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Britten-Norman's background

From 1965 to date, over 1200 BN aircraft have been delivered, with around 750 still in service.

Regional aircraft operators around the world have to start somewhere, and many have chosen the ten-seat Britten-Norman Islander or its bigger sister, the eighteen-seat Trislander, as their entry level aircraft. The Islander has been in production for 35 years, and Trislander production ceased in 1979. In the UK, Aurigny Air Services in the Channel Islands and Loganair in Scotland have operated the aircraft since 1967, and have yet to find a replacement that can withstand the hard life of short inter-island flights, often, in the case of Loganair, into airfields that double as farmer's fields when not in use.

Britten-Norman, founded in the 1950s by John Britten and Desmond Norman, is now the trading name of B-N Group Ltd.

22.1.12: Island Airways, Michigan chosen as SBTDC Business of the Year
Click here to see the story video on You Tube.

April 2011:

Airfield News

As of 1 January 2011, Bembridge Airport reverted to the day-to-day control of Bembridge Airport Limited. From this date, Britten-Norman ceased to be involved in airfield operations at Bembridge and has been unable to access to the main airfield, without permission. The tower at Bembridge continues to be staffed and the heliport and remain Aeroclub open, and non-resident aircraft are still welcome, but Prior Permission is required. B-N is reported to be negotiating to return to managing the airport, but has taken on leases for two new airfields - Sandown and Lee-on-Solent.

B-N Group said in a statement:

“Sandown airfield, which had previously been reduced to the status of “farm strip” will now be managed over the term of the lease as a fully functioning airfield. The move comes following a decision by a local farmer to close the airfield at Bembridge Airport, which the Company had managed and operated very successfully up until last New Year’s Eve, when the farmer’s bales were placed across the taxiways and entrances to the site. Sandown Airfield is proposed as the Company’s new general aviation hub on the Island. The Company hopes to replicate what was achieved at Bembridge airport and has already started some renovation work. The Company will start promoting the airfield at the end of April 2011 in time for the busy tourist season ahead. At the same time, the Company has also taken a lease at Daedalus Airfield at Lee-on-the-Solent, near Gosport. The former Royal Naval Air Station was once home to the Hampshire Police Air Support Unit and is the current home of Britten-Norman’s defence operations as well as being the regional home of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency. The company intends to link operations between the two sites in order to encourage tourism to both locations, with visitors being offered discounted fees when visiting both sites. At this time a decision on a possible future location for Bembridge’s general aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul company, BN Aviation, has yet to be taken, though it is anticipated that much of the smaller aircraft maintenance work will be carried out at Sandown. The remainder of the work will be relocated away from the Isle of Wight.”

The owner of Bembridge Airfield and the based Vectis Gliding Club have issued their own statement:

“Vectis Gliding Club and Bembridge Airfield Ltd are pleased to announce the reopening of Bembridge Airfield on Saturday, 9 April 2011 as an unlicensed airfield. Since an announcement in early December that current management of Bembridge Airfield would cease, the owners of the land pledged they wanted the facility to continue operating. Vectis Gliding Club will be managing the Airfield during their operational times each Saturday, Sunday and Bank holidays, and also Wednesday during BST. Prior permission is required (PPR) for any aircraft to land at the Airfield by telephoning 07770 228852. Further information can obtained from www.vectisglidingclub.co.uk”

23.8.09: Roraima introduce their third Islander
Islander 8R-GRB (msn 431 ex N431V & G-IOWA) was delivered to Roraima in June and entered service on 26th July: click here to read the story.

23.8.09: Amazing Video from 1996: recovery of Roraima A/W Islander from Colombia
Islander 8R-GRA (msn 3006) is recovered from a remote location in Colombia after being stolen from Guyana: click here to see the You Tube video!

17.5.09: Islander pair flying display at Duxford
Islanders G-ECZA and G-OBNL put on a great display at Duxford click here for pictures

6.5.09: Blind Man flies and Islander
A blind man who took the controls of an aircraft in a charity fundraising event said it was a "brilliant experience". Colin McArthur, 57, piloted a Britten-Norman Islander plane during a flight from Bembridge Airport, Isle of Wight. The trip follows a previous charity event which involved Mr McArthur controlling a 130-seat hovercraft. Mr McArthur, from Sandown, lost his eyesight through Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) 22 years ago and was raising money for the RP Fighting Blindness charity. The father-of-five said: "I have just come back down to earth with a bump - it was a brilliant experience."It was a weird experience, I could feel the plane banking left and right and the pilot gave me a brilliant commentary as we flew out to sea and over the island. "As a young lad of 14 I was partially-sighted and was at the Farnborough Air Show in the mid-1960s where the Islander was unveiled. It stole the show." Mr McArthur said he is hoping to raise more than £1,000 from the flight and was planning to organise further events for the charity. In 2007, he steered the Hovertravel craft from the Isle of Wight for a 20-minute trip under the guidance of a professional pilot. Link to BBC Web site for film clip: click here .

6.5.09: World's shortest scheduled flight on YouTube
Click here to see the YouTube clip of the Loganair scheduled flight on an Islander, from Westray ib the Orkneys to Papa Westray. Elapsed flying time is two minutes over a distance of just nine miles.

6.5.09: Another new Islander from recent batch arrives at Bembridge
The first new build Islander to arrive from Romania this year, G-CEUB c/n 2306, arrived at Bembridge on 19th March at 1730. As before the BN-2B-26 was quickly put inside the factory, where it is being prepared for an as yet undisclosed customer.

28.5.08: New Islander arrives at Bembridge
The first new build Islander to arrive from Romania, G-CEUA c/n 2305, for a few months flew in to Bembridge on 24th April at 1635 from Luxembourg. First flown at Bucharest, Romania on 22nd April, the BN-2B-20 painted in the usual green primer was quickly put inside the factory, where it is being prepared for an as yet undisclosed customer.

However, news from the German Aviation Authority informs us that c/n 2305 has been allocated registration D-IOLO for Friesian Islands operator OLT. - Ostfriesische Lufttransport of Emden. OLT have operated Islanders since their first, D-IOLT c/n 21, was delivered 40 years ago on 17th April 1968. They currently have two BN-2B-20 Islanders (D-IFBN c/n 2185 and D-IFOX c/n 2186) in their fleet, and last year sold a third (D-IOLA c/n 2187) back to B-N. Over the past 40 years OLT have owned or operated 17 different Islanders.

* Latest Press Releases from BN Group:
BNG Purchases Surveillance Australia aircraft 18.2.08
Changes in Customer Support 8.2.08

* To a list of previous Press Releases from BN Group

To see the lastest news about BN aircraft on the web check the links below:

Aero Tropics grounded by CASA: Aero Tropics 1.7.08

Highland Airways' First Service: HIGHLAND 17.6.08

Malta Update:
From Police Aviation News May 2008: Article is on page 5: MALTA 27.5.08

Islander used for drug running in Spain:
From Police Aviation News April 2008: Article is on page 4: SPAIN 27.5.08

Loganair link up with Flybe: LOGANAIR 3.3.08

LOOP Magazine flight test BN-2T:
Download January 2008 issue from:LOOP 28.2.08
You will have to register, but this is FREE!

New General Manager for FIGAS: FIGAS 23.2.08

Britten-Norman sell ex-Surveillance Australia aircraft: Surveillance Australia 20.2.08

Britten-Norman open warehouse near Heathrow: BN at Iver 2.11.06

BN Defence open for business at St. Athan: BN Defence 17.10.07

BBC Working Lunch visits B-N Group 20.6.07: (B-N report is about 5.30 minutes into clip):
Working Lunch 15.06.07

BELIZE DEFENCE FORCE ISLANDER (BDF-5) AIRLIFTED FROM CRASH SITE BY US ARMY:
BDF 3.4.07
BDF 3.5.07

NEWS OF ISLANDER SALE TO IRAN IS INCORRECT:
IRAN 27.3.07
B-N Group's official comment 28.3.07:
Britten-Norman has NO representation in Iran. Mr Ghobadi has previously represented Britten-Norman, but neither he nor Paravaran Asseman have existing consultancy or other representation agreements with the Company.
During the 40 years of manufacturing of the Islander a number of aircraft have been sold to Iran all of which are in civil use only. There have been no sales of new aircraft, used aircraft or aircraft related spare parts by the Company to Iran of late.
Since the year 2000 one civil aircraft has been supplied to the Iranian Civil Aviation Organisation by Britten-Norman following a stringent exercise by the UK government to approve that aircraft for export. This aircraft is in use as a passenger aircraft with a humanitarian/air ambulance secondary role and was contracted for sale in 2002. The supply of that aircraft is in no way related to the current diplomatic issues in Iran.
Britten-Norman's highly dependable products are popular in countries worldwide where infrastructure requires unsupported rough field operations. Although there have been expressions of interest for further aircraft sales in Iran, Britten-Norman does not believe that there is a prospect of immediate future sales nor does it believe that UK export clearances would necessarily be available for any such new aircraft sale at the present time.

SHETLAND COUNCIL'S NEW ISLANDER NOW REPAIRED:
SIC 17.2.07

ISLAND HOP FROM NEVIS TO MONTSERRAT:
ISLAND HOP 9.2.07
Picture:VP-AAG

SUN AIR MERGES WITH FIJI AIRLINES (PACIFIC SUN):
SUN AIR MERGER 7.2.07

LATEST ISLANDER DELIVERY:
SHETLAND NEWS 26.1.07
SHETLAND TODAY 26.1.07

LONDON AIR LINK TO TAKE OFF AGAIN:
ISLE OF WIGHT AIRWAYS 11.1.07
Picture:G-IOWA

THE SHORTEST SCHEDULED FLIGHT 2006:
OAG 3.1.07

AIRLINE GROUNDED AFTER ISLANDER DITCHES:
STUFF.CO.NZ 30.12.06
NEW ZEALAND HERALD 29.1.07

Britten-Norman delivers 50th aircraft for Cirrus:
50th CIRRUS 10.11.06

Best Spirit In The World Flies High With Loganair:
Loganair 31.10.06
Highland Park 2.11.06
Pictures:
G-BLDV
G-BPCA