sixteen of the V-22s were damaged beyond repair while the accidents resulted in sixty-two fatalities Air Force airmen killed when an Osprey crashed off the coast of Japan.  U.S. lawmakers subsequently launched an investigation into problems with the tiltrotor aircraft The biggest issue has been hard clutch engagement which connects the propeller’s rotor gearbox to its engine the Osprey transfers the power load to the other engine almost instantaneously to keep the aircraft from crashing.  the power load transfers back in milliseconds and the large torque transfer causes the Osprey to lurch This has typically occurred just after takeoff Following the mishaps, the problem has been grounded for weeks and even months The Department of Defense announced two new programs to address design problems earlier this year The first was meant to fix the issues with the proprietor gearbox while the other sought to redesign a critical gearbox subcomponent Plans are already underway to eventually replace the V-22 with the Bell V-280 Valor, but that could be years away. In the meantime, the U.S. military will continue to operate this revolutionary aircraft, which has become a workhorse but has also proven problematic. Unfortunately, those issues can quickly turn deadly. Stay in the know with The National Interest newsletter © Copyright 2025 Center for the National Interest. All Rights Reserved. We use cookies to enhance your browsing experience, serve personalised ads or content, and analyse our traffic. By clicking "Accept All", you consent to our use of cookies. We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions. You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below. The cookies that are categorised as "Necessary" are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyse how you use this website, store your preferences, and provide the content and advertisements that are relevant to you. 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Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customised advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyse the effectiveness of the ad campaigns. Our upgrade pick, Salkan The Backpacker A travel backpack easily carries all your stuff while letting you navigate airports These bags fit everything we need for trips ranging from just a week to months of continuous travel They come with a sizable daypack and are even airline-carry-on friendly They’re also highly adjustable and well padded meaning that not only can you get a perfect fit but the packs will also remain easy to carry and comfortable to wear for long treks the Farpoint has everything we needed for a week the Fairview has everything we needed for a week This attractive but expensive travel backpack has customizable straps and great These new versions mostly kept what we liked about the previous ones and fixed what we didn’t they’re among the least expensive travel backpacks available The front of the main pack still unzips like a suitcase so you can easily fit and access a week’s worth of clothes and toiletries which attaches to the front of the larger pack and a small laptop (via a built-in sleeve) The main pack’s straps can tuck behind a zippered flap so they won’t catch on anything if you check your luggage The best change: The main packs are now overhead-bin-sized for most airlines (You’ll have to use the daypack as your underseat bag.) Other notable updates include height-adjustable shoulder straps and big exterior pockets on the daypack Previous versions of these bags used ripstop nylon The current one uses a heavy-duty recycled polyester which held up well during a six-week trip across Europe The polyester cloth feels extremely rugged and there’s extensive padding in every place the pack touches your body The Backpacker has nine color options for its exterior compression straps so you can mix and match based on your preferences—or even change them up This gives The Backpacker the most customizable palette of any of our picks While looking more stylish on TikTok and Instagram isn’t generally a primary consideration for us and it has many of the same thoughtful features as our top and runner-up picks the main pack is technically too large to be a carry-on for most airlines (Salkan says it’s best for people 5-foot-6 to 6-foot-4) I spent the majority of 2014 through 2020 traveling I’ve done a mix of extended road trips and multi-month international adventures and throughout Europe with a variety of terrible backpacks and luggage we looked for travel backpacks with the following qualities: Here’s what I usually bring for any length of trip (and this is our standard kit for testing): For our first version of this guide in 2016 we narrowed our choices to 11 possible contenders I poked and prodded the different packs to sort out whether they had any obvious flaws or issues I had adults of various sizes try each pack to get a sense of what short and tall people preferred I tested with similar methods whatever new or substantially redesigned packs were available I took one of our picks on some extended travels (The Fairview is for people with 15- to 19-inch torsos as measured from the top of your hip bone to your C7 vertebra the one that sticks out when you press your chin to your chest The Farpoint is for those with torsos from 17 to 22 inches long.) They’re now our top picks again You can carry them on the plane. Once you detach the daypacks, the main packs are now carry-on-sized, making them the most versatile travel backpack we’ve tested. Interestingly, the total capacity remains roughly the same as those of our other picks—that is, we were able to stow the same amount of clothing in this bag as we could in the REI Co-op packs (our former runner-up pick) and the Salkan would count as your personal item—on most airlines this would mean you couldn’t also bring a large purse or a briefcase The shoulder straps can be secured behind a zippered panel so if you want to check the bag or put it in a packed luggage compartment on a train or bus Doing this essentially turns the main pack temporarily into a duffle bag complete with sturdy and well-padded handles on the top and side the main pack has height-adjustable shoulder straps This crucial feature lets you get an all-important personalized fit that makes carrying the pack for any length of time far easier The straps were padded enough for our testers’ comfort (though not as cushy as the Salkan’s and slightly less so than the REI Co-op’s) Though the daypack is a little short on organizational slots and pockets The Farpoint and the Fairview are made from 450-denier recycled polyester though more “plasticky” compared to the Salkan (Denier is a measure of the fiber thickness in a fabric.) I put the Farpoint through six weeks of train and it didn’t show any signs of wear or breaking both the main pack and the daypack’s main zippers are lockable The backpacks come in more color options than our other picks The packs include a lifetime warranty. Osprey’s All Mighty Guarantee covers repair of any damage or defect for life—or replaces the pack If you just want to return the pack unused It’s been a pick in this guide for seven years—and counting I liked it so much that I bought one for myself replacing an Osprey Farpoint that had been my go-to pack for years of travel They would work well for those who want to go with the Osprey but need more room in the main pack for It has more organization than our top pick. The capacity of the main pack is 45 liters, basically the same as that of our main picks It has more organization and compartments than the Osprey packs There are two large water-bottle compartments on either side and a laptop compartment inside the top opens with a drawstring like a hiking backpack This drawstring design does allow you to stuff a bit more into the pack than the Osprey packs the main pack is technically too tall to be a carry-on for most airlines The shoulder straps are well padded—the best I’ve seen—and height adjustable The back panel and hip straps are generously padded All this does make the pack nearly twice as heavy as the Osprey though we’re talking only a few pounds (under 8 pounds compared with the Farpoint’s 4-plus pounds) You can customize it. The pack is available in two main colors: black and light green. In addition, the straps have complementary color options, including orange (shown above), pink, and maroon, plus five other choices. This allows for more personalization and flair compared to the Osprey packs Salkan also sells several accessories to go with The Backpacker and a laundry bag that attaches to the inside of the main pack It’s sturdy—but has not-so-great attachments The bag’s 900-denier polyester fabric (even stronger than our top pick’s 450-denier fabric) is extremely strong and should resist rips or tears What zippers The Backpacker has run smoothly but the design oddly eschews them in key places the main and daypack’s top openings do not These flaps are secured with aluminum “G”-shaped hooks (Salkan calls them buckles) that slide into nylon straps The hooks feel nice in your hand and could well last longer than the plastic clips on the Osprey packs connecting them takes a few moments longer than using a clip or zipper would—time that adds up like they could slide loose under load and movement (These hooks are also what connect the daypack to the main pack.) It has a great warranty. Salkan has a “‘No Landfill’ Lifetime Guarantee”: “If there is something wrong with your backpack that shouldn’t be the company has a 100-day trial period within which you can return or exchange the pack if you don’t like it The Backpacker costs much more than the Osprey packs this doesn’t add much functional difference It does come with a rain cover—Osprey’s costs $40 Is the Salkan’s extra cost and organization worth the better aesthetics There’s no way to lock either the main pack or the daypack There’s no way to attach a lock to the “G” hooks The nylon drawstrings at the main pack’s top opening offer no practical way of attaching a lock For such a well-designed and feature-rich pack With the daypack buckled and the drawstring closed it’s highly unlikely someone could reach in while you’re wearing it without you noticing I frequently leave my pack in luggage rooms at hotels or the occasional hostel without lockers and not being able to lock it when it’s out of sight would concern me This is not a comprehensive list of everything we tested in previous iterations of this guide—just what’s still available we checked out a number of companies that make great packs but none of those packs met all of our criteria In most cases this was because the company specialized in top-loading bags or very large bags that didn’t include daypacks but this largest size of the pack has been discontinued The pack’s also more expensive than our top picks This article was edited by Ria Misra and Christine Ryan. What I CoverGeoffrey Morrison is Wirecutter’s former AV editor He has been to all 50 states and 60 countries and he is the author of Budget Travel for Dummies and the sci-fi novel Undersea Don’t forget to put a good camera in your bag We have picks for travelers (and vacations) of all kinds Here are the Wirecutter-recommended ones we love most Wirecutter is the product recommendation service from The New York Times Our journalists combine independent research with (occasionally) over-the-top testing so you can make quick and confident buying decisions Whether it’s finding great products or discovering helpful advice we’ll help you get it right (the first time) welcome to our Bronco Crib Room Tour video My name is Anastasia — I’m a Sophomore and an English literature major Graphic Design]: I’m Carolyn and I’m a Junior Come on in and get a tour of our Osprey two bedroom and then I also have my own bathroom over here and I’m on my computer a lot for my schoolwork so I really gravitate towards this area with all of my supplies And your desk and chair will be included with the dorm but then I also have this extra organizer on top just so I can really include all of my things [Carolyn]: Then in this corner I have a comfy chair I can be really comfortable and be next to the window as well And on my walls I include a lot of posters and just things to really brighten up the space Then you also get this bedside table included with the dorm And then under the bed I have two dressers that were provided along with the dorm And then on this side is where we have the closet area So it comes with these two shelves and you’re able to hook your clothes onto here So I just include some extra school things I have shoe racks and all my clothes hung up [Video Description]: Carolyn walks across the room to a connected open door to showcase her personal bathroom [Carolyn]: And it’s pretty rare that you can get your own bathroom So I brought in this organizer with some different boxes but everything else you need is already provided [Video Description]: Carolyn makes her way to the shared kitchen space outside her room to show us more of what Osprey has to offer So first off lots of cabinets and really great counter space And then over here just a lot more counter space cabinets — there are a lot of outlets provided in the kitchen area which is really awesome for whatever you need And then here’s an example of one of the big cabinets — we keep all of our pots and pans but these are really deep cabinets which is awesome for storage And that we have a full size fridge and freezer we brought an air fryer and a toaster to our space just so we can have some more options for things to make and then in the sink area this is a really large sink very deep space — so it’s really awesome for how many dishes you have So whether we’re meal prepping or serving we have plenty of space over here and then we also have your dishwasher And next to the kitchen we have two closets we have cleaning supplies and extra supplies like paper towels And then next to that we have one of the best parts of Osprey So that’s definitely very unique for on campus — so we really enjoy that [Anastasia]: Welcome to the living room space Right here we have a couch that was provided by the Osprey and it’s a great color And the color goes great with any design choice that we chose for the space We added in a couple of accent colors and an accent blanket to just tie in the space all together We also have a lamp in the corner that’s great for lighting in case we want to read at night And behind me you’ll notice some windows that offer some great natural lighting and provide a great source of vitamin D Then over here we have a chair and a entertainment stand provided by the Osprey and it’s great because it is able to hold our TV and then our pillow and another accent blanket [Video Description]: Walking away from the living room and kitchen area this is my room — and it’s great because it’s able to house pretty much anything that I need you’ll notice my bookshelves that are able to hold all of my books because I’m an English Lit major just because it isn’t needed to be next to my bed all the time And this is where I do most of my studying you’ll notice underneath that I have dressers and that’s great for storage — and then in addition to that I also have a trunk and that’s great just holding all of my clothes It also holds my linens like towels and blankets it’s a magnolia and I love the color — it’s my favorite color In addition to the pops of gold that just really tie it together it’s great because it’s my own space and it’s just such a large space [Anastasia]: Thank you so much for joining us on this episode of Bronco Cribs featuring the Osprey [Carolyn]: For more information on this building room details and applying for on-campus housing at boisestate.edu/housing] By WNDU.comPublished: Apr 2025 at 12:14 PM EDTEmail This LinkShare on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInSOUTH BEND (WNDU) - The nest atop our tower here at The WNDU Studios is occupied once again The osprey pair has officially laid three eggs You can joins us as we continue to watch their progress in the 24/7 livestream above but if you look closely in the video below you’ll see the first egg has been laid in the nest You can catch a glimpse of all three eggs in the video below Hillsborough Community College (HCC) will host Enrollment Days at each of its five campuses during the months of May and June Prospective students will have the opportunity to learn about HCC’s admissions process participate in advising and financial aid sessions select courses and complete fall 2025 registration but space is limited; students must RSVP to secure a seat “Enrollment day provides an invaluable opportunity for students to explore all that Hillsborough Community College has to offer — whether they are just beginning their academic journey or planning to take the next step in their education,” said Dr students will not only gain a deeper understanding of our admissions process but also have access to advising financial aid assistance and the chance to register for courses for the fall 2025 semester we are committed to supporting our students every step of the way and we look forward to helping them achieve their educational goals by ensuring they have the support needed for success.” Hillsborough Community College serves more than 45,000 students annually at its five campuses located throughout Tampa Bay. For more information, visit www.hccfl.edu Visit www.hccfl.edu/accreditation for more information Webcam set up to monitor egg-bearing nest atop oak tree guarded by dozens of volunteers in Usk valley and over the next hour or so he and his mate took turns sharing the fish he had caught and sitting on their three eggs The appearance of these two ospreys on farmland in the Usk valley in mid-Wales is seen as a milestone in the recovery of the species It is believed to be the first time a pair has nested and produced eggs in these parts for more than 200 years and the site is thought to be the farthest south in the UK for a pair that has not been deliberately reintroduced one of the team of 60 volunteers keeping an eye on the ospreys and once a nest has been established it may be used for decades At the end of the summer the adults – and chicks if they thrive – will fly separately from the UK to winter in west Africa The chicks have an innate knowledge of where to go “To think of them flying thousands of miles vying for space on the beaches and lagoons in west Africa – it’s not surprising you get attached to them and try to protect them while they’re here,” said Milne This corner of Powys turns out to be an excellent spot for ospreys As well the fish in the Talybont reservoir there are brown trout in the River Usk and bream in Llyn Syfaddan (Llangorse Lake) The female and male ospreys take turns to eat food and sit on their three eggs Photograph: Usk Valley OspreysOn the morning the Guardian visited the male osprey was seen heading towards the reservoir showed it to his mate on the nest then took it over to a favourite perch nearby to eat his share “It’s like when the oxygen masks come down in a plane,” said Milne “You help yourself before helping others.” If the eggs hatch the male will soon have three more mouths to feed “He’ll have to up his hunting skills,” said Milne Later he had a turn sitting on the eggs while the female took the fish to a perch for her turn After being persecuted in the UK to the brink of extinction a pair of ospreys naturally recolonised Scotland by successfully nesting at Loch Garten in 1954 There are now thought to be about 300 pairs in Scotland Ospreys began recolonising north Wales 20 years ago the number of sightings of them farther south in Wales has increased Young ospreys began to identify the Usk valley as a potential breeding site because of its excellent fishing sites and in 2023 a nest was spotted at the top of an oak tree near the village of Talybont-on-Usk – but no eggs two ospreys were again seen at the nest but did not breed possibly because they had arrived late or were not the right age the same two ospreys spotted in 2024 were back Their comings and goings are watched carefully by the Usk Valley Ospreys charity, which has been preparing for this happy moment by setting up a webcam trained on the nest recruiting teams of “watchers” to keep an eye from a canal towpath 400 metres away and getting an exclusion zone set up around the site to stop people getting too close RSPB Cymru said it believed the Usk ospreys were the most southerly breeding pair. There are breeding ospreys at Poole Harbour in England but the male bird there was translocated from Scotland and the female from Rutland was wary of getting too excited as it would be weeks before any chicks hatched But he added that it was good news the birds were there – and showed that the rivers “They’ve seen the lovely oxbows and the sweeping nature of a very natural course of the river That’s why they’re here in this quiet valley An earlier version said a breeding pair of ospreys in Poole were translocated from Scotland Only the male is from Scotland; the female was hatched in Rutland It's for this reason that my previous review of the Osprey Talon Earth 22 backpack wasn't entirely positive There wasn't anything desperately wrong with it (you'll have to read the review to decide if my niggles match yours) It just didn't function in the way I'd want a pack to perform and I could imagine the sad faces of the Osprey team their frowns deepening as they waded further into the nitty-gritty of the review So when the opportunity arose to review an Osprey pack that I thought it only fair to see if this new offering could redress the balance of opinion That pack is the Osprey Sportlite 30 hiking rucksack But this is not a bad thing - the Sportlite is faff free and streamlined offer all the essentials a hiking pack should have it's a typical flip-over closure fastened by a pair of buckles zips are more reliable than they used to be but for me a buckle closure is still preferable; if they break it's usually still possible to keep the rucksack weatherproof The lid has an external zip pocket with enough room for a hat a packet of Haribo and other hiking essentials The internal mesh pocket is the ideal place for your wallet and The main compartment is a single cavity which is cinched closed with a single drawcord The base is protected by a reinforced fabric panel providing extra robustness when slinging the pack down to access its contents On either side of the pack are stretch pockets These are deep enough to hold a Sigg bottle or trekking poles without fear of them falling out Superbly placed cinch straps help retain the pockets' contents A stretchy dump pocket on the front of the pack is the ideal place for stashing any gear you either want quick access to or don't wish to mix up with your other kit It also features an attachment point for a bike light if you use the pack for cycling (although hiking is its natural territory) There are two tuck-away loops for attaching trekking poles to the outside of the pack using the upper cinch cords of the dump pocket to hold them in place On the reverse of the bag is the harness and back system with a mesh covering over ridged foam offering minimal ventilation Between the back panel and the main compartment is a slot for a hydration reservoir Although there are benefits to having this on the outside of the pack it's rather snug and not all bladders will fit easily The shoulder straps are only lightly padded but you're unlikely to be carrying huge weight in a 30-litre pack They're also perforated and well ventilated The waist belt fins are also lightly padded and house two pockets On the left is a zipped pocket that's just big enough to hold all but the largest of phones On the right hip is an open stretch pocket best used for light and low value items which are unlikely to fall out all the buckles and toggles on the Sportlite 30 are plastic Only regular use will determine the robustness and longevity of the materials used it's fair to say that they appear perfectly adequate Osprey describe the Sportlite 30 as a 'unisex' fit Although there are no separate men's and women's versions it is available in two different back-length: S/M and M/L The light weight of the pack (800g) means that an absolutely perfect fit is less important; you're more likely to notice if the straps or belts aren't quite in the right place with a heavier load because women's body shapes vary far more than men's female hikers can have a harder time finding rucksacks to fit their form This means there's less of a chance that the Sportlite 30 will fit them As anyone who has tried multiple packs will know rucksack volumes are not an exact science; this one feels to be at the upper end of the 30-litre volume I find the the main compartment easy to load and easy to access this pack could serve as a lightweight single trip overnighter The close fitting of the Sportlite's back-system means that at the end of a walk my back is a little sweaty I've never found ventilated back systems particularly effective and usually end up damp anyway But I do like a pack to fit fairly close to my back There are enough compartments to organise my kit into logical places but not so many that I forget where I've stashed something and hip-belt pockets are all super useful and functional it's a rather petty one regarding the tuck-away pole loops With regular telescopic (as opposed to folding) poles I can't help but feel Osprey have missed a trick here If the loops were slightly larger they would also be useful for carrying an ice axe in winter At £110 the Sportlite is one of Osprey's best value packs Compared alongside its more expensive options such as the Talons and Tempests you start to notice the subtle differences in materials and see where savings have been made some of this cost-cutting has also made the Sportlite lighter and more streamlined For this reason it's one of my favourite rucksacks to have come out of the Osprey stable But lightweight streamlined packs aren't exactly rare There's a lot of competition out there from both the big rucksack manufacturers and budget brands you may also approve of the Deuter Speed Lite 30 (£110) the Lowe Alpine AirZone Trail 30L (£105) or the Alpkit Ledge 35 (£87) the Sportlite 30 can hold its head high amongst such stiff competition it's near perfect combination of features and functions may make the Sportlite the prime candidate for your hiking adventures Although it's a new pack from Osprey for 2022 there's nothing particularly new about the Sportlite 30 rucksack The minimalist approach has been going strong for years describing the Sportlite as a minimalist pack does it a huge disservice by carefully and expertly pruning the features of the pack down to the essentials Osprey have removed all the flab and faff and provided hikers with a solid It's hard to see how they could have done better at this price point some people may be put off by the lack of an adjustable back length and minimal ventilation and let's not forget that at least half the population may struggle to get this comfortably on their backs But such additions and variations add cost and weight If you're lucky enough to find the Sportlite 30 fits you you'll appreciate the benefits those sacrifices provide Company number 01176085; Bauer Radio Limited Company number: 1394141; Registered office: Media House Peterborough PE2 6EA and H Bauer Publishing Company number: LP003328; Registered office: The Lantern H Bauer Publishing are authorised and regulated for credit broking by the FCA (Ref No: 845898) Be one of the first to try our new activity feed Extreme adjustability and a cushy ride made the Talon/Tempest 33 our favorite day hiking pack of 2025 fully-featured daypack like the new Osprey Talon/Tempest 33 With all the qualities of a multiday pack shrunk down to just 33 liters this was one of the cushiest daypacks we tested this season it handily won our best-in-test designation $190 at REI (Talon) $190 at REI (Tempest) The Talon/Tempest 33’s outstanding comfort can be partially credited to a thick layer of EVA foam lining the hipbelt and shoulder straps Broad hipbelt wings curved seamlessly around our iliac crests padding is only half of the comfort equation; the other is fit The Talon/Tempest addresses that with a whopping five inches of adjustable length—a full inch more than previous editions and more than any other daypack we tested this year but it allows Osprey to make just one version each of the men’s and women’s packs Testers loved it: the system is easy to use and allowed testers ranging from 5’4” to 5′ 8” to dial in their perfect size Behind the adjustable backpanel sits a stiff plastic framesheet which is molded to follow the curves of the spine and integrated into the hipbelt for more effective load transfer Tester Tracey Perillo says the pack carried weight so easily she was able to tote 24 pounds of snacks and gear on a 43-mile hut-to-hut trek in the Italian Dolomites without issue She only wished there was an included raincover: The pack’s DWR coating deflected light drizzle Another tester—a volunteer wildlife monitor—was even able to trail-run with the Tempest in Colorado’s Flatirons carrying 10 pounds on her back “Between the backpanel adjustability and robust compression straps it was easy to ratchet this pack down until it was flat and wobble-proof,” she said “I was running late to a bat-monitoring shift this summer and jogged up a loose off-trail ascent with a pack full of scientific instruments It moved with my body just like a running vest I even got to my spot in time for sunset.” Upon arrival she was pleased to find the 100-percent recycled high-tenacity nylon (100-denier on the body even after stumbling down a cactus-covered hillside She was also impressed with the pack’s breathability: even after running Credit goes to a set of horizontal cutouts behind a translucent mesh panel which testers could feel when there was a slight breeze It wasn’t enough to prevent shirt-soaks on 80°F hikes Organization was solid: Two hipbelt pockets fit several bars or a small iPhone (though not a large Samsung) and we squeezed a reservoir into the hydration pouch and Nalgenes into each of the side bottle pockets reach those Nalgenes without taking the pack off Though the dorsal shove-it sleeve felt a touch narrow it fit a rain shell and light fleece in a pinch and twin bungees and a single ice-axe loop were available to provide alpine adventurers with a few extra stowage options For a deluxe daypack that can handle the longest it’s hard to beat the Talon/Tempest 33 for comfort For a full list of our favorite daypacks, check out our latest Gear Guide The 30-mile thru-hike was the ideal trip for putting our backpacking and hiking candidates through the wringer MISSOULA — For those who were anxiously awaiting Iris's return is next to Riverside Health and Rehabilitation Center where residents and staff welcomed her back in style "She's right here in our parking lot and they love her," Riverside's life enrichment director Tammy Block told MTN Missoula's frequent flyer came back on Monday after a long winter away "She flies so many miles to get here and to see her go down and get breakfast is perfect," Block said many were wondering if and when the osprey would come "We had a board up that you could guess which day she was coming back so they got a little prize for their pick," Block noted Watch related coverage: New nest cam: All eyes on Iris the Osprey's return to Missoula Residents of Riverside Health and Rehabilitation right across from the nest with the new camera from the Montana Osprey Project They're all cheering inside they're super happy," Block said Signs to celebrate her return weren't the only new additions "We bought a new TV for inside so that they can have a clearer picture of her," To follow along on Iris's summer journey, click here we recognize the challenges faced by those living with mental illness and the solutions that offer real hope One of the most powerful tools we have in our criminal justice system is mental health court this specialized program diverts individuals with mental health conditions away from jail and into treatment when appropriate under the law this program allows us to offer a second chance to those charged with certain nonviolent offenses so they can receive the care they need to address their mental illness Those who successfully complete the treatment programs and court supervision can have their criminal offenses dismissed or expunged This allows a clear path forward without the burden of a criminal record while helping these individuals become more productive members of our community This partnership is an incredible collaboration between our office and community partners like Gracepoint and the Crisis Center of Tampa Bay Local law enforcement also plays a key role by identifying and referring individuals through their behavioral health units one in four adults in our country is living with a mental health condition It is estimated that 8 percent of crimes committed by individuals with serious mental illnesses are directly related to their symptoms we see the same people cycle in and out of the justice system without stabilizing their lives While our office remains focused on prosecuting crime and keeping our community safe we must work together to address the mental health epidemic in every way that we can as a community This program has proven to reduce recidivism lighten the load on our traditional court system and Mental health court is a path to a better and safer community for all This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Bell Textron and Boeing announced the upcoming completion of the CV-22 Osprey Program of Record for the U.S The final CV-22 aircraft is expected to complete production in the coming months at Bell’s Amarillo Assembly Center marking the transition from full-rate production to sustainment efforts Air Force Special Operations Command missions that require extended speed the CV-22 Osprey has supported operations including nighttime hostage rescues military branch to complete its program of record for new-build V-22 aircraft equipped with upgraded nacelles Bell and Boeing say they will continue to build MV-22 and CMV-22 Osprey variants for the U.S Navy while shifting their Air Force efforts toward sustainment and fleet upgrades known as the queen of the Hellgate Canyon in Missoula a former professor with the University of Montana and wildlife biologist who knows Iris’ nest very well to learn all about her story all morning she has been bringing in sticks and moss and grass she likes breaking sticks off of the trees she’s got some great places for grass and moss so if we’re lucky we’ll see her come back in,” said Greene The NBC Montana team captured some incredible footage of Iris flying into her nest on Friday morning Iris the osprey came back to her nest in Missoula's Hellgate Canyon along the Clark Fork River just days before Her return coincided with her most common return date of April 7 Iris is one of the oldest known ospreys in the entire world and you may be wondering ‘how do they know it is iris every year?’ Well because she has very distinctive speckles in her iris we can zoom in on her eyeball and just like at an airport or something we can do some biometrics we know that it is Iris every year,” Greene explained Iris welcomed two babies to her nest in 2024 Thanks to generous donations during a fundraiser last fall the Hellgate Osprey Camera received an upgraded system installed just last month sometimes thousands of people watch Iris' nest each day and while she’s incredible to sit and look at and other ospreys were used to study the ecosystem We used to take blood samples from her babies we just leave them be and let them enjoy the show,” Greene said If you want to enjoy the show yourself, or to learn more about the history of Iris, here is a link to more information, and a link to the YouTube live stream of Iris’ nest. I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A pair of breeding ospreys have laid an egg at a wildlife reserve for the first time this year after a competitive mating process Ospreys were driven to extinction in Britain in the early 20th century, however they naturally recolonised Scotland in the 1950s and their numbers have grown steadily since – and latest estimates suggest there are around 300 breeding pairs across the UK Most of these birds migrate to West Africa, but some overwinter in Spain and Portugal Conservationists at the Loch of the Lowes Wildlife Reserve in Perth and Kinross discovered that an egg had been laid on Sunday by a new breeding pair. The Scottish Wildlife Trust manages the reserve and said that at least seven different ospreys have been contending for the popular nesting site. A male and female, now officially known as LM24 and LF25 respectively, have fought off their competitors. Male LM24 had appeared to show an initial interest with another female, the first bird to arrive this year, known as NC0, who landed on the nest on March 17 and had previously fledged seven chicks in half a decade, with former partner LM12 who died last year. Following his death, NC0 seemed to pair up with LM24 towards the end of the season, but appears to have lost her hold on the territory before he returned this year, according to the Scottish Wildlife Trust. She departed the nest in early April and has not been seen on the reserve since, however LM24, who was known as the Dark Intruder until he successfully returned this season, arrived the following day and was subject to attention from several females. After spending a week with an unringed bird, he has since settled onto the nest with LF25, who was previously known as the Dark Female. Hours before the laying process began, another female intruded into the nest, and after the breeding pair were left alone, LM24 attempted to mate with LF25 despite the laying process, with the egg expected to hatch in five or six weeks. Sara Rasmussen, Perthshire ranger for the Scottish Wildlife Trust, said: “We never knew what to expect this year, however we suspected there could be a battle for the territory after the tragic loss of LM12 in 2024, and that’s exactly what has happened. “We’ve seen courtship and breeding attempts between different combinations of birds, but with this exciting development, it seems that LM24 and LF25 are holding the territory. “We understand there will be some disappointment at NC0 being unseated as the dominant female, but she is still in her prime and has every chance of finding a partner in another territory. For now, we’ve just got our fingers crossed that the new pair at Loch of the Lowes go on to hatch eggs and successfully raise their chicks. “As exciting as it is to have an egg, we shouldn’t count our chickens – or ospreys – before they’ve hatched. This is especially true this year, as new breeding pairs often need a few seasons to work things out and become experienced parents. “Whatever happens, we can always guarantee drama with the ospreys. With the intruding female still in the area and the possibility of more eggs to come, there could still be plenty of twists and turns in the story.” Last year, NC0 laid three eggs, but they were destroyed by another male bird around three weeks into the incubation process. The Trust’s Wildlife Protection Team will carefully watch over the nest in the coming weeks to give the ospreys the best chance of success. You can pick up an Outdoor Research Freewheel MTB Short Sleeve Jersey for $30 (50% off) The Freewheel jersey is lightweight and airy and it has a UPF 30+ sun protection rating The Freewheel has a bike-specific fit and includes a thermo-regulating treatment to assist with body temperature management That’s quite an in-season deal, and there are more. Inventories are low, as you’ll find with the men’s Freewheel short sleeve, but the men’s Freewheel long sleeve jersey is available in all sizes (for now) As you might expect at this time of year, the Outdoor Research sale selection is getting rid of more wintry items like performance fleece and three-layer rain jackets now is a good time to prepare for next winter and highest UPF-rated sun shirt provides breathable coverage in harsh conditions The hoodie has a relaxed fit with an overlap hood for added coverage For Mother’s Day, Duck Camp has marked down all of its women’s clothing by 30% Wiley X makes durable, protective eyewear trusted by the military, first responders, and outdoor enthusiasts alike. We don’t have a spotlighted pick, but it’s worth noting that this Late Spring Sale includes prescription-ready frames, which are rarely discounted This sale runs through May 7, and you can use code SPRING20 at Wiley X to save 20% off anything on the site the dessert (not desert) themed knife evokes the sprinkled donuts beloved by Homer Simpson This “bite-sized” 2.5-inch version of the Boker Mini Dessert Warrior Kalashnikov Bowie Automatic Knife (Donut) has a blue-finished textured pink aluminum handles (with sprinkles) Blade HQ’s sale page has other styles of these Boker knives marked down Osprey Radial 34 bike commute backpack incorporates the brand’s comfy AirSpeed back panel and has several bike-friendly features There’s a pocket dedicated to keeping your cycling kit away from your daily gear and an integrated kickstand to keep the bag upright The Radial 34 can sit at a sleeker 26L and expand up to the 34L capacity You can save 25% off other Osprey packs and luggage bags, too. Big guns, like the Transporters Wheeled Duffels, are already out of stock, but check out the rest of Osprey’s sale. Freeing your legs might help you hike better. A dress might not be the first piece of gear you think to reach for at the trailhead, but maybe it should be. Read more… M.T. Elliott is a contributor to GearJunkie. He has been writing about the outdoor industry, running, cycling, camping, and more for nearly a decade. He has freelanced for other publications such as Outside Business Journal, Gear Patrol, and before that, various newspapers. Based in Denver, Colorado, Elliott spends time running, hiking, camping, slinging beers, and occasionally fishing. Kit Dillon is a writer focused on bags and travel gear He has worked for Wirecutter for a decade and lost count of the number of bags he has tested When you open your favorite carry-on travel backpack it should feel like you’re opening the door to a well-organized closet or sitting down at a clean desk with everything in the right place and easy to reach Both bags are exemplary carry-on travel backpacks that are designed for comfort Though these backpacks are great as companion bags for any trip they’re designed to replace all of your other luggage and become your exclusive bag as you travel 45- or 35-liter bagA 45-liter bag maximizes overhead space but can get heavy when fully packed; a 35-liter bag tends to be more manageable. How it packsA bag with a clamshell design opens like a book and is easier to pack, but a bag that opens traditionally usually has more structure. Multiple handlesIdeally, a travel backpack has handles on all sides—especially the bottom—so you can pull it out of overhead bins or from under seats. OrganizationSome internal pockets are useful, but major organizing is better managed with packing cubes. and compared hundreds of bags in that time I try to do most of my travel with a single backpack I spent nine months roaming around Hawaii with not much more than that and I spent another six months nomadically couch-surfing in New York City I researched and tested bags designed for people who want to travel light and stay flexible while flying the challenge of cutting down a packing list is intimidating But if you can get past that initial hurdle traveling with a single bag is a revelation: With fewer items you have more time to concentrate on and appreciate the journey For the most part, carry-on travel backpacks come in two standard sizes: the allowable-overhead-space-maximizing 45 liters and the slightly more diminutive but (for many people) more practical 35 liters. I selected picks in both sizes, as well as one that expands when necessary I personally choose a 35-liter bag for most trips lasting around a week but for heavier packers or people making longer trips This durable bag’s clamshell design makes organizing your stuff easy And its strap design allows you to wear it on your back or carry it in your hand while you’re on the move comfortable-to-carry bag for getaways lasting just a few days or a whole week and it’s worth getting if you like wearing fanny packs while you travel The Allpa pack is made with 100% recycled 840-denier ripstop nylon (Denier is a measure of a fabric’s fiber thickness.) The material feels similar to a strong canvas This is the type of bag that’s as easy to slide into an overhead compartment as it is to toss into the back of a rusty pickup truck Cotopaxi makes the Allpa pack with either a TPU (nylon bonded with a water-resistant polyurethane membrane) or classic nylon construction on the back of the bag Although TPU provides additional water resistance we found over time that the original TPU-coated fabric that Cotopaxi used had a tendency to break down When we tested the updated version in 2024 Cotopaxi had changed the fabric to address this issue We’re continuing to test the new bags to see how they last I’ve found that this single backpack (plus a personal item) has replaced nearly every travel bag or piece of luggage I use It’s organized. The Allpa bag has a clamshell design, so it opens like a hard-sided suitcase—a large YKK zipper (the industry leader) runs around three sides of the bag, allowing it to fall open into two halves when you unzip it. On the right side is a deep compartment that’s spacious enough for two large packing cubes or half a suitcase’s worth of clothing which you access through a mesh zippered flap you’ll find space for one more medium-size packing cube behind a zippered flap Above that are two smaller pockets with high-visibility backing—useful when you’re looking for hard-to-differentiate personal items Cotopaxi has added a stretch mesh pocket for a water bottle up to 1 liter The Allpa pack has two side-access zippers especially when the bag is hanging from your shoulder One of them reveals a flat computer pocket with a padded false bottom it won’t land on the corner of your computer The other reveals a “secret” pocket with a hidden zipper and access to the main compartment All of the main-compartment zippers are protected by security loops which you thread the zipper through at the end of its run; doing so prevents anyone from subtly or quickly grabbing a zipper and opening your bag when you aren’t paying attention The Allpa bag’s hip belt—which you can stow while the bag is on your back—is good enough that it’s comfortable to wear when you need it the Allpa bag is comfortable to carry over long distances folks who have longer torsos (over 19 inches) may find that the waist belt sits a little high off the hips unless you fully extend the shoulder straps the Allpa bag’s straps are contoured to fit both people who have large chests and those with small chests but our female tester noticed the improvement right away Capacity: 35 litersWeight: 2 pounds 7 ouncesMain-compartment access: clamshell openingColors: assorted The Cotopaxi Allpa 35L fits so much more than you’d expect This bag was built with photographers in mind yet most travelers will appreciate its easy accessibility and the elegant way it expands and contracts Some bags in this category are built to do one thing extremely well: be carried on your back But the Peak Design Travel Backpack 45L is built to adapt It’s the Swiss Army knife of backpacks—it’s adjustable and (if you spring for the extra cubes and organizers) an almost perfect system for a photographer or gearhead on the move Most bags’ expanding mechanisms aren’t worth the extra zipper they’re built on and they look about as attractive as a boiled ham splitting out of its plastic packaging That’s not the case with this Peak Design bag which looks just as good fully packed at 45 liters as it does compressed to a 30-liter daypack even when the Peak Design bag is fully loaded the belt doesn’t pinch or dig into the body but they do make carrying that gear a whole lot easier and if you situate them properly in the bag with the provided clips they line up with the Travel Backpack’s side-access flaps for quick access Caleigh Waldman (a photographer for this guide and my spouse) took this bag across the country for a wedding shoot “I want this backpack,” she said after three weeks of travel Capacity: 45 litersWeight: 4 pounds 8 ouncesMain-compartment access: back-panel loaderColor: black This bag’s split interior makes organizing easy you’ll appreciate this bag’s dedicated panels for organizing tech This bag has a front panel and assorted pockets that make it feel like a small traveling office It’s built like luggage but organized like your office the Black Hole MLC (short for Maximum Legal Carry) comes closest to being a suitcase on your back The Black Hole MLC is also one of the simplest bags we tested divided into two (imagine a book with only one page) with a main compartment for packing and a second compartment for document organization and tech storage The Black Hole MLC has a built-in laptop compartment that fits 17-inch laptops and is situated close to your back to protect the computer and keep its weight closer to your body I wouldn’t want to carry it all day across a city but I wouldn’t mind carrying it through an airport to a car and to a hotel It’s built from high-quality materials, with durability in mind. This pack is made from recycled polyester, and the fabric is woven in a cross-weave that’s similar to what Patagonia uses in its long-lasting Black Hole series of duffle bags This is a material I’ve come across a bunch with Patagonia gear and I’ve tested it thoroughly; it’s very tough The front of the bag is coated in a weather-resistant TPU for extra protection from the elements The bag has large YKK zippers and smaller YKK zippers throughout It comes with one of the best repair programs and a lifetime warranty. Similar to our other picks, the Black Hole MLC is backed by an excellent lifetime warranty. And we’ve always found that Patagonia’s repair program goes above and beyond those of other Capacity: 45 litersWeight: 3 pounds 10 ouncesMain-compartment access: clamshellColors: tan and sturdy enough to take with you as you travel the world this bag has shoulder straps that are slightly lower to keep the bag’s bulk more aligned with smaller torsos everything we say here about the Farpoint bag also applies to the Fairview bag.) It’s built for travel but designed for hiking. The Farpoint bag is well made, easy to pack, and comfortable to carry over most midlength distances, such as when you’re walking across a city for an afternoon. Osprey makes excellent backpacks for hauling around, and its lifetime warranty is renowned within the industry The pack also has an optional messenger-bag-style strap which offers some flexibility when you’re maneuvering tight spaces like subways or crowded city centers and it lets you hide the waist straps while the bag is on your back Although the Farpoint 40 and the Fairview 40 basically have the same design the Fairview pack is made for someone with a more-diminutive torso It has all the features and durability of the Farpoint bag and it also has the same hip belt and adjustability the chest-strap clip is equipped with a small security whistle that’s surprisingly loud; it’s a handy feature for anyone traveling in unfamiliar environments Fairview: 3 pounds 2 ouncesMain-compartment access: front-panel loaderColors durable bag is easy to pack and to travel with And it’s comfortable to wear over endless miles—as long as you don’t mind the heavier weight and customizable to fit most torso lengths with plenty of organizational features to suit any digital nomad but we prefer the robustness of the Travel Backpack Pro.) You can remove the hip straps if you need to Capacity: 40 litersWeight: 4 pounds 8 ouncesMain-compartment access: clamshell openingColor: black Not everyone needs a dedicated laptop pocket but we prefer the more secure feeling of bags that do We’ve narrowed our specifications for a great carry-on travel backpack to the following list of features Front- or back-panel loader or clamshell opening for the main compartment: As with any good piece of luggage you should be able to open it and see everything you’ve packed When you have a bag with a panel-loading or clamshell design—rather than a traditional top-opening design—you can pack it and unpack it just as you would a suitcase we flew across the country with these bags and tried them locally in our daily routines using a standardized set of weeklong travel necessities and accessories to see how well the internal organizational features (or lack thereof) aided or impeded efficient packing This is not a comprehensive list of all of the carry-on travel backpacks we have tested We have removed any models that have been discontinued or that no longer meet our criteria Although it’s made from excellent materials which lacks any kind of structure or attention to comfort Any bag costing so little should almost be considered disposable if you need a simple bag that costs less than a seat upgrade It’s strong and simple and covered by an iron-clad repair guarantee The removable hip belt is comfortable to wear and it’s good at displacing the weight of this 45-liter backpack we weren’t thrilled with the internal Velcro lining for compatible Velcro packing cubes The Sojourn Porter is about 2 inches longer and it pushes right up to most airline limits If you don’t mind possibly having to check your bag at the last minute this model is an excellent alternative to the Farpoint pack Matador consistently makes interesting high-end gear which is why we’ve included the company’s products in several of our other bag guides over the years The GlobeRider45 seems thoughtfully laid out with decent organization and extra weather resistance making it a possible choice for very rainy or rugged travel It’s rare to see bags with these kinds of classic looks This article was edited by Ria Misra and Christine Ryan Chase Reeves, Matterful.co Addison Ryan, moderator, r/onebag Lindsay Lorraine Calderón, moderator, r/heronebag I’ve covered luggage and travel gear for Wirecutter for over a decade I’ve covered various topics related to this coverage and sometimes far afield from it For trips ranging from a week to multiple months the Osprey Farpoint 55 and Fairview 55 carried everything we needed comfortably A buy-it-for-a-lifetime backpack should last you for years of heavy use you need to decide if it makes sense for you Get your daily fix of Air & Space Force news delivered right to your inbox every day There's no more reliable source for news about your Air & Space Forces Air & Space Forces Magazine is the official publication of the Air & Space Forces Association Under Shift5’s contract with Naval Air Systems Command the Marine Corps will run the company’s manifold technology on Osprey’s flown by its operational test squadron This will allow the V-22 Joint Program Office to test how well continuous operational data monitoring works on the tilt-rotor aircraft and how to develop rules for detecting maintenance problems that need to be quickly addressed “Given the criticality of solving some of these life-threatening issues that are happening on the V-22 it really is all about providing real-time insights to the crew for situational awareness so they can make better decisions,” said Shift5 chief executive and co-founder Josh Lospinoso the predictive maintenance technology could help the military understand how problems called “hard clutch engagements” happen Hard clutch engagements occur when an Osprey’s clutch connecting the engine to a propeller’s rotor gearbox briefly slips and then reengages This can cause the aircraft to lurch and damage crucial components Five Marines died in a June 2022 Osprey crash in Southern California which was later attributed to a hard clutch engagement Multiple other Ospreys have experienced hard clutch engagements that alarmed Air Force leaders and have An Air Force CV-22B Osprey also crashed off the coast of Japan in November 2023, killing eight airmen and prompting a military-wide grounding of the tilt-rotor aircraft that lasted for months. The Air Force concluded that a critical gear in that Osprey’s proprotor gearbox failed and caused the crash. Shift5’s manifold device will help build a dataset of clutch engagements, analyzing whether such engagements are becoming more aggressive and contributing factors, Lospinoso said. “That really is the Holy Grail that NAVAIR has been after,” he said in an interview with Defense News. Shift5’s device, a four-pound box that will be plugged into the Osprey’s data network, will upgrade how the aircraft collects data and make it more readily available to aircrews via a tablet-like display, Lospinoso said. Until now, he said, the most important data on hard clutch engagements have typically been only able to be accessed after the aircraft lands and investigators dive deep into the aircraft’s inner workings. “It’s, in some cases, literally just taking data that already exists on a data bus and presenting it to the user,” Lospinoso said. That data can include precise readings on the intensity and frequency of vibrations within the gearbox, for example, Lospinoso said. The device could also give Osprey pilots reminders about the many actions they need to take and environmental factors they need to monitor, he said, which could reduce the chances of human error. “Being an Osprey pilot is probably the most challenging job flying any aircraft of any kind,” Lospinoso said. “If they forget to take [certain steps], it can be extremely dangerous, but there’s nothing in the cockpit alerting them to [the fact that] these conditions exist. [The Shift5 device’s alerts are] almost like the equivalent of a seat belt reminder.” According to Lospinoso, Shift5’s device will just be tested by the Joint Program Office for now. Eventually, the company hopes to have them installed in all of the military’s Ospreys, which he said would require a phased approach of taking some Ospreys down to install the devices during maintenance. He hopes the military and Shift5 might be able to start working towards full fielding of the device in the next quarter. Stephen Losey is the air warfare reporter for Defense News. He previously covered leadership and personnel issues at Air Force Times, and the Pentagon, special operations and air warfare at Military.com. He has traveled to the Middle East to cover U.S. Air Force operations. Facebook pageTwitter feedRSS feedDefense News © 2025 2025Osprey squadrons based at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma were among those cut as part of the Marine Corps' 2025 aviation strategy Marine Corps scaled back its number of MV-22 Ospreys from 24 to 20 on Okinawa in 2024 as part of an overhauling effort for the aircraft The change was outlined in the 2025 Marine Aviation Plan which noted a reduction in tiltrotor squadrons across the service from 12 to 10 authorized Ospreys in support of a force design initiative Medium Tiltrotor Squadrons 262 and 265 based at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma “Force Design realignment reflects a comprehensive evaluation of the structure and number of Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadrons to enhance their overall effectiveness and responsiveness,” a Marine Corps spokesperson told Military Times or humanitarian missions for the squadrons the military grounded Ospreys across the Marine Corps “We are pursuing several improvements to the [proprotor gearbox] to enhance aircraft safety and improve component reliability and durability,” the plan reads had risen significantly in the years leading up to the tragedy The top three most serious types of incidents for Ospreys across the Marine Corps, Navy and Air Force rose 46% between 2019 and 2023 while overall safety issues spiked 18% during the same timeframe, according to AP The Marine Corps has maintained the aircraft’s safety metrics are not anomalous and align with other aviation safety incident rates The new plan includes the Osprey Drive System Safety and Health Instrumentation which will install sensors in the proprotor gearbox to help predict when an aircraft part is in danger of failing so that crews can replace it before that time comes The plan also announced a new triple-melt steel component of the proprotor gearbox that the Marine Corps says “will drastically reduce the likelihood of material defects in critical gears and bearings.” Riley Ceder is a reporter at Military Times He previously worked as an investigative practicum student at The Washington Post where he contributed to the Abused by the Badge investigation military leaders and local officials in attendance Bell celebrated a major milestone Thursday as the final CV-22 Osprey for the U.S Air Force’s program of record rolled off the production line at the Amarillo Assembly Center The event marked the culmination of more than 20 years of work on the tiltrotor aircraft that has redefined aerial operations for Air Force Special Operations Command The Osprey’s unique design allows it to take off and land like a helicopter but fly like an airplane offering unmatched versatility in the field “This is the culmination of the CV-22 program of record,” said Sonja Clark site leader for the Bell Amarillo Assembly Center “We’ve now delivered 56 CV-22 aircraft for the Air Force and more than 450 V-22 Ospreys overall across all variants.”  Clark emphasized that the end of the CV-22 production run does not mean the end of Osprey assembly in Amarillo Bell will continue building variants for the U.S as well as maintaining and modernizing the existing fleet “We’ve been part of the Amarillo community for 26 years,” Clark said “There are nearly 600 Bell employees here now and thousands have contributed to this program It’s become generational — we see fathers and daughters has been a leader in aviation since its founding in 1935 by Lawrence Bell in Buffalo helicopter to carry a commercial certification — the Bell 47 — the company relocated its headquarters to Fort Worth in 1951 Bell’s pioneering work in vertical lift technology laid the groundwork for the V-22 Osprey a joint project with Boeing that began in the 1980s The Osprey program originated from the Department of Defense’s Joint-service Vertical Take-off/Landing Experimental (JVX) initiative launched in 1981 to develop a versatile aircraft for multiple military branches Bell and Boeing partnered to design the V-22 After overcoming technical challenges and safety concerns the aircraft entered operational service with the Marine Corps in 2007 and the Air Force in 2009 vice president and general manager of vertical lift at Boeing Defense highlighted the longtime partnership between Bell and Boeing “We’ve been partners for a few decades now and it’s a 50-50 partnership,” Jolivette said “We build half of the aircraft in our Boeing Philadelphia plant — the fuselage and cockpit — then ship it to Amarillo where Bell finishes it out and conducts flight tests.”  Jolivette emphasized the specialized skill set required for the V-22 but it’s also a very unique team,” she said “Both of our teams work hand in hand every day on the technical requirements and specifications.”  vice president of flight operations for Bell flew the first CV-22 produced for the Air Force — and will now fly the last Currie has been involved in the V-22 program since the late 1990s it puts bookends on a very satisfying career,” Currie said “This aircraft was a game changer for Air Force Special Operations faster and land without a runway opened up an entirely new way to conduct missions.”  Currie said the Osprey combines the hovering and vertical landing capabilities of a helicopter with the range and speed of a fixed-wing plane that means deeper penetration into contested areas — and back out again — within a single period of darkness “It’s at least twice the speed and range of a helicopter,” he said That’s critical for modern battlefields.”  Jolivette described the development challenges of the tiltrotor “The tiltrotor requires a doctorate-level skill to fly,” she said “It’s technically challenging to build something like that so coming together as a Bell-Boeing team made a difference.”  Clark confirmed that Bell recently secured funding for nine additional Ospreys and is optimistic more orders will follow Jolivette said each military branch utilizes the Osprey differently the Marine Corps uses it for amphibious operations and the Air Force employs it for special operations,” she said “We’re excited about what’s next,” Clark added We’re also working on the FLRAA — the Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft — which is now progressing through our production line.”  a next-generation tiltrotor selected by the U.S builds on lessons from the V-22 and includes updated materials and systems for improved range who returned to Bell after retiring from the Air Force said the chance to work on FLRAA drew him back “I wanted to be part of what’s next,” he said “We’re always open to new opportunities,” she said “Tiltrotor is a unique capability that our customers need for speed and range and we’re always discussing new possibilities.”  Among those attending Thursday’s ceremony were Lisa Atherton commander of Air Force Special Operations Command; and U.S Jackson praised the partnership between the defense industry and the Amarillo workforce “This is proof that Amarillo is critical to our national defense,” he said “The people here build aircraft that protect American lives and serve missions around the world.”  Home News Highlights Spotlights The Osprey’s safety issues spiked over five years and caused deaths (AP) — Over a New Mexico training range named the Hornet two Osprey aircraft speed 100 feet off the ground banking hard over valleys and hills as they close in on a dusty landing zone A flight engineer in the back braces a .50-caliber machine gun over the edge of the Osprey’s open ramp as desert shrubbery blurs past and there is little steady to hold on to until the Osprey touches down with a bump After being grounded for months following a crash last November that killed eight U.S But there are still questions as to whether it should be The Pentagon bought the V-22 Osprey more than 30 years ago as a lethal hybrid, with the speed of an airplane and the maneuverability of a helicopter. Since then, 64 personnel have been killed and 93 injured in more than 21 major accidents Japan’s military briefly grounded its fleet again late last month after an Osprey tilted violently during takeoff and struck the ground And four recent fatal crashes brought the program the closest it’s come to being shut down by Congress To assess its safety, The Associated Press reviewed thousands of pages of accident reports and flight data obtained through the Freedom of Information Act interviewed more than 50 current and former program officials and flew both simulator and real training flights The AP found that the top three most serious types of incidents rose 46% between 2019 and 2023, while overall safety issues jumped 18% in the same period before the fleet was grounded Yet current and former Osprey pilots — even those who have lost friends in accidents or been in crashes themselves — are some of the aircraft’s greatest defenders Ospreys have been deployed worldwide — landing in deserts and on ship decks service members from ballistic missiles in Iraq evacuating civilians in Niger and even standing by ready to protect the president during a surprise trip to Ukraine last year “There’s no other platform out there that can do what the V-22 can do,” said former Osprey pilot Brian Luce the Osprey’s problems have not leveled off as the years passed instead they spiked — even as the number of hours flown have dropped Many of those incidents can be directly tied to the aircraft’s design and it’s so complex that a minor mistake by a pilot can turn deadly While some aspects of the Osprey are now getting modified to make it more reliable it’s unlikely the Osprey’s core design will change With about 400 aircraft that cost between $75 million and $90 million apiece a major upgrade to the fleet could cost billions Luce was the co-pilot in an Osprey crash in Afghanistan that killed his aircraft commander as the Osprey converted to land like a helicopter it dropped at a rate of more than 1,800 feet per minute The crash investigation was inconclusive but found possible crew errors and said the engines may have lost power from sucking in too much dust Luce was the aircraft commander overseeing a co-pilot on a Florida training range Luce’s aircraft was flying low to the ground and about 750 feet behind the lead Osprey — three times the safe minimum distance required their change in position put one of Luce’s rotor blades inside the 25-foot vertical separation they needed It crossed into the wake of the lead aircraft — a turbulent and unpredictable wash of air so strong that crews nicknamed it “Superman’s cape.” Luce’s Osprey nearly inverted and began dropping at more than 2,800 feet per minute before crashing and catching fire As the most seriously injured were airlifted out Both the 2010 and 2012 crashes exposed issues with the Osprey that the military still faces today Osprey pilots warned investigators that the program was in trouble according to investigation interviews obtained by the AP Ground maintenance crews couldn’t keep enough aircraft flying due to a shortage of parts the Pentagon’s Osprey program office allowed manufacturers Bell Flight and Boeing to turn the Osprey over to the military without fully identifying all the ways the aircraft could run into trouble a 2001 Government Accountability Office report found the military still didn’t know the full size of the Osprey’s wake “The fact that they fell out of the sky just defies logic,” Luce’s commander Lt Matt Glover told crash investigators in documents reviewed by the AP “I wish I could say there’s not going to be a next one is it ‘if’ or ‘when,’” said a second pilot who was flying the Osprey in front of Luce’s and whose name is redacted The Osprey’s safety record has been challenged in multiple congressional hearings over the years Some members of Congress have said there is no more margin for error told Osprey program officials during a hearing this spring when the $56 billion V-22 program was in its early stages for Bell Flight and Boeing the Marine Corps controlled the Osprey’s final design because it committed to buying the most The Marines wanted an aircraft that could carry at least 24 troops but only take the same small space on a ship deck as the CH-46 helicopter Experts say design choices have affected the Osprey’s safety since: which work as propellers while flying like an airplane and as rotor blades when functioning as a helicopter are too small in diameter for the aircraft’s weight transmission and proprotors rotate to a vertical position when it flies like a helicopter — That vertical rotation is at the core of what makes the Osprey complex and the up or down position of the aircraft’s nose related to the Osprey’s weight and center of gravity to keep it from crashing so the rotor blades needed to be longer but couldn’t be because they would have hit the body of the aircraft or the tower on the ship deck the Osprey’s engines had to be more powerful to help the shorter blades generate enough lift which can quickly destabilize the Osprey if one engine has more power than the other More powerful engines also meant they would weigh more So engineers designed them to rotate and used their exhaust thrust to help lift the Osprey off the ground “It’s an aircraft with a huge amount of performance packed into a very compact space What that means is that it’s a real hot rod to fly,” said Richard Brown a rotorcraft specialist at Sophrodyne Aerospace “But it also has these foibles which are baked into the design.” Problems with the vertical engine caused the aircraft’s first fatal accident in 1992 Oils that had pooled while the Osprey was flying like an airplane spilled down into the engine as it rotated to a vertical helicopter position repeated transitions to helicopter mode — where the engine and rotor blades rotate upward like an elbow joint — wore down one of the hydraulic lines in an Osprey to the point that it ruptured in flight That led to a grounding and system redesign the air and exhaust it creates can kick up a wall of dust and debris that can get sucked back into the engines a Marine Corps Osprey hovering for 45 seconds in Hawaii disturbed so much sand and dust the crew had to abort and try again to land the Osprey’s left engine stalled and the aircraft dropped flat “I heard what sounded like the entire aircrew yelling ‘power power,’” a surviving Marine told investigators according to redacted interviews obtained by the AP the Marine Corps put out new guidelines reducing the amount of time the aircraft could hover in dusty environments Pilots of a Marine Corps Osprey that had been dropping off troops in landing zones in Australia all day were concerned enough about the aircraft’s weight and potential accumulated dust in the engines that they wanted troops to pour out their water jugs to cut weight as the Osprey neared the deck of the transport ship USS Green Bay Airflow generated by the Osprey had reflected off the ship deck and backed up through the rotors The pilots applied full throttle but the engines could not produce enough power to compensate for the loss clipped the side of the ship and fell into the ocean “It just felt like there was nothing you could do,” the lead pilot told investigators “I don’t recall seeing anything with the gauges at this point both referred questions about whether design changes could be made to either the rotors or engine orientation to the Pentagon Bell said it took the heavier loads into account in its aircraft “While the capabilities of the Osprey have evolved over the years the envelope of the aircraft based on configuration to support the varied missions has actually not adjusted significantly and was anticipated by the original design,” Bell said The Osprey’s design strains critical components inside especially in helicopter mode — and those parts are wearing out faster than expected When the Osprey is flying like a helicopter because the engines and rotors are supporting the full weight of the aircraft the rotors only have to overcome the aircraft’s drag Air Force crews fly the heaviest Osprey variant because of all the special instruments needed to allow it to fly secret missions such as conducting rescues or inserting special operations forces in hostile territory they have to use an option called “interim power” to land safely but that also can overtax the gears in the Osprey’s transmission “Bell-Boeing and the Marines had said: ‘Hey you’re not supposed to use that thing very often we’ve got to use it because we are heavy,” Glover said Japan’s defense ministry blamed human error for its most recent accident, where the Osprey tilted and struck the ground, because the pilots did not engage the interim power option as they hovered like a helicopter during takeoff. The ministry announced last week that its Ospreys had been cleared to return to flight The strain from helicopter mode shows in the Osprey’s transmission A total of 609 have had to be replaced in the past 10 years Wear and tear also puts a large demand on ground maintenance crews who closely track components in the aircraft’s drive system to monitor strain transmission and hydraulic lines for signs of stress an Osprey maintenance supervisor at Cannon Air Force Base the Marine Corps said the Osprey is still one of its safest aircraft the rate that it experienced the worst type of accident resulting in either death or loss of aircraft was 2.27 for every 100,000 hours of flight The Marines said that compares with 5.66 for its other heavy lift helicopter The Marines’ three most serious categories of accidents climbed from 2019 to 2023 even as the number of hours they flew dropped significantly — from 50,807 in fiscal 2019 to 37,670 in 2023 The Air Force’s Osprey has a much higher rate of the worst type of accidents per 100,000 flight hours than its other major aircraft and its incidents also climbed even as flight hours dropped The AP also found that the rise in safety problems over the past five years largely involved the Osprey’s engine or drive system There were at least 35 instances where crews experienced an engine fire 42 issues involving the proprotors and at least 72 instances of the gears inside the transmission or drive system becoming so stressed they flake off metal chips that can quickly endanger a flight Pilots control the angle of the engines and proprotors with a small notched wheel they move with their thumbs It’s sensitive to the touch — too much of a nudge and the engines’ angle changes by several degrees And they have to watch a computer display to see the angle As the engines and rotor blades begin to rotate upward the flight controls inside the cockpit change too — from working like the controls inside an airplane to operating like those in a helicopter what your hands are doing,” said Osprey pilot Capt The aircraft’s computer is designed to autocorrect for a pilot if their movement of the wheel could result in the Osprey’s internal components being damaged But that adds to the danger if a pilot can’t quickly force the nacelles sinking rapidly or entering any other unsafe flight,” Luce said it will not only prevent you from raising the nacelles to slow down the flight control computers will bounce the nacelles forward” to reduce strain on the gears — which speeds the Osprey up If there are other complications in flight or a pilot is distracted or misses the significance of an aircraft warning light the 20th Special Operations Squadron director of operations at the Cannon base acknowledged that he puts a lot of pressure on his crews to be perfect “You have to take that mindset because there are so many things you can do in this aircraft to induce worse problems,” Buckley said Reminders of why hang inside the squadron’s heritage room at Cannon where they have put up a wooden memorial plaque with eight upside-down shot glasses for the friends they lost last November in Japan Many of them also wear black metallic memorial bands on their wrists The most recent accidents have spurred new lawsuits and congressional investigations Family members of the five Marines killed in a 2022 crash in California caused by an unprecedented dual failure of the Osprey’s clutch Some of the families of the eight Air Force members killed last November in the Japan crash which was caused in part by weakened metals in a critical transmission gear the goal is an Osprey that is as airworthy and in as safe a condition as possible,” said attorney Tim Loranger Following the Japan crash, the military grounded the fleet for three months. Congress also was investigating, and there was frustration from some lawmakers that the Osprey returned to flight before those reviews were complete it’s been difficult to get a clear picture of how the aircraft’s manufacturers are responding After investigations into the Japan and Australia crashes were released this year is working on a variety of upgrades that should make the aircraft easier to maintain and looking at how else the program can be improved “This is the appropriate time to be looking at systemic improvements to the platform,” former program manager Marine Corps Col But it’s unlikely to change any of the fundamentals of vertical engines or rotor size Those problems are getting fixed in a new aircraft called the Valor that Bell Flight is selling to the Army The Valor’s engines stay in a horizontal position Its smaller size means the rotor blades are more proportional with the aircraft’s weight which reduces strain on all the other components The Valor “captured many lessons learned from both tiltrotor and helicopter previous experience,” Bell said in a statement Air Force leadership is watching the Osprey closely investing in improvements to the engine to make it easier to maintain and looking at future alternatives The Navy has taken steps to keep more of its legacy aircraft carrier transport planes around in case it can’t make the Osprey work The Marine Corps is committed to flying its hundreds of Ospreys through 2050 But it’s also doing a study to decide whether to “significantly modernize the MV/22 and/or begin the process to move forward” to a next-generation assault aircraft the Air Force is looking at what can be done to ensure pilots get the time and training needed to master the Osprey “What I don’t want is someone in my seat 10 years from now say you knew crews weren’t getting enough flight hours you knew there were maintenance challenges and here we are having the same discussion,’” Conley said But it’s also about realizing that aspects of how the Osprey flies won’t change “What you have to do is reduce your exposure,” Buckley said simulators can now model the full “Superman’s cape” phenomenon “I do think that we’re still — and maybe even to this day — to a degree working through all the ins and outs aerodynamically what is different about this that has never been seen before with any other aircraft,” Buckley said Buckley flew a mission where the Osprey was the only aircraft that could help save a service member’s life after a vehicle rollover “There wasn’t another plane flying in the sky because the weather was so bad,” Buckley said “We flew up and down the line of the haboob trying to get around it Buckley understands the risks in a different way than many of his crews He was a high school senior when his 25-year-old brother died in an AFSOC MC-130H cargo aircraft crash in 2002 Buckley pointed to the American flag that the Air Force presented to his family after his brother’s death “I think my job here is to ensure that I’m going to push it to the level that we are making sure we aren’t delivering any more of these,” he said Vineys and Kessler reported from Washington AP reporter Mari Yamaguchi contributed from Tokyo Discover the best of AP content in every format Explore diverse topics through our world-class journalism is awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal at the National Naval Aviation Museum Joshua Barker/Marine Corps)The air crew told their Marines that the Osprey was going down nearly two dozen other Marines and a sailor braced for impact Watson shoved his radio operator into the brace position before protecting himself. Everything not strapped down became a projectile, he would later note in his report on the incident, shared on “The Connecting File,” a Substack Watson served as the ground force commander for the 38-Marine element that was inserting into Pickertaramoor Airfield on Melville Island Watson unstrapped and shook the unconscious radio operator awake “I could not see the Marine seated five feet across from me nor could I see out of the rear ramp of the aircraft,” Watson wrote and aircraft wreckage made visibility extremely poor.” the captain freed the fellow Marine from his restraints and got him out of the aircraft “The heat from the fire was overwhelming,” Watson wrote “The only light piercing through the smoke came from the rear of the aircraft and this soon became the primary exit.” The Navy and Marine Corps Medal is the highest non-combat decoration awarded Donte Busker/Marine Corps)What he did next resulted in Watson receiving the Navy and Marine Corps Medal — the highest noncombat naval service award — in a ceremony at Naval Air Station Pensacola “After noticing that nobody was really moving, I directed the Marines to, ‘Leave everything and get out the back of the aircraft,’” Watson in a Marine release I handed off my radio operator to another Marine towards the rear exit checking under seats as I went to ensure no one remained trapped.” He had one urgent casualty and several priority casualties Three people were missing — two pilots and the crew chief “Once I realized we hadn’t gotten accountability of those three Marines my first thought was to attempt to locate them,” said Watson “Still standing at the rear of the aircraft from which the fire was rapidly spreading I witnessed the rear member of the aircrew who was pinned underneath the fuselage of the plane and severely injured being cut free and buddy-dragged to safety by my Marines who had come back to his rescue.” A subsequent investigation stated that Cpl Collart died while trying to reach the Osprey’s pilots who were trapped in the cockpit Investigators reported that the two pilots Collart was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal posthumously The Navy and Marine Corps medal is the Navy's highest award for noncombat valor Niles Lee/Marine Corps)Minutes after the crash Watson radioed a section of AH-1Z Viper and UH-Y1 Venom helicopters overhead because we wouldn’t have been able to start getting casualty resources to our position if that wasn’t the case,” Watson said Fighting through the pain of a broken ankle Watson led his Marines through two kilometers of wooded terrain to the airfield The captain continued directing the Marines in his command providing real-time updates until they reached a point to hand off the casualties which included one urgent surgical and four priority casualties but we didn’t realize the severity due to the shock we kept checking on each other because we didn’t know the true conditions of everyone,” Watson said my Marines being solid in Tactical Combat Casualty Care was essential to minimize the loss of life.” government and the military for multiple publications since 2004 and was named a 2014 Pulitzer finalist for a co-written project on witness intimidation The durable Osprey Talon backpack is ready to fend off the elements with a tough nylon exterior and plenty of room inside This premium backpack is perfect for long days in the wilderness. Its durable nylon construction withstands daily wear and tear while DWR treatment stops water from seeping into your backpack boasting 26 liters of room for all your equipment and comes in two sizes so you can be sure to find the right one for your height and build In our review, hiking expert Jonathon Manning loved the Osprey Talon praising its comfortable hip belt and build "The seamless hip belt finds the perfect balance between padding and breathability while avoiding any stitching that might cause irritation or abrasion," said Jonathon in his four-and-a-half-star review "Carrying is made more comfortable still with the option to adjust the torso length of the back system using Velcro-style fastenings to slide the harness up and down to suit your own body shape." The Osprey Talon backpack is available in Ceramic Blue Its 26-liter capacity offers plenty of room for all your belongings while a tough nylon exterior protects your kit from the elements here are today's best offers on Osprey Talon backpacks where you are tips and guides to help you plan your next Advnture Will SymonsStaff WriterWill Symons developed his love of the outdoors as a student exploring every inch of Sussex’s South Downs national park and wild swimming off the Brighton seafront Will previously worked as a freelance journalist and writer covering everything from cricket to ancient history Andrew West a visual journalist for The News-Press and Naples Daily News is one of the best wildlife photographers in the U.S West was on Sanibel Island recently at the J.N "Ding Darling" National Wildlife Preserve when he spotted an osprey on the hunt for some food This incredible moment − right place at the right time − took place at what is known as the Bailey Tract West started doing magical things with is camera and the result was the spectacular time lapse video he produced You can watch the video at the top of this page It was right behind me as the osprey swooped in for the catch," West said of this amazing wildlife moment Ospreys: What to knowAccording to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission website: The osprey is a species of raptor that is sometimes mistaken for the bald eagle This species can reach a height of 23 inches (58.4 centimeters) with a wingspan of 72 inches (182.9 centimeters) (The Cornell Lab of Ornithology 2011) and a brownish upper body with a black line across the eyes that extends to the wings Several features distinguish the osprey from other birds of prey including a reversible fourth toe and spines located on their feet that are used to help grasp their prey as they fly over the water The undersides of the toes on each foot are covered with short spines The Department of Defense said Friday the fixed-price incentive contract modification involves the procurement of five CMV-22B Osprey aircraft The Bell Textron and Boeing collaboration will work on the project at several locations in and outside the United States The majority of the work will be conducted in Texas Utah and East Aurora and Endicott in New York Some of the work will be performed within the continental U.S and different sites outside of the continental U.S The contract is expected to run through January 2028 The Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River It will provide an initial amount of $132.1 million from the Navy’s fiscal 2024 aircraft procurement funds The initial fund will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year In July 2018, the joint venture previously received a potential $4.19 billion contract modification to manufacture various variants of the V-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft The contract provided 39 CMV-22B units to the Navy one  CV-22B to the Air Force and 14 MV-22B units to the Marine Corps It also covered the production of four MV-22Bs for Japan The premier source of breaking business news for the government contracting industry to-the-point stories of the most significant contract awards M&A activities and financial results of the sector’s most notable players GovCon Wire is always on top of the most recent contracting sector activity and is updated in real time as the news breaks Important URLs: About us – Government Contracting FAQ – Guest Contributions – 2024 Events New ReComp™ fabric and Looptworks partnership amplify the brand's commitment to sustainable innovation and a circular economy CORTEZ, Colo., Feb. 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- This fall, Osprey, a Helen of Troy Limited (NASDAQ: HELE) brand responsible and forward-thinking collection to-date The upcoming season reflects Osprey's unwavering dedication to reducing environmental impacts and supporting a circular economy with the introduction of a proprietary ReComp™ fabric a new U.S.-based partnership with circular solutions and textile recycling brand Looptworks and a growing line of products with the certified bluesign® Product designation the introduction of ReComp fabric marks Osprey's next leap in material innovation ReComp repurposes and transforms Osprey's manufacturing scraps into a 70% post-consumer and 30% pre-consumer recycled polyester main body fabric which is featured in the season's all-new Arcane™ Earth series Arcane Earth's design technology uses 85% recycled EVA foam and a minimal dyeing process that reduces water and energy consumption compared to traditional methods Osprey's new Arcane Earth series features a Duffel Pack (MSRP $170) Large Day Pack (MSRP $120) and Hip Bag (MSRP $70) Osprey's new U.S.-based partnership with Certified B Corporation Looptworks will further achieve next-level The partnership ensures any products that can't be donated or repaired through Osprey's All Mighty Guarantee™ will be downcycled as a solution to reduce textile waste and landfill impact deconstruct and transform Osprey's donated textiles into a non-woven fiber that's used to make non-woven products such as insulation Osprey continues to push boundaries with bold design and sustainable innovation with the goal of being a more conscientious and progressive outdoor brand," said Mark Galbraith "We're thrilled to be partnering with a like-minded company such as Looptworks that shares our passion and dedication to reducing waste and making a positive change in our environment." Since becoming a bluesign SYSTEM PARTNER in 2021 and then introducing the certified bluesign Product label to its collection in 2024 adopt and implement safe chemistry and responsible practices throughout its supply chain 83% of Osprey's entire product line will carry the bluesign Product designation — a 13% increase since fall 2024 Consumer products carrying the certified bluesign Product label meet strict safety and environmental requirements The products are made of bluesign approved materials and are produced in a resource-conserving way with a minimum impact on people and the environment About Osprey PacksWherever you find adventure bikers and everyday travelers with innovative and long-lasting carry solutions each thoughtfully designed to reflect a passion for exploration and the outdoors Headquartered where the rugged foothills of Colorado's San Juan Mountains meet the spectacular Southwest desert Osprey's surroundings provide the ultimate product testing ground guaranteeing that all technical packs are up to any challenges users may encounter their holistic approach to sustainability uses high quality recycled and bluesign APPROVED materials to lower their impact on the environment promote a safe chemical process and care for the people in their supply chain To learn more about Osprey and its products, backed by their industry-leading All Mighty Guarantee, visit osprey.com Osprey products can be found online at osprey.com and in specialty retailers in over 60 countries worldwide Follow all brand updates on Instagram (@ospreypacks) and Facebook (@ospreypacks).  About Helen of Troy LimitedHelen of Troy Limited (NASDAQ: HELE) is a leading global consumer products company offering creative products and solutions for its customers through a diversified portfolio of well-recognized and widely-trusted brands and Olive & June.  All trademarks herein belong to Helen of Troy Limited (or its subsidiaries) and/or are used under license from their respective licensors Media Contact:TURNER PR[email protected] high-performance innovative carry solutions continues to push the boundaries of sustainable,.. Osprey Packs is bringing its legacy of durable luggage and comfortable snowpacks to new heights for winter 2025 Household, Consumer & Cosmetics Environmental Products & Services Textiles Retail Do not sell or share my personal information: issued a bulletin to the fleet Friday morning ordering crews to verify how many hours each aircraft’s proprotor gearbox had flown If an Osprey’s gearbox meets or exceeds a particular number of flight hours — NAVAIR would not say how many due to operational security concerns — it can resume flying under limitations issued in March But if the gearbox is found to have fewer flight hours it will have to fly under a new and stricter set of limitations Air Force Special Operations Command Spokeswoman Lt Heyse said the groundings were not absolute and some Ospreys kept flying to conduct necessary operations The fatal crash of an Air Force CV-22 near Japan in November 2023 was caused by a cracked gear, which had impurities called inclusions that weakened the metal. Similar metal weaknesses may have also caused the near crash near Cannon Air Force Base last month. Osprey manufacturer Bell is working with the V-22 Joint Program Office to upgrade some of the aircraft’s gears to make those weakening impurities less common. But that will take some time to roll out, Heyse said, and the military had to find a way to get its Ospreys back in the air in the meantime. “It’s really important we don’t keep these aircraft grounded,” Heyse said. “This allows us to fly and keep pilot proficiency while a longer-term fix is put in place.” Studies of the Osprey have shown that when those impurities cause gear cracks, Heyse said, it typically happens in their early life. Once they have flown a certain number of hours and are “broken in,” she said, they are less likely to crack and the military is more confident in them. That is why the Ospreys under the flight hour threshold must adhere to the more conservative restrictions, she said. The stricter guidelines for those Ospreys will stay in place until their gearboxes are upgraded, or they exceed the flight hour threshold, NAVAIR said. Air Force Special Operations Command had already been inspecting some aircraft before today and verifying how many flight hours their gearboxes had, according to Heyse. Those Ospreys are already flying, she said. The inspection process for each aircraft doesn’t take long, she said. The military declined to say how many Ospreys are affected by these changes, and what their additional flight restrictions are, for security reasons. The Marine Corps has by far the most Ospreys in its fleet, at about 350. The Air Force has about 52 Ospreys, and the Navy has roughly 30. Amid continuing concerns about the availability of menhaden in the Chesapeake Bay a study released this week shows that osprey chicks are starving in nests in parts of the Bay where they typically depend on menhaden for food The most recent update, released by the William and Mary’s Center for Conservation Biology shows that osprey young are not surviving at rates that sustain the population The primary factor for the loss of young osprey is starvation The findings this week support other recent surveys by USGS and Center for Conservation Biology showing osprey nesting failures.  The latest study surveyed data from 12 different sites this year in both Virginia and Maryland Osprey young were struggling to survive at 10 sites in saltier waters where osprey primarily depend on menhaden for food osprey young had much higher survival rates in two freshwater sites studied for reference where they eat mainly catfish and gizzard shad Menhaden are a key part of the Chesapeake Bay food chain the industrial harvest of menhaden in the Chesapeake Bay by Omega Protein and affiliate Ocean Harvesters has raised concerns due to threats to other species.    Last month, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission voted to form a workgroup to consider additional restrictions on the industrial harvest of menhaden following a presentation of survey results showing low osprey nesting success.  Virginia failed to fund a study earlier this year that would shed much-needed light on potential localized depletion of menhaden in the Chesapeake Bay Existing data concentrates solely on the menhaden population coastwide leaving unanswered questions about the impacts of industrial fishing in the Bay.  Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) Virginia Executive Director Chris Moore issued the following statement:  “The management of the menhaden fishery one of the most critical species in the Bay ecosystem We don’t have a full understanding of the impacts of industrial fishing in the Bay because Omega Protein continues to delay much needed scientific answers to this urgent question.  “This year’s osprey data adds to the growing concerns about the number of menhaden in the Bay and the importance of a robust menhaden population for species that depend on them for food and Virginia’s economy.   ecosystem-based approach to setting limits on the menhaden fishery That approach must include the study of the industrial fishing impacts to the Bay as well as considering seasonal fishing closures from the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission.” Vanessa Remmers Virginia Communications & Media Relations Manager [email protected]804-258-1567 Stay up to date about the Bay! Sign Up Your donation helps the Chesapeake Bay Foundation maintain our momentum toward a restored Bay and streams for today and generations to come the Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) is the largest independent conservation organization dedicated solely to saving the Bay © 2017-2025 Chesapeake Bay Foundation The Chesapeake Bay Foundation is a nonprofit tax-exempt charitable organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code Donations are tax-deductible as allowed by law Thanks for visiting The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here Texas (BRAIN) — Osprey and Hydro Flask parent Helen of Troy will freeze inventory purchases from China during what it called "volatile times" because of tariff increases while reporting fourth-quarter and yearly net sales declines The exceptions to the China pause are purchases supporting key launches already underway and an overall reduction in inventory purchases in expectation of softer consumer demand in the short to intermediate term according to the Helen of Troy earnings report net sales were down 0.7% ($485.9 million compared to $489.2 million) while 2025 yearly net sales decreased 4.9% "The rapidly changing global tariff actions are creating significant uncertainty in the marketplace which we believe will have a profound impact on the economy broadly making business planning a challenge," said CEO Noel M Because of the uncertain effects of the increased tariffs Helen of Troy is not providing a fiscal 2026 outlook it is exploring ways to diversify production outside of China and expects to reduce its cost of goods sold exposed to China tariffs to fewer than 20% by the end of fiscal 2026 other measures being implemented to preserve cash flow and reduce costs include: "Through the combination of tariff mitigation actions and these additional cost reduction measures the company believes it can offset 70% to 80% of the tariff impact in fiscal 2026 based on tariffs currently in place," according to Helen of Troy increasing 19.2% from the $42.7 million reported at the same time last year compared with $1.79 at the same time last year net income was $123.7 million decreasing 26.5% from $168.5 million in 2024 Helen of Troy's corporate headquarters is in El Paso, Texas, and its stock is traded on the NASDAQ under the HELE symbol. Stock quote at Marketwatch.com Download the 2019 Industry Directory Read the 2021 Sales Training Guide The W&M study indicates food scarcity as a likely driver of brood failure in high salinity areas of the Chesapeake Bay Resident female – An adult female osprey on a nest in the York River The resident pair in this territory arrived in early March and remained on the territory throughout the nesting season The most likely explanation for large numbers of pairs not laying clutches in 2024 is that females did not reach the nutritional condition required to produce eggs Shortly after 6 a.m., William & Mary Research Professor Bryan Watts guides a boat quietly past an osprey nesting platform Layla Slone ’25 steadies a mirror on a 20 foot pole while Lizzie Arthur ’25 uses the reflection to peer into a nest big enough for a human to sit in Arthur carefully records the number of chicks parental activity and time before the team departs for the next of approximately 60 nests that they will survey by the end of the day These visits were the building blocks of a recent study performed by W&M’s Center for Conservation Biology (CCB) evaluating osprey populations in the main neck of the Chesapeake Bay The study found that ospreys continued to experience poor breeding performance during the 2024 season Founded by Watts and Chancellor Professor Emeritus Mitchell A. Byrd in 1992 the CCB is a powerhouse of ground-breaking bird conservation research carrying out 30 to 40 major studies per year and providing valuable information daily to local and global conservation communities The center also provides opportunities for students like Slone and Arthur to participate in hands-on research as undergraduates working closely with faculty like Watts as part of the university’s efforts to provide the most personal education of any public university in the United States “but this experience really deepened my love and desire to protect it There are so many fascinating species out there with such unique and touching lives but also preserve the stunning and diverse natural world we are so lucky to live in.” Ospreys are top predators in coastal environments making them important bioindicators of ecosystem health Patterns within osprey populations can shed light on important environmental issues such as increased pollution levels and decreased prey availability For example, osprey populations across the United States and Canada experienced steep declines due to the widespread use of DDT from the 1940s to the 1960s. The birds’ cracked, nonviable eggs highlighted the detrimental effects of the pesticide by way of biomagnification then a professor in W&M’s biology department and one of his students performed the first osprey survey of the Chesapeake Bay kicking off decades of research projects to assist in the regional recovery of the species Ospreys recovered so well in the Chesapeake Bay that the area was considered a stronghold for the iconic fish-eating hawk and the CCB helped other states reestablish their populations by successfully relocating ospreys from the bay to areas with less robust recovery rates With osprey populations in such good shape the CCB was able to focus on other species in more dire need of research Watts began receiving reports from boaters and waterfront homeowners owners about low osprey nest productivity over several consecutive years “These people watch osprey nests every day during the breeding season so it’s part of their life,” he said “They can tell you what’s happened in a particular nest for the past 30 years.” CCB researchers confirmed that ospreys were experiencing poor brood performance and noted signs that indicated food scarcity as a factor These observations spurred a 2021 CCB food addition study in which biologists supplemented experimental nests with fish ospreys in experimental nests successfully raised enough young to rise above the population maintenance level while those that did not receive supplemental fish continued to fail at a rate that put them well below maintenance levels The most recent study, performed in 2024, was designed to gain better spatial resolution of osprey breeding performance. Ospreys that nest in higher salinity areas rely on different prey species than ospreys that raise young in lower salinity environments researchers chose to monitor nests in both high-salinity areas throughout the entire main stem of the bay and low-salinity sites in tidal fresh reaches of upper tributaries.  The project included partnerships with the Virginia Aquarium Maryland-National Capital Park and Elizabeth River Project Biologists from the United States Geological Survey also assisted in gathering data In order for the osprey population to remain at its current level an average of 1.15 chicks need to fledge from each nest Among the entire 571 osprey pairs monitored in this study the reproductive rate was 0.51 young per pair but there was a marked difference between the higher salinity sites with a fledging rate of 0.6 to 0.9 young per pair The study found multiple indications of food scarcity as the driving force behind the poor breeding outcomes in the high-salinity areas a high proportion of osprey pairs in the main stem of the bay did not lay eggs at all.  “Most of these non-breeding pairs remained resident throughout the nesting season and defended territories but were never documented to lay eggs,” said Watts “This is the first time this behavior has been documented on a large scale within the Chesapeake.”   Watts explained that a likely explanation for this behavior is that females did not have adequate nutrition levels to lay eggs Single chick broods are another indication of inadequate food resources and accounted for 56% of nests in the main stem of the bay 18.2 % of ospreys nesting in lower salinity sites raised single chick broods osprey young in nests with multiple chicks develop at the same rate A food hierarchy develops in which the most dominant chick receives most of the food and the young die in a sequential order from least to most dominant.  These asymmetric broods were common and widespread throughout the main stem of the bay and lost an average of 1.1 chicks per nest between hatching and fledging asymmetric broods were rare in the lower salinity areas where the average loss of chicks per nest was 0.3 By comparing high salinity sites and low salinity sites within the same region this study helps to rule out other possibilities that could be driving the low reproductive success of ospreys in the Chesapeake Bay such as weather diseases like avian flu or conditions at wintering sites in South America Any of these factors would affect sites in both the main stem of the bay and in the lower salinity reference sites High breeding density can be a factor in low brood success but breeding density was higher in the successful low salinity sites eagle density is approximately twenty times higher in the low salinity sites than in the main stem of the bay so eagle predation is unlikely to have had such a marked effect on ospreys in high salinity areas osprey chicks in high-salinity areas are starving Ospreys are piscivorous species that depend heavily on specific fish species to feed their young In order to understand food availability challenges for Chesapeake Bay osprey research is needed to determine levels of prey species within the main stem of the bay Without the data provided from such a study scientists and policy makers are unable to effectively address the current prey availability issue Slone and Arthur spent the summer collecting and processing data for this study dividing their weeks between boat surveys and office days Their work involved surveying osprey demography observing male provisioning behavior and monitoring and sorting photographs from trail cameras the boat days were the highlight of my week,” said Slone rays and numerous other species I had never interacted with before.” Arthur explained that due to surveying the same nests for months she felt that she developed a strong connection with the ospreys that she monitored “I was rooting for them and their nest success,” she said “I was always deeply saddened when a nest that had chicks one day had no chicks the next.” Arthur and Slone focused on data management and organization They sorted through trail camera photos for up to eight hours at a time to document male provisioning behavior as well as how frequently and what types of prey the birds ate Although they preferred field days to office days both students remarked on the necessity of sorting and processing data as well as the importance of a strong and consistent research protocol such steps are crucial to gain accurate results from hard-won field data.  Both students remarked that they would eagerly participate in another project like this one “I loved being able to see the other side of biology apart from books and tests,” said Slone “Real world application is a whole other beast but around here it goes out on the crooked wings of an Osprey the recent trickle of Osprey returning from South America becomes a flood as they pour in to reoccupy their huge stick nests on constructed platforms A few wacky Ospreys even try nesting in actual trees Those who’ve been around remember that Ospreys weren’t so plentiful not that long ago (We all like to think it wasn’t so long ago that we were kids.) I grew up birding in the 80s but didn’t see an Osprey in MA until I was out of college Ospreys are a classic success story of the conservation movement and legislation actually worked together to solve a catastrophic environmental problem the one Rachel Carson warned of in Silent Spring in some cases driving them to near extinction over broad swaths of their former ranges But within several years of the banning of DDT in 1972 we have gone from one or two pairs of Ospreys in the 1970s to more than 500 pairs now The Osprey population between Boston and New York was about 1000 pairs in 1940 before plummeting 90% over the next 30 years thanks to DDT and thanks to a shift to artificial nesting platforms and other human made structures there may be two or three times as many Ospreys as before DDT – at least 1200 pairs in Massachusetts Pairs in southern New England are still producing between one and two chicks per year way above what is needed for population growth which we know thanks to the work of Kevin Friel of the Falmouth Osprey project an amazing grassroots effort to get safe alternative nesting poles up for Ospreys nesting on power lines We’ve trained them to nest on artificial structures to the point that tree nests are rare and nests on utility poles with live wires are all too common and local wildlife rehabilitators have been meeting with Eversource for years to push for better management of Ospreys on electric poles across the whole Cape Too many nests have caught fire because nests were removed at the wrong time or effective deterrents were not placed on the pole We met for years with little progress, but thanks to the efforts of former Eversource wildlife biologist Michelle Ford, there is now a Cape Cod Osprey Management Plan Eversource has gotten better about selecting the right Osprey deterrents and placing them properly report any dangerous nests you see to the Eversource email There will continue to be whoopsies on power poles like the Ospreys that had two nests burn at the Truro transfer station last year then they caused a third outage with a carelessly dropped Word was that ravens evicted the Ospreys from the nearby cell tower pushing them onto the more dangerous utility pole but from what I had seen the Ospreys and ravens had coexisted on the cell tower for years My guess is relations between the neighbors soured when a conversation turned to politics and the ravens decided they could tolerate the Ospreys nevermore The Osprey aircraft was grounded for three months across the military after a crash in Japan last November killed all eight airmen on board That crash was the fourth by an Osprey in the last two years The military says it mitigated the problem that caused these accidents but families of those killed are not convinced Nick Schifrin and producer Dan Sagalyn have the story Notice: Transcripts are machine and human generated and lightly edited for accuracy despite questions about whether it should be The tiltrotor aircraft was grounded after a crash in Japan last November that killed all eight airmen on board The military allowed the fleet to fly and said it mitigated the problem that caused these accidents but the families of those killed in the crashes aren't convinced the Osprey is safe and want it grounded again Nick Schifrin and producer Dan Sagalyn report from North Carolina the Marines in the Fighting Griffins approached the aircraft they call their workhorse The MV-22 Osprey had been grounded for three months before we visited this summer Captain Dave Schroeder is eager to fly and make sure it's flight-ready He's an instructor who trains junior pilots He's been flying military aircraft for more than a decade He calls the Osprey one of a kind and gives it his full faith I'm fully confident in the way that this aircraft performs and I trust my life in it The flexibility it provides and the speed of range that we can operate is really unmatched The Osprey takes off like a helicopter and flies like a plane at twice the speed of other helicopters The Marines call it essential to their mission and on average deployed 20 to ships every day last year But it also has a history of high-profile crashes "PBS NewsHour": An experimental Marine Corps aircraft crashed today military Osprey aircraft crashed into the sea off Japan today Four have crashed just in the last two years in California It was such a heartbreaking and traumatic experience for so many of us We were friends and colleagues with a lot of the families and crews Did some of the guys in Japan or California One of my first initial thoughts was that could have been any one of us So considering that that could have been me The 2022 crash in California killed five people including 19-year-old Lance Corporal Evan Strickland Soldier: I don't think many people got to see the serious side Soldier: We found out after his passing that he was probably going to elope One of the things that always hits me is when I'm looking at pictures Strickland attended an air show and sat in an Osprey cockpit He was the crew chief his very first day on the job when his Osprey crashed during a training mission A military investigation found the crash was unpreventable caused by a catastrophic and unanticipated mechanical failure The Osprey is one of the world's most complex aircraft that has two engines mounted at the end of each wing Each engine is attached to a gearbox and clutch that power the rotors the other engine can provide power to the other rotor through a driveshaft the Osprey crashed because of what the military calls hard clutch engagements damaging the driveshaft and creating a catastrophic loss of thrust The military acknowledges Ospreys have suffered a hard clutch engagement at least 19 times over the life of the program The Stricklands and other families sued the Osprey's manufacturers for failing to address what they say are previously known mechanical failures for those that have fallen with him is just to seek answers and accountability for something that should have been taken care of over a decade ago This repeated drumbeat of fatalities is totally unacceptable the House Oversight Committee questioned the Osprey's safety Naval Air Systems Commander Vice Admiral Carl Chebi blamed hard clutch engagement on aging aircraft the clutch wears out and has a higher susceptibility to slipping We grounded the fleet and mandated that all aircraft will remove clutches that have over 800 hours That has been completed and we have flown numerous hours since then without a hard clutch event We will not eliminate that risk until we have a redesigned clutch that is in testing right now The new clutch won't be ready until at least mid-2025 not fast enough for Massachusetts Democrat Stephen Lynch We will bite the bullet for the next year or so until we get this clutch figured out We have already lost too many good men and women You're almost asking those still flying to It feels like almost to play Russian roulette Are they doing what's necessary to fix the problem and to find the actual cause The Marines told "News Hour" the Osprey has flown more than 600,000 flight hours and that its 10-year average mishap rate is lower than some of the other aircraft they fly Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 266: I do believe the Osprey's safe I fly it right along with every other pilot that I have in this squadron Lieutenant Colonel Jeffrey Pullinger is the Fighting Griffins' commanding officer smell anything that requires the aircraft to abort while we're in a hover trains on mitigating emergencies even if he doesn't always know the cause if you don't officially know the root cause When I look at the numbers that were provided to us I feel very confident that there's such a low chance of it happening again that I wanted to get back in the aircraft Former Department of Defense Osprey Analyst: They keep discussing that the root cause is not known Rex Rivolo is a retired Air Force pilot who flew combat missions over Vietnam and was for 16 years the Defense Department's chief Osprey analyst He says the military's mitigation doesn't address fundamental flaws The drivetrain clearly is inadequate to handle the loads and now this complete failure of the gearbox clearly indicates that there is a design problem Failure inside the gearbox that's behind the rotors in part caused last year's crash in Japan The military investigation found that the aircraft's left-hand gearbox started chipping leading to — quote — "rapid cascading failures of the drive system.' The report also said the crew could have landed earlier But gearbox failure is another risk the military has known about for years An unreleased safety investigation board review obtained by Military.com found a gearbox failed in 2013 due to a manufacturing defect in the way the gears were made and documents obtained by the Associated Press showed seven previous cases of cracking blamed senior Pentagon leadership — quote — "Safety assessments and their findings were given insufficient treatment at the program level and have been inadequately communicated to the military services." There is a strong desire to keep these aircraft flying and basically you compromise good judgment in order to do that Rivolo urges the military to install an additional warning system similar to the kind that exists on this type of British military helicopter that would alert the pilot to unusual vibrations even though they have the onboard systems to make the detections Until those changes to design that you're advocating can be made or there can be a better warning system Soldier: We all think that they should be grounded Gabriela Lavoy is the mother of 33-year-old Technical Sergeant Zachary Lavoy especially somebody that we're not in times of war and we were making plans for him to come and visit for Christmas It is a plane that airmen and the Marines love But all these families want is to make sure it's safe For the PBS "News Hour," I'm Nick Schifrin in Jacksonville As the deputy senior producer for foreign affairs and defense at the PBS NewsHour Dan plays a key role in helping oversee and produce the program’s foreign affairs and defense stories His pieces have broken new ground on an array of military issues exposing debates simmering outside the public eye © 1996 - 2025 NewsHour Productions LLC PBS is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization Subscribe to Here's the Deal with Lisa Desjardins MISSOULA — Iris the Osprey is said to be one of the oldest living ospreys in the world and she has made Missoula her home over the years near Missoula College and the mouth of the Hellgate Canyon allows viewers from around the world to watch Iris’ life up close A long anticipated upgrade to the camera equipment was installed on Tuesday so Iris' viewers will get a new look as she returns amazing details of the trials and tribulations of these wild ospreys," said University of Montana research professor Dr The Montana Osprey Team focuses on the health and aquatic systems of the osprey population in Western Montana The Birds Eye view will continue live coverage for Iris and her new mate Finnegan Watch related coverage: The remarkable summer of Iris the osprey comes to a close in Missoula The new equipment arrived just in time for Iris' much anticipated return Greene says the work behind the scenes is worth it "when people click onto the and watch the camera most people don't realize how much behind the scenes stuff goes on." many are anticipating if she will return this season she is one of my favorite ladies in the world," said Greene Click here to view the Hellgate Osprey Cam Sussex Preservation Coalition celebrates first yearThursday Sussex council backs P&Z motion on Osprey PointFriday Osprey Point meets oppositionFriday Osprey Point marina, restaurant hearing set Sept. 19Friday Sussex P&Z says no to restaurant, yes to marinaFriday Sussex P&Z removes hurdle for Osprey Point marina, restaurant Tuesday Sussex P&Z defers vote on Osprey Point projectsTuesday Developer plans marina, restaurant in Osprey PointFriday Yet another public hearing will be scheduled on a proposed plan for cluster housing complex Osprey Point along Old Landing Road near Rehoboth Beach Sussex County Planning & Zoning Commission members agreed that a new amended plan contained too many changes and requires another hearing Commissioner George Scott Collins made the motion to defer a decision “There are enough changes to warrant another public hearing,” he said Chair Bob Wheatley agreed that homeowners purchase their homes based on a site plan and when the final plan deviates too much from the original plan A previous amended site plan included a 25-slip public marina and a 3,259-square-foot restaurant with parking Commissioners and county council voted in favor of the plan in June 2020 omitting the restaurant and changing the marina to private use by homeowners only The developer then filed another amended site plan County Planning & Zoning Director Jamie Whitehouse outlined the proposed changes to the new amended site plan additional parking and a walking path without a restaurant Whitehouse said the plan does not include screening from lighting in the parking areas which needs to be part of the final site plan included 217 single-family home lots on 127 acres An amended site plan was then filed containing the marina and restaurant The community on the site of the former Old Landing Golf Course is under construction Final plans for the marina must be approved by the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control DNREC spokesman Michael Globetti said the plan crosses state and federal jurisdictional wetlands along the shoreline using wetland walkways but no filling of wetlands to create a beach is proposed The original application included a retaining wall 3 feet landward of the U.S Army Corps of Engineers Section 404 wetland boundary intended to hold a “sandbox” style beach on uplands to prevent sand from reaching the wetlands this beach will not connect directly to Arnell Creek due to the presence of jurisdictional wetlands along the shoreline The pending permit application with the DNREC Wetlands and Waterways Section will move through the regulatory process and toward DNREC scheduling a public hearing once final updates to the application are made and submitted to the department The marina on Arnell Creek plan includes a launching area for motorized watercraft including pontoon and small runaround boats less than 24 feet with shallow drafts and a floating dock to be used for a kayak and paddleboard launch Buffers of 50 feet along tidal wetlands and 25 feet along nontidal wetlands are planned November 2016 - Original site plan approved January 2023 - P&Z approves amended preliminary plan with a marina and restaurant May 2023 - Planning & zoning recommends approval of amended plan including marina and restaurant September 2023 - Sussex County Council conducts hearing on amended plan November 2023 - County council approves plan without restaurant and residential use of marina only February 2025 - Second amended plan reviewed by planning & zoning Commission recommends another set of public hearings Reporter Bill Shull contributed to this report