News archive: Britten-Norman BN2 Islander | Airframer

10 September

Aircraft 2317 was rolled out of the factory five weeks before its first flight on 3 September.

B-N completes first Islander assembled in UK from component level

Aircraft 2317 took off from the same Bembridge runway used for the Islander’s 1965 maiden flight, ahead of delivery to the Falkland Islands.

26 August

ReleaseFirst fully UK-built Islander since repatriation of production begins ground testing ahead of first flight

8 June

ReleaseFirst UK-built Islander passes 75% completion at Bembridge, on schedule for delivery

2 December

ReleaseBritten-Norman BN2T-4S Islander Type approved by TCCA in Canada

20 September

Britten-Norman completed more than half of the first UK-built Islander’s assembly at Bembridge.

B-N advances production as Islander full build returns to Isle of Wight

The company has passed the halfway point in building the first fully UK-assembled Islander, with workforce expansion and facility upgrades supporting reshored production plans.

16 October

New investment will accelerate production of the Islander aircraft and transform aftermarket business.

Britten-Norman gains backing to ramp up Islander production

Britten-Norman will scale manufacturing in the UK up to eight aircraft a year in phase one. Most will be the unleaded piston version, with around 20% of aircraft being delivered as turboprops.

30 January

ReleaseLoganair and Cranfield Aerospace Solutions set sights on debuting world's first operational hydrogen-electric Britten-Norman Islander in Kirkwall by 2027

8 December

ReleaseCranfield Aerospace Solutions' pipeline reaches over 1300 hydrogen fuel cell powerplants as it secures letter of intent from Dronamics, the world's first cargo drone airline

28 September

William Hynett CEO of Britten-Norman and Bob Seely MP for the Isle of Wight open the new production line.

UK production of Islander begins at Britten-Norman

The company is planning for new aircraft production to increase fourfold by 2027 with strong economic performance and increased revenue projected.

3 August

The Cranfield crew make themselves at home.

Refurbished Cranfield hangar provides space for R&D

CAeS says a newly refurbished hangar will be a 'classroom of possibilities', where it will deliver the intricacies of zero emissions propulsion and also pioneer maintenance procedures for hydrogen-powered aircraft.

6 June

ReleaseGenesys receives autopilot STC on Britten-Norman Islander

27 April

The new entity is responding to the growing demand from airlines and operators for an OEM-backed aircraft that will enable their move to zero-emissions operations.

Britten-Norman and CAeS merge for a future in hydrogen

The combined company's ambition extends beyond the Islander and the sub-regional market, with the intention to design and manufacture new 'clean sheet' aircraft up to 100 seats powered using zero carbon technology.

20 April

Evolito brings axial-flux experience to Project Fresson

Evolito's motor is a compact solution that has allowed CAeS to integrate and package the technology efficiently as part of the 240kW Fresson fuel-cell propulsion system within the Islander engine nacelle.

26 January

FAA grants type certification to turbine Islander

Britten-Norman is also currently progressing type certification approval for the BN2T-4S Islander in India and Canada, and has aircraft in manufacture at its Solent manufacturing facilities at Daedalus and Bembridge.

12 January

The S-TEC 3100 will be onboard Islanders soon.

B-N selects latest Genesys autopilot for Islander

The S-TEC 3100 has a next generation 3-axis autopilot capability that enhances safety by reducing pilot workload, and will become standard fit on all new Islander aircraft.

25 August

An impression of how the BN2T cockpit with Garmin TXi EIS instrumentation will integrate.

Britten-Norman extends EIS to turboprop Islanders

The TXi EIS includes safety features such as engine timers, exceedance recordings, dynamic engine indications and wireless data logging to reduce pilot workload, improve engine efficiency and reduce maintenance costs.

20 October

ReleaseReaction Engines joins Cranfield Aerospace on Project Fresson to develop hydrogen fuel cell powered aircraft

29 March

ReleaseUK consortium to deliver world's first truly green passenger carrying airline services using hydrogen fuel cell technology

6 October

The Airframer Bulletin