It was either buy this thing or hire another 200 teachers.

Sorry. I have to call bullshit on that.
Each one costs as much as 500 average teachers salaries, not including operating costs. ;-)

Why are they trying to make the Osprey 2.0 anyway? We already have better, more capable, cheaper, tested aircraft in our fleet. I think someone is just infatuated with Avatar...Someone who doesn't care about the national budget or military readiness but loves being the only kid with a new toy....now who could that be?

I think---and it's just a guess---that this is supposed to be simpler and easier to maintain and use? In part because the engines are outboard and there aren't all the shafts going to and fro that the V-22 has.

However, I had thought that the criss crossing shafts were part of the military redundancy plan (like, shoot out an engine and limp home on a one---or at least, limp to a better sort of crash landing)---so I don't really know.

Anything that simplifies maintenance will make the fleet cheaper to operate.

Not having the fleet is even cheaper.

lol; well, yes.
Actually, as a civilian, for short trips in bad traffic areas (yes, I know that light rail and mass transit would be better)---I would try this out.

And---for Air Ambulances (yes, mixed evidence on efficacy) and Military MediEvac---farther, faster, safer with more load?