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AIRCRAFT

 

Britten Norman BN-2 Islander

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Fly with the Future

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Overview

The Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander is a British light utility aircraft and regional airliner that has been in production for more than 55 years. It was developed in 1963 as a simple and inexpensive twin piston engine aircraft that emphasised payload over range and cruising speed, given its low wing and span loading. The design brief also encompassed ease of access to remote locations within the short haul sector.

The type uses a light alloy monocoque approach and the structure is designed to give rise to and experience low levels of stress. It has an infinite fatigue life without testing. Manufacturing costs were kept down as both the wings and tail surfaces maintain a constant chord and thickness, while the ribs within the wing are all identical.

On 13 June, 1965 the first prototype BN-2 Islander conducted its maiden flight, powered by a pair of Rolls-Royce/Continental IO-360B piston engines. These were later replaced by more powerful Lycoming O-540-E engines, which were located further outboard on the wings for superior single-engine climb performance. 24 April, 1967 saw the first first flight of a production Islander. Type certification was received from the UK in August 1967, and by US authorities in December of the same year.

Various cabin configurations and equipment load outs are available to suit a wide variety of different purposes, including charter flights, scheduled flights, agricultural uses, aerial firefighting, air freight, VIP/executive transport, aerial surveillance, air ambulance, paradropping and law enforcement.

Specifications
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Variant types
World fleetCharter fleetTypical paxCabin volumeCruiseRangeYears
Britten Norman BN2A ●● ●●●●●●●●● ●●●●●●● ●●●●●●
Britten Norman BN2B-20 ●● ●● ●●●●●●●●● ●●●●●●● ●●●●●●
Britten Norman BN-2A-III ●●●●●●●●● ●●●●●●● ●●●●●●
Britten Norman BN2B-26 ●● ●● ●●●●●●●●● ●●●●●●● ●●●●●●
Britten Norman BN2A-21 ●● ●●●●●●●●● ●●●●●●● ●●●●●●
Britten Norman BN2A-27 ●● ●● ●●●●●●●●● ●●●●●●● ●●●●●●
Britten Norman BN2A-3 ●●●●●●●●● ●●●●●●● ●●●●●●
Britten Norman BN2A-9 ●● ●●●●●●●●● ●●●●●●● ●●●●●●
Britten Norman BN2B-27 ●●●●●●●●● ●●●●●●● ●●●●●●
Britten Norman BN2A-26 ●● ●● ●●●●●●●●● ●●●●●●● ●●●●●●
Britten Norman BN2B-21 ●●●●●●●●● ●●●●●●● ●●●●●●
Britten Norman BN2A-6 ●●●●●●●●● ●●●●●●● ●●●●●●
Britten Norman BN2A-8 ●● ●●●●●●●●● ●●●●●●● ●●●●●●
Britten Norman BN2A-2 ●●●●●●●●● ●●●●●●● ●●●●●●
Britten Norman BN2A-20 ●● ●●●●●●●●● ●●●●●●● ●●●●●●

 

Manufacturing data
For detailed information about the manufacture of this aircraft, please consult our sister publication Airframer: Britten-Norman BN2 Islander
Charter operators
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Maintenance centres
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U.S.A. ●●●●●●●●●●
Completions centres

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Type rating training providers

Sorry, no type rating training providers currently listed. Please use our Feedback form to advise us.

Manufacturer
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New aircraft sales
Canada ●●●●●●●●●● (U.S.A.)
Mexico ●●●●●●●●●● (U.S.A.)
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News from Business Air News
Britten-Norman receives Beechlands cash injection
October 17, 2024
Britten-Norman will scale manufacturing operations in the UK up to eight aircraft a year in phase one, thanks to Beechlands. Manufacturing will be focused primarily on the unleaded piston version of the Islander.
Britten-Norman modifies Islander for unleaded fuel
September 9, 2024
The unleaded fuel modification for the BN2B-26 piston engine Islander is a step towards sustainability, and the FAA's decision to phase out leaded AvGas has underlined the importance of transitioning to unleaded fuels.
Britten Norman celebrates 70th anniversary
April 22, 2024
The business was conceived as an aircraft modification company before a gap in the market was identified for a high payload, short sector, STOL aircraft capable of operating anywhere with little infrastructure or support.
March 28, 2024Britten-Norman secures investment for long term
February 5, 2024First operational hydrogen-electric Islander to debut in Kirkwall by 2027
October 9, 2023Torres Strait Air brings zero-emission flight to Australia
September 25, 2023UK production of iconic Islander begins at Britten-Norman
August 30, 2023Torres Strait Air confirms $25m deal for ten Islanders
August 3, 2023Refurbished facilities will house zero-emissions development for CAeS
July 7, 2023SJC Group signals intent for Islander aircraft
June 12, 2023Britten-Norman gives green light to UK manufacturing
June 11, 2023Genesys ready to install S-TEC 3100 on Islander
May 19, 2023JAGS boosts fleet with Islander addition
April 24, 2023B-N seizes the zero emission initiative with Cranfield merger
April 24, 2023Cranfield welcomes Evolito to Project Fresson
January 16, 2023Latest Genesys autopilot to be certified for B-N Islander
December 15, 2022Air New Zealand selects partners for next-gen fleet ambitions
November 17, 2022Evia Aero scales up CAeS hydrogen-powered order
November 10, 2022Monte and CAeS ink deal for hydrogen-electric modification kits
August 22, 2022Cranfield receives investment for Project Fresson advancement
July 23, 2022CAeS to supply Evia Aero with 10 modified Islanders
June 22, 2022Evia and Cranfield to bring hydrogen powered air services to northern Europe
November 8, 2021Companies say it's Scilly not to strive for zero carbon
September 17, 2021B-N sells Seychelles Islanders for short hops
April 4, 2021Project Fresson gears up with some top contributors
April 4, 2021Visitors cannot get to Vanuatu despite only one COVID case
December 9, 2020First of two new Islanders arrives in the Falklands
October 12, 2020B-N and Blue Bear work towards autonomous flight goal
July 15, 2020Colombian authorities approve MTV-14 prop
January 12, 2020Perspectives: Marketing is key for fleet expansion, says Estonia's Diamond
November 25, 2019Businesses team up to deliver green Islander
August 31, 2019Great Lakes gets big break with Islander
July 14, 2019FIGAS makes preparations for Islander arrivals
July 2, 2019Mission-equipped Islander joins CIAS for rescue duties
May 14, 2019FIGAS figures two more Islanders will do the trick
January 15, 2019Britten-Norman set on Malta to expand training capabilities
August 16, 2017FLN takes on Islander for coastal missions
October 15, 2012Belgian coastguard upgrades Islander with Garmin
September 10, 2012Me and my aircraft; Piston twins: Numbers decline, but the humble piston twin still earns its keep all around Europe
September 1, 2011High definition camera spies distant birds
Press Releases
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