Britten-Norman’s first Islander assembled in the UK from detail components has completed its maiden flight from Bembridge Airport on the Isle of Wight and entered flight testing. The BN2B-26, registered G-FRZT and carrying serial number 2317, is bound for the Falkland Islands Government Air Service.
The aircraft lifted off on 3 September after being rolled out at the end of July and moving through ground tests in August. It is the first Islander to emerge from Britten-Norman’s reshored production line at Bembridge, where the company restored complete manufacturing in 2023 after decades of major assemblies being built in Romania and shipped to Britain for final assembly.
The new build is part of a wider return to domestic production on the Isle of Wight, with Britten-Norman aiming for a steady output of up to eight aircraft a year. A second airframe is already advancing through the line, while components for later aircraft are in manufacture. For FIGAS, the aircraft will eventually support inter-settlement flying across the Falklands once flight testing is complete and delivery is cleared.