UK OEM Britten-Norman (BN) has rolled out the first of its Islander aircraft to be built in the UK in almost six decades.
Manufacturing of the nine-seater subregional aircraft has for many years been based in Romania, with major assemblies undergoing final assembly in the UK. However, production capacity has now been re-established at BN’s home at Bembridge on the Isle of Wight, off the southern coast of England.
The first aircraft, a BN2B-26 model powered by two Lycoming O-540-E4C5s, was rolled out this week, complete with engines, propellers, electrical systems, brakes and flight control, and with electrical power switched on.
Preparations for the aircraft’s ground test program are now underway.
The aircraft is bound for the Falkland Islands Government Air Service (FIGAS), which provides connectivity for small, remote settlements on the rugged South Atlantic territory, over which the UK and Argentina fought a war in 1982.
Delivery to FIGAS is currently scheduled for late September.
Production at Bembridge is continuing to ramp up as manufacturing facilities are re-established and brought online.
Alongside the new-build program, the company is investing in aftermarket parts availability and service to support the worldwide fleet of in-service Islanders.
BN has been actively recruiting over the past two years, with the company’s headcount now standing at more than 150 employees, a 40% rise.
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