Britten-Norman plans to lift annual output of its Islander utility aircraft to eight new-build examples at its Bembridge site on the Isle of Wight, following the first flight of the latest UK-built aircraft. The company is aiming to reach four aircraft a year by the end of 2027 before doubling that rate by 2029, as it scales up production of the BN2 and BN2T-4S Islander family.
The programme centres on the return of Islander manufacturing to the UK, nearly 60 years after the last one was built domestically. The latest aircraft’s inaugural flight has become the trigger for the production ramp-up, turning the project into a broader manufacturing restart rather than a one-off delivery.
The expansion gives Britten-Norman a higher-rate production target for a long-established twin-engine utility type used in niche civil roles. It also places Bembridge back at the heart of the company’s industrial base, with the site now set to support sustained output as the line matures.