Unusual airplane lands at Northwest Alabama Regional Airport

MUSCLE SHOALS – Eyes were opened wide at Northwest Alabama Regional Airport Thursday afternoon, as a Navy V-22 Osprey landed for refueling. As it was getting gassed up, a small crowd of onlookers approached the fence to the ramp where it was parked. Smartphones in hand, they busied themselves with picture taking.

Osprey flies over The Shoals on final approach to MSL Runway 15.

The flight crew told The Quad-Cities Daily that they were on a training flight from Fort Walton Beach.

After a quick bite of pizza, they boarded up, and headed off on the next leg of their flight.

The Quad-Cities Daily Publisher, Steve Wiggins, is invited onboard for a tour of the cockpit.

Inset: Wiggins in cockpit of V-22 Osprey.