Britten-Norman’s first BN2B-26 Islander assembled entirely in the United Kingdom from individual components completed its maiden flight from Bembridge Airport on the Isle of Wight at 14:25 on 3 September.
The aircraft has now entered flight testing and will eventually be delivered to the Falkland Islands Government Air Service.
The milestone follows Britten-Norman’s decision to bring complete Islander production back to Bembridge. Instead of receiving major assemblies manufactured overseas, the company now controls the entire airframe construction process, including tooling, production sequencing and quality inspections.
A second Islander is already progressing through the production line, while components have been ordered for subsequent aircraft. Britten-Norman aims eventually to produce eight aircraft annually.
Approximately 350 Islanders remain operational in more than 70 countries. Together, the worldwide fleet has accumulated around 20 million flying hours, primarily on regional and remote-area services requiring strong short-runway performance.
The company has also retained experienced production knowledge at Bembridge. Veteran fitter Peter Dowers, who joined Britten-Norman in 1978, worked on his 500th Islander while helping train a new generation of production employees.