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63-573: The Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander is a British light utility aircraft and regional airliner designed and originally manufactured by Britten-Norman of the United Kingdom. Still in production, the Islander is one of the best-selling commercial aircraft types produced in Europe. Although designed in the 1960s, over 750 are still in service with commercial operators around the world. The aircraft

126-560: A 20 decibel noise reduction as well as increased thrust and reduced pollution. In 1978, a further improved version, the BN-2B Islander II , was produced as a result of a product improvement program. The BN-2B model involved several changes, including a redesigned cockpit and a reduction in cabin noise levels. In 1980, it was decided to make available turboprop engines for the type, adopting twin Allison 250 -B17C engines; when

189-482: A gunship or 'K-Car' (20mm cannon), shot down a Botswana Defence Force Air Wing Islander on 9 August 1979. In 1996, the Royal Cambodian Air Force deployed its three BN-2 Defenders in support of the dry season offensive against Khmer Rouge insurgents. The Defenders were armed with machine guns and rockets, and even dropped mortar rounds. One Defender was lost during the operation. In 2014

252-432: A lag of a few years. In 2018, 245.4 million two-way seats were offered on turboprop flights, up from 201.4 million in 2009, with 97% of flights below 500 nmi (930 km) and 87% below 300 nmi (560 km), and an average capacity increasing to 51 seats from 44 seats in 2009. The largest user was Air Canada with 12.7 million seats, followed by Flybe with 10.3 million and Wings Air with 9.24 million. Canada

315-438: A pair of piston engines while later production models may be alternatively fitted with turboprop engines in their place. The rectangular cross section fuselage, which is furnished with a conventional tail unit and fixed tricycle landing gear , can accommodate a single pilot and up to nine passengers in a commuter configuration, or operate in a mixed cargo/passenger capacity. The cabin can be rapidly reconfigured, allowing for

378-402: A single aircraft to undertake a diverse range of tasks within a minimal period of time. Often referring to the type as "The world's most versatile aircraft", Britten-Norman promotes the Islander's low direct operating costs, minimal maintenance, and its stability in flight as major attributes of the aircraft. The original Islander was designed with an emphasis upon providing ease of access within

441-419: A single standard BN-2 was refitted with Dowty Rotol ducted fans . The ducted fan produced less noise than conventional propeller propulsion. Some structural strengthening of the main wing spar at the root was required due to the extra weight. This aircraft was subject to 18 months of flying trials to test the suitability of the ducted fan as a means of reducing aircraft noise; these tests reportedly demonstrated

504-455: A year. When equipped with four 54-gallon fuel tanks, the Islander was able to ferry itself across the transatlantic route, via Gander International Airport , Newfoundland , for US deliveries. The Islander's long-range capabilities were highlighted when the type won the 1969 London - Sydney air race. In 1974, sales of the Islander surpassed the 548-order record for British multi-engine commercial aircraft. In 1982, another production milestone

567-779: Is a jet airliner with less than 100 seats. The first one was the Sud-Aviation Caravelle in 1959, followed by the widespread Yakovlev Yak-40 , Fokker F-28 and BAe 146 . The 1990s saw the emergence of the Canadair Regional Jet and its Embraer Regional Jet counterpart, then the larger Embraer E-Jet family and multiple competing projects. In the US, they are limited in size by scope clauses . Seating on regional airliners tends to be narrow and tight, and passengers typically are restricted from bringing on board carry-on items which would fit without difficulty in

630-780: Is a light transport with over 30 military aviation operators around the world. Initial aircraft were manufactured at Britten-Norman's factory in Bembridge , Isle of Wight , UK. After Fairey Aviation acquired the Britten-Norman company, its Islanders and Trislander aircraft were built in Romania , then shipped to Avions Fairey in Belgium for finishing before being flown to the UK for flight certification. The Islander has been in production for more than 50 years. In September 2023, it

693-544: Is a multi-role utility transport aircraft, manufactured by Britten-Norman of the United Kingdom. It is the military version of the Britten-Norman Islander , developed for roles such as utility transport, casualty evacuation, counter-insurgency and light attack, forward air control, patrol and reconnaissance. The term 'Britten-Norman Defender' refers to all militarised variants of the BN-2 product line including

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756-564: Is an enhanced version of the BN-2T Defender intended for the aerial surveillance role. Compared to earlier Defenders, it has a stretched fuselage, the enlarged wing from the Trislander , a new nose structure capable of accommodating an EO/IR sensor and radar , and an increased payload. The prototype Defender 4000 first flew in 1995 and entered production in 1997. The FBI deployed one Defender for electronic aerial surveillance on

819-569: Is developing an electric propulsion system for the over 700 Islanders currently operated. In 1968, the original second Islander prototype was re-used for a further development programme, being modified into a stretched aircraft with greater capacity, referred to as the Super Islander . However, the Super Islander programme was aborted without proceeding to certification. The prototype later received further design changes to produce

882-483: Is in daily service with roughly 500 operators in more than 120 countries. Between 1976 and 2006, Scottish airline Loganair operated a number of Islanders as air ambulances, covering areas such as the island communities in the Hebrides . The Islander services Loganair 's Westray to Papa Westray flight , the shortest scheduled flight in the world at 1.7 mi (2.7 km); the scheduled flight time including taxiing

945-427: Is two minutes. Several commuter airlines and general aviation charter operators in the U.S. also flew the Islander including Stol Air Commuter in scheduled passenger service in northern California from their San Francisco International Airport (SFO) hub and Channel Islands Aviation in southern California which used the aircraft for the flights to Channel Islands National Park . Another U.S. commuter airline operator

1008-659: The ATR 72 -600. Flight Global fleet forecasts 3,081 turboprop deliveries for a $ 63 billion value and 4,042 regional jet deliveries for a $ 130 billion value for the 2016–2035 period. In turboprops, ATR with 12% of the market should dominate the Dash 8 Q400 (3%); while Embraer with 40% should lead the Regional Jets market above the Mitsubishi MRJ (17%) and Superjet 100 (4%), while Bombardier Aerospace moves to

1071-501: The BN-2A Islander , conducted its maiden flight. It incorporated aerodynamic and flight equipment improvements, such as lower-drag engine cowlings and undercarriage, an improved interior, and an expanded rear baggage area with external access. In 1970, to improve hot-and-high performance, more powerful Lycoming O-540-K1-B5 engines were made available, alongside optional tiptanks and an elongated nose to house baggage. In 1977,

1134-799: The Branch Davidians ' compound during the siege of Waco in 1993. In August 2017, in an attempt to calm a gang war in Copenhagen, the Danish police force used at least one of the Danish National Guard's two Defenders to fly reconnaissance missions over the city. The Mauritanian Air Force employed six BN-2A-21 Defenders in the Western Sahara War against POLISARIO forces in 1976, losing two of them in action. A Rhodesian Air Force Alouette III , configured as

1197-994: The Cessna 337 Skymaster like the U.S. Ampaire , U.S. Wright Electric works with Spain’s Axter Aerospace to re-engine a nine-seater and the Cessna Caravan is re-engined with a MagniX electric motor. United Technologies is re-engining a Dash 8 Q100 on one side with a 1 MW (1,300 hp) gas turbine and a 1 MW (1,300 hp) electric motor instead of the current 2,150 hp (1.60 MW) Pratt & Whitney Canada PW121 , for at least 30% energy savings. Regional airlines serving small hubs or airports with short runways will often use turboprop aircraft with propeller engines versus jet engines. de Havilland Canada ( Dash 7 and Dash 8 ), Antonov ( An-24 and An-140 ), Xi'an Aircraft Industrial Corporation ( MA60 , MA600 and MA700 ) and ATR ( ATR 42 and ATR 72 ) are manufacturers of this type. A regional jet (RJ)

1260-734: The De Havilland Dragon Rapide biplane and the Douglas DC-3s , in large surplus after the war, which the aircraft manufacturers wanted to replace. The first piston-powered airliners with 40 seats were the Martin 2-0-2s (introduced in 1947) and Convair CV-240s (1948). The first turboprop powered aircraft emerged like the Vickers Viscount (75 seats, introduced in 1953) and Fokker F27 (44–52 seats, 1958). Some smaller turboprop airliners were developed in

1323-451: The Isle of Wight and closed down overseas manufacture. New aircraft, to be produced at two per year initially and rising thereafter, are expected to continue the practice of incorporating progressive improvements to the current design. These include a glass cockpit from Garmin . In conjunction with Britten-Norman, Cranfield Aerospace Solutions (CAeS), a subsidiary of Cranfield University ,

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1386-821: The Philippine Navy sent one of its Defenders to assist a multinational search and rescue party led by the government of Malaysia in search of the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 . In January 2004, the British Army placed an urgent order for four BN-2T-4S Defender 4000 aircraft designated the AL Mk 1 for ISTAR missions in Iraq . The Defender was to be configured similar to the Army Islander AL Mk 1 and Defenders in use with Hampshire Constabulary and Greater Manchester Police . In October 2004,

1449-416: The short haul sector to remote locations as a safe, efficient, and profitable transport aircraft. It has been regularly used by such operators, including the frequent use of unprepared rough airstrips and from challenging terrain; the Islander being capable of short takeoff and landing (STOL) operations. The low load height and wide side doors provide for easy access for passenger and cargo operations, while

1512-541: The 1960s like the British Shorts Skyvan (19 seats, 1963), and French Nord 262 (29 seats, 1964) or Brazilian Embraer EMB 110 Bandeirante (1973). This "hand-me-down" process of supplying aircraft continued with designs like the Convair 440 and Douglas DC-6 also serving in this role while the first jets were introduced. By the mid-1950s, demand for even more economical designs led to the production of

1575-435: The 1970s, the first-generation regional airliners were starting to wear out, but there had been little effort in producing new designs for this market. A varied list of light transport aircraft supplanted by newer and more modern 30-seat designs by Shorts with their Shorts 330 and 360 as well as other aircraft manufacturers, replaced and sometimes provided growth to established commuter markets. Additional development came to

1638-512: The Arctic Circle or AirBaltic to replace its 12 Q400s by CSeries . From 2018 to 2037, ATR forecasts 3,020 turboprop deliveries : 630 with 40–60 seats and 2,390 with 61–80 seats. As legacy regional aircraft are used on very short sectors like connecting islands, their replacements could be hybrid or electric aircraft . Hybrid-electric aircraft propulsion remains impeded by energy storage , high-power electric distribution and

1701-1061: The BN-2 Piston Defender, the BN-2T Turbine Defender (sometimes known as the Defender 2000), the BN-2T-4R Defender (also known as AEW Defender and highlighted by its large bulbous nose) and the stretched variant BN-2T-4S, designated Defender 4000 (sometimes known as D4K). First flown in May 1970, the Defender was based on the civilian Islander, and has a larger airframe with four underwing hardpoints for pylons to attach 2,500 pounds (1,100 kg) of fuel tanks, bombs, missiles, 7.62-mm (0.3-inch) machine-gun pods, rocket pods, flares, sensors and other stores. The BN-2B (piston version) and BN-2T (turbine version) are used in military, coastguard, and police operations in several countries. The BN-2T-4S Defender 4000

1764-688: The Defender was trialled in the Middle East with a Counter-IED capability for potential use in Afghanistan . Defenders deployed to Afghanistan from November 2010 through to 2012. In 2012, Defenders flew daily missions prior to and during the London 2012 Summer Olympics . In April 2019, the Defender was transferred from the Army to the Royal Air Force with No. 1 Group . The aircraft

1827-628: The Islander, intended for search and rescue, coastal patrol and fishery protection. Despite the relative success of the Islander, Britten-Norman experienced wider financial difficulties during the late 1960s, ultimately resulting in the company entering receivership in October 1971. In August 1972, Britten-Norman was purchased by the Fairey Aviation Group, forming the Fairey Britten-Norman company; shortly thereafter,

1890-530: The LTP101 engines were too powerful for the aircraft; thus, following a period of re-designing, the project evolved into the Turbine Islander (BN-2T), equipped with a pair of Allison 250 turboprop engines instead. However, Fairey encountered financial difficulty, resulting in the Fairey Britten-Norman company entering receivership and the firm's acquisition by Oerlikon Buerle of Switzerland, leading to

1953-606: The Mk 1, being able to carry more fuel and also being able to operate at a lower height. The training variant was also delivered in September 2008 designated the T Mk 3. The final Mk 2 aircraft was to be delivered by 2012 along with the three Mk 1s upgraded to Mk 2 standard. In June 2009, the Defender's deployment to Iraq ended with 651 Squadron serving continuously since October 2004 during which time it had provided over 8,000 hours in support of UK Forces. From January to February 2010,

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2016-418: The UK for in-depth servicing new ISTAR equipment was fitted. A second order was placed for four fully re-designed aircraft designated the Mk 2 and a trainer. In September 2008, the first Mk 2 aircraft and one Mk 1 upgraded to Mk 2 standard were delivered. The Mk 2 was fitted with TCAS , EGPWS , improved DAS , an improved avionics suite and ISTAR equipment enhancements. The Mk 2 had a longer endurance than

2079-558: The UK is the tiny Britten-Norman Islander". In early 2008, B-N was studying a version powered by 350 hp (260 kW) aircraft diesel engines with SMA Engines , already offering the 230 hp (170 kW) SMA SR305-230 . In May 2010, Britten-Norman announced that manufacturing of the Islander would be relocated from Romania to a new site in the UK, due to the rising costs of production in Romania. In 2023 Britten-Norman reactivated their original production line at Bembridge in

2142-630: The US, major carriers contracts with regional airlines on a per-flight basis regardless of the number of passengers, and the major carrier keep the ticket revenue. These contracts are typically 10-year terms, the regional aircraft operators are certain of their revenue and have to control their costs to earn a return, but they face airline bankruptcies, fleet reductions, and increasing operating costs. Major carriers avoid shouldering losses from regional aircraft operators and competition between regional airlines has grounded many regional aircraft. Britten-Norman Defender The Britten-Norman Defender

2205-545: The World's Aircraft 1988-89 General characteristics Performance Related development Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era Regional airliner To keep short routes economical, airlines preferred using second hand aircraft than costlier new aircraft. Older aircraft were put into short haul service as they were replaced by new longer-range designs. Propeller aircraft of larger airlines were transferred to smaller airlines. Examples included

2268-718: The aircraft's ability to maintain a high takeoff frequency has led to the type's use for parachuting . For operating within noise-sensitive environments, silencers can be equipped on both the aircraft's engine and propellers. Designed as a small and inexpensive commuter/utility aircraft, various cabin configurations and equipment loadouts 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. The design programme can be entirely personalized, allowing each customer to be involved in every area of

2331-561: The aircraft's manufacture to mold it to their preferences. Later versions of the Islander offer various options, including enlarged bay doors, 3-bladed scimitar propellers , low drag fairings, modern interior, ergonomic leather seating, in-flight entertainment systems, and alternative seat arrangements; underwing hardpoints can also be installed for carrying pod, spray booms and other external stores. Immediately following commercial availability, US distributor Jonas Aircraft ordered 30 Islanders, and placed orders for another 112 aircraft within

2394-445: The customer demand. To expand production, a contract was placed with Intreprinderea de Reparatii Material Aeronautic (IRMA) of Romania, initially to assemble kit-form aircraft, which were then sent to the UK for completion. In August 1969, the first Romanian-assembled Islander performed its first flight. IRMA proved successful at economically producing the aircraft, producing roughly 30-40 aircraft per year at times, and eventually became

2457-454: The firm initiated development work upon what would become the Islander, having sensed a demand for a simple and inexpensive twin- piston engine aircraft. The founders, John Britten and Desmond Norman , had observed the rapid growth of the commuter airline sector, and concluded that capacity was of a higher value to these operators than either range or cruising speed, thus the Islander emphasized payload over either of these attributes. Through

2520-403: The first aircraft was delivered to No. 1 Flight AAC and deployed to Iraq that month. The final Mk 1 was delivered in September 2006 to No. 651 Squadron AAC which had been reformed to operate the Defender. The Mk 1 was fitted with a Wescam MX-15 Electro-Optical Infrared (EO/IR) turret under the nose, cabin-mounted cameras, COMINT and C2 equipment. During the fleet's bi-annual return to

2583-491: The first custom feeder liners. These were almost always turboprops , which had fuel economy on par with piston engine designs, but had far lower maintenance costs. Often, the time between engine overhaul periods was five times that of the best piston engines. Early examples of these designs include the Fokker F27 Friendship , Avro 748 , and Handley Page Dart Herald . These designs were so successful that it

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2646-512: The first production Islander performed its first flight; UK type certification was received in August 1967, US authorities also certified the type in December 1967. Initial production of the Islander started at the Britten-Norman factory at Bembridge on the Isle of Wight ; however, within a few years the company found that it could not produce the aircraft at a sufficient rate to keep up with

2709-529: The formation of Pilatus Britten-Norman , whereupon some production activity was transferred back to Bembridge. Another development was a turbo-normalizing system with RaJay turbocharger for the -2, -3, -6, -8, and -9 models allowing full power up to 14,000 feet (4,300 metres) with attendant increase in true airspeed and takeoff and climb performance. Presently Talco in Texas holds the STC. In 1969, an improved version,

2772-483: The high level of competition, production of a number of these types ceased. Saab AB exited the civil aviation market and wrote its debts off, Daimler-Benz Aerospace "pulled the plug" on Dornier , and British Aerospace ended production of their BAe Jetstream 41 after 100 delivered. By 2006 only the ATR 42/72 models and the Dash 8 remained in production. Turboprop airliner deliveries are correlated with oil prices with

2835-640: The lack of certification framework. ATR Aircraft dismiss a fully electric propulsion as carrying the same payload over the same distances as an 18 t (40,000 lb) ATR 42 , current batteries would weigh 21 t (46,000 lb). Current projects are small 10-seaters, like the Israeli Eviation Alice or the Boeing-backed Zunum Aero ZA12 powered by a Safran Ardiden turboshaft and targeting 40-80% lower operating costs. The French VoltAero Cassio based on

2898-552: The late 1960s. There were a few other exceptions, generally tailored to more specific roles. For instance, the Handley Page Jetstream (first flight in 1968) was intended for fewer passengers at much higher speeds, displacing smaller designs like the Beechcraft Queen Air . The Fairchild/Swearingen Metro (developed from the original Queen Air through a number of stages) filled a similar niche. By

2961-615: The latter are installed, the aircraft is designated the BN-2T Turbine Islander . The first such BN-2T entered service in 1981. In February 1999, the acquisition of Romaero, the Romanian manufacturer of the Islander, by Britten-Norman Group was announced. By May 2006, a greater sales emphasis was being placed upon the Defender over the Islander. In December 2006, aerospace publication Flight International observed that: "The only civil aircraft that remains in production in

3024-399: The main cabin area being fitted out for light troop transport and support aircraft duties. The Defender capitalised on the aircraft's rugged structure, making it suitable for long-term operations in developing countries. Purchases from police and military customers have typically been for use in surveillance and counter-terrorism operations. The Maritime Defender is another military version of

3087-542: The majority of manufacturing activity for both the Islander and Trislander was transferred to its Avions Fairey factory in Gosselies , Belgium. Completed aircraft were flown to Bembridge for final customer preparation prior to delivery. Fairey Aviation set about the development of a more powerful model, the Turbo Islander, equipped with a pair of Lycoming LTP101 turboprop engines. However, testing revealed that

3150-422: The overhead bins of larger aircraft. Often carry-on luggage is collected immediately prior to boarding and placed in the cargo hold, where it can be quickly retrieved by the ground staff while the passengers exit. Compared with bigger planes, many frequent fliers find regional jets cabins cramped and uncomfortable, with a lower ceiling, tight seating and single-class cabins forbidding a first-class upgrade. In

3213-506: The primary manufacturing site for the Islander. In 1977, IRMA received a contract for the production of a further 100 Islanders; from that point on, the firm produced all subsequent Islander aircraft. More than 500 of the type were manufactured in Romania. In 1970, a military version of the Islander, marketed as the Defender , conducted its first flight. Modifications included the addition of underwing hardpoints for armaments/equipment, and

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3276-525: The prototype appeared at the Paris Air Show . The IO-360B engines 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. On 20 August 1966, a second BN-2 prototype performed its first flight. These prototype aircraft, while resembling subsequent production models for the most part, were outfitted with different, less powerful engines. On 24 April 1967,

3339-432: The regional airline industry with the arrival of some of the earlier De Havilland Canada types such as the Dash 7 delivered in 1978, but this was tailored more to the short-range and STOL (Short Take-Off and Landing) role than as a regional airliner. Feedback from the airlines was fairly consistent, and De Havilland responded with the Dash 8 in 1984, which had economic benefits over the earlier generation machines and

3402-448: The same purpose. The type was originally intended to use a fabric-and-steel design. A light alloy monocoque approach was adopted instead. The structure is designed to give rise to and experience low levels of stress, and has an infinite fatigue life without testing. 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; only four days later,

3465-510: The small narrowbody aircraft with the CSeries and doesn't develop the CRJ700 series (2%). Embraer claims crossover regional jets are more cost-efficient than current turboprops beyond 200 nmi (370 km), representing 45% of 70-seat turboprops flights in 2017, leading Widerøe to switch to E-Jets E2 except for destinations with short runways and severe weather conditions north of

3528-604: The three-engined version, the BN-2A Mk III Trislander . This aircraft has a stretched fuselage, modified landing gear and a third engine, which is mounted on the tail. On 11 September 1970, the Trislander prototype conducted its maiden flight, appearing at the 1970 Farnborough Air Show the same day. The Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander is a high-wing cantilever monoplane with a rectangular fuselage and two wing-mounted engines; early aircraft were equipped with

3591-448: The use of low wing- and span-loading to generate greater effectiveness than conventional counterparts, the Islander could lift considerably heavier payloads than the typical aircraft in its power, weight or cost classes. To reduce manufacturing costs, both the wings and tail surfaces maintain a constant chord and thickness, while the ribs within the aircraft's wing are all identical; both rivets and external fishplate joints are used for

3654-494: Was Wings Airways which operated high frequency shuttle service into the Philadelphia International Airport (PHL). By October 2019, 800 Islanders were in service including around 600 used for short flights. On August 28, 2023, Torres Strait Air stated that it is investing $ 16.3 million to upgrade its fleet with ten new Britten-Norman Islander aircraft. Source: Data from Jane's All

3717-459: Was announced that production of the Islander has returned to the UK, after fifty-five years of manufacturing abroad. Several countries made Letters of Intent to buy Islanders, creating new jobs and possibly a new hangar. In 1953, Britten-Norman was formed for the purpose of converting and operating agricultural aircraft , amongst other vehicles such as the Cushioncraft hovercraft. In 1963,

3780-413: Was faster and quieter as well. In the early 1980s, the Dash 8 's success sparked off development of a number of similar designs, including the ATR 42/72 , Saab 340 , Embraer Brasilia and Fokker 50 . Consequently, there were a relatively large number of aircraft offered by manufacturers in this sector of the market, pushing older 1950s designs from Fokker , Vickers and others into retirement. Due to

3843-405: Was reached with the delivery of the 1,000th Islander. From the 1980s onwards, sales noticeably declined; according to Britten-Norman Chief Executive William Hynett, this was due to the global market having become saturated by the type and there being only a low civil demand for additional aircraft, in part due to the longevity of in-service Islanders. As of 2016, Britten-Norman claim that the Islander

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3906-520: Was the largest market with 30.5 million seats, then Indonesia with 14.3 and the US with 13.4. The busiest turboprop airport was Vancouver (2.75 Million seats) followed by Toronto Pearson (2.64) then Seattle-Tacoma (2.39). Although turboprops are quiet to outside observers, prop wash makes them noisy inside. Active noise reduction should reduce the cabin noise of the Bombardier Q400 or

3969-459: Was to be many years before newer designs bettered them enough to make it worthwhile in terms of capital investment to develop. Among the first purpose-built airliners developed for the CAB sanctioned local-service airlines in the US, the predecessors of the modern regional airliner industry; was the interim and custom-built Fairchild F-27/FH-227 's for the needs of these smaller but expanding airlines of

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