Britten-Norman's BN2T Islander aircraft has been validated by Transport Canada Civil Aviation (TCCA) and granted its Type Certificate Data Sheet (TCDS) as an approved type for operations in Canada. The Islander is one of the world's most successful and enduring designs, its success being attributed to its exemplary performance as a multi-role, high frequency, short-haul platform.

The news comes as the UK aircraft manufacturer looks to expand its presence on the North American continent, with the parallel process of gaining FAA approval for the BN2T-4S Defender – the militarised version of the Islander. It also comes in the context of falling prices for Jet A1 fuel in Canada, making the cost of operating a turbine-based aircraft even more attractive.

Business Development Manager, Lara Harrison, said: "We have generated a great deal of interest in our piston and turboprop variants of the Islander in Canada in the last 18 months. The Islander already serves in a variety of interesting roles in the wider region and is viewed by many as the backbone of operations into remote strips in areas from Alaska through to the Yukon and as far east as Quebec to Labrador. Canadian certification of our more powerful Turbine Islander will give operators the option of benefiting from the Islander's characteristic rugged reliability with the added benefit of an increased payload."

The original piston-based BN2B Islander variant, which has been approved for use in Canada for some time, is renowned for its excellent performance and high operating reliability and offers an effective, dependable and low-cost solution for operators. The aircraft can operate in some of the world's harshest and most rugged environments, including all terrain operations with a take-off distance as low as 189m.

The newly-approved BN2T Islander is powered by two 320 SHP Rolls Royce B17 turboprops with Hartzell 3-bladed propellers and features a number of enhancements including low drag fairings, updated interior with ergonomically designed. Leather club seating options and a state-of-the-art cockpit centred around the Garmin G600TXi family of avionics. Other standard options include enlarged baggage bay door and a sliding door to the main cabin which may be opened in flight.

As well as performance, the Islander also offers low direct operating costs and minimal maintenance and has a fuselage and cabin design that can be easily configured for a number of roles including cargo, air ambulance and parachuting. Under-wing hard points can also support an array of pods or spray booms, adding to the aircraft's flexibility.