Bembridge Pays Tribute to the de Havilland Technical School. Thus the B-N Historic Britten-Norman Islander partnership came into being. Their first project was the construction of an ultra-light Aircraft monoplane, the BN1-F Finibee.

Introduction 2015 will see the 50th anniversary of the first flight of the Britten-Norman Islander light transport and utility aircraft. The Islander is the most successful British aircraft ever and was created by what could be considered as one of the last British aircraft companies to come into existence, the Britten-Norman Company, or B-N, based at Airport on the . The first flight 50th anniversary will be commemorated by the “Islander 50” event to be held at in June, 2015.

The BN-1F is now on display at Sky Aviation Museum in

It was a simple but not very successful design, and the only example, G-ALZE, is presently displayed at the Solent Sky Aviation museum in Southampton.

During the early 1950s, John Britten and Desmond Norman specialised in converting surplus training aircraft, mainly Tiger Moths, for agricultural use. However by 1954 the demand for these conversions was beginning to decline and attention was turned to improving crop spraying techniques, leading to the development of the Micronair Rotary Atomiser for crop spraying in 1955. The John Britten and Desmond Norman with their design successfully replaced the clumsy classic B-N Islander aircraft boom-and-nozzle style equipment of the era, and by 1958 over 500 Micronair Rotary The Britten-Norman Aircraft Preservation Atomiser units had been sold worldwide. In Society Trust is preparing plans for the order to operate aircraft fitted with the commemoration event alongside work Atomiser, a company known as Crop Culture currently well under way at its Bembridge (Aerial) Ltd was formed in 1956 when John Harbour workshop to restore the oldest B-N Britten and Desmond Norman joined up with Islander in existence, G-AVCN, construction Frank Mann and Jim McMahon to pursue crop number 003, as a high quality static exhibit. spraying business world wide. The restored Islander will be a tribute to John Britten and Desmond Norman and all In 1959 B-N and Crop Culture began to who worked with them and the B-N study air-cushion vehicles or . Company over the years to make the Design and construction of the Cushioncraft Islander an outstanding success for the series successfully proceeded through British Aviation Industry. various stages up to the Cushioncraft CC-7 when B-N’s Cushioncraft interests were sold Origins of the BN-2 Islander aircraft off to the British Hovercraft Corporation. It is The B-N Company evolved from the vision interesting to note that in 1965 John Britten and ambition of particular individuals when and Desmond Norman set up the cross- two young de Havilland apprentices, John Solent hovercraft service and became Britten and Desmond Norman decided to directors of , a company that build their own light aircraft in 1949 after celebrates its 50 years of successful they had finished their apprenticeships at the commercial hovercraft operations in 2015.

1 to provide the services of a group of designers. From the outset it was decided to produce a low cost, rugged all weather aircraft which incorporated the features that had become apparent during the market survey. It was shown that twin engined reliability combined with a good payload, were essential. A small reduction in range Some of Crop Culture’s Tiger Moth crop was acceptable as the average sector spraying fleet lined up at Bembridge Airport involved flights of 40 minutes duration or in the mid 1950s less.

In 1963, B-N turned its attention back to aircraft design. For years aircraft manufacturers had focused their design expertise on the quest for more speed, greater range, and bigger payloads, and small commercial aircraft had been overlooked in the process. Private and business aircraft had been designed with an eye to performance and little thought given to their commercial use. John Britten began designing the BN-2 with this in mind, looking for a low-cost “Dragon Rapide” replacement. The BN-2 series had its genesis in the operations of Cameroons Air Transport, a The BN-2 wooden mock up being tried out small company set up by B-N in 1960. A for size - occupants (left to right) are Ernie scheduled domestic air service was operated Perkins, Desmond Norman, John Britten and by the company between Tiko and Douala, Denis Berryman initially with a Piper Apache and later with an Aztec and Dornier Do28. Neither the Apache The prototype BN-2 design that emerged or Aztec aircraft was particularly well suited was a high wing, lightly loaded monoplane, to the work due to restricted load space in powered by two Continental IO-360 210 hp the cabin. Also their single-engine engines, with a fixed tricycle under-carriage performance at high ambient temperatures and room for up to 10 persons. The design on over-jungle flights was of concern to the was of classic simplicity, with a one piece authorities. Accordingly, a survey was wing without dihedral. The wing was carried out of all twin engined aircraft provided with a degree of “washout” by available at a cost not exceeding £25,000, means of Hoerner-type wing tip sections that but none met the required specification. The served to reduce drag and helped to obtain conclusion was that an aircraft tailor made acceptable stalling characteristics. Frontal for the company’s type of operation, area was reduced by arranging, the combining short take-off and landing passenger seats in bench-type pairs with no capabilities, with large capacity, simply did space wasting central aisle. This necessitated not exist. It was felt that they could not be three separate doors, two on the port side alone in their requirements and that a gap and one on the starboard, for easy access to existed in the types of aircraft that were the five rows of seats. The port rear door available. As John Britten pronounced, “we was of extra width for added ease when must design our own plane to do these loading cargo. By using a large wing in chores”. conjunction with single slotted flaps and ailerons, the BN-2 was expected to achieve Following an initial design study, a board better STOL performance than more level decision was made to go ahead with the expensive and specialised types. BN-2 project in January 1963. Detailed The first metal was cut in September 1964, design work began in November 1963, and and work continued rapidly. News of the the decision to proceed with building a project was first made public in the same prototype was made in January 1964. To month, when a model was displayed at the supplement its own resources, B-N had SBAC Farnborough Show. contracted the Miles Company at Shoreham

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The Bembridge Airport Hangar is a hive of activity with the BN-2 prototype G-ATCT The first start up early June 2015 under construction around March/April time in 1965 At this stage, the project was an entirely private venture, with plans of attaining production of about 30 aircraft per year. While construction proceeded, the company sought Government aid to offset the huge cost of setting up production, and being in the position to be able to quote firm delivery dates. The Transport Aircraft Requirements Committee considered and evaluated the project. There was no delay in manufacturing the prototype and within 9 months the BN-2, On 13 June, 1965 at 1418 the BN-2 now registered as G-ATCT, was ready for prototype takes off and makes its first flight trial hops in the evening of 12 June and made its first official flight on 13 June 1965. Later that month the BN-2 was christened With John Britten and Desmond Norman at “Islander”, a name that had been suggested the controls and Andy Coombe as flight test by one of the B-N aircraft fitters as the observer, the flight was incident free and winning entry in a naming competition lasted about 70 minutes. Desmond Norman organised within the company The efforts of commented upon landing: “Absolutely the company’s small but loyal work force delightful, it flies like a fully developed were rewarded when the prototype was aircraft that has been in service for a couple awarded a Special Category Certificate of of years”. Airworthiness, and flew to the Paris Air Salon 1965, four days after the first flight.

BN-2 prototype G-ATCT being prepared for Now named “Islander” the BN-2 prototype flight early June 2015 stimulated much interest when it appeared at the Paris Air Show, June 1965

3 Two problems were revealed during the early representative for Islander sales in Germany, test flights, one of handling and one of both died in the crash which was believed to performance. The first was the inability to have been caused by a loss of control in trim the aircraft fore and aft in all the severe icing conditions that resulted in conditions laid down by the aviation structural overloading such that the aircraft authorities, and this was solved by an was operated beyond its stated design limits. increase in elevator trim-tab area. The second was that cruising speed and single- Islander Gets Into Production engine climb performance were below The first production Islander, c/n 003, later estimates. The trouble was due partly to registered as G-AVCN, had been assembled excessive drag, which was cured by in the original B-N hangar and not in the extending the wing-span by 4ft, redesigning newly constructed factory as it appeared to the engine-nacelle rear fairings, and air the press. G-AVCN, first flew on 24 April intakes. The greater part of the problem, 1967, in time to be displayed at the Paris Air however, was related to the power plant. Show that year. Some time had been lost Because of the strength and high lift due to the prototype's demise, but with the characteristics of the airframe, the decision burden of certification testing being assigned was taken to increase the maximum to G-ATWU, full certification was obtained on permissible operating weight from 4750lb to the 10 August 1967. The first aircraft, G- 5700lb, and to fit Lycoming O-540 engines. AVCN, c/n 003, was delivered to Glosair on The re-engined prototype first flew on 17 13 August and c/n 004 and c/n 006 were December 1965. delivered to Loganair later the same month, During 1966 certification trials progressed with six more delivered during the remainder well and the production prototype, c/n 002, of the year. G-ATWU, was flown on the 20 August 1966 and joined the test programme. To enable the production prototype to appear at the SBAC Farnborough Show in 1966, some 300 B-N employees sacrificed their annual holiday. A new factory, with an area of 56,000 sq. ft., was completed by the end of 1966. Prior to this, fuselages were being produced at B-N’s Bembridge Harbour workshops, and the wings from the original B-N hangar workshop to the south of the Bembridge airfield.

Following its delivery to Glos Air in August, 1967, BN-2 Islander G-AVCN, emerged in early 1968 in the colours of the newly formed Channel Islands operator Aurigny Air Services. This aircraft operated the airline’s first passenger carrying flight on 1 March, 1968.

Sales of the Islander far outstripped the available production capacity at Bembridge and a major production sub-contract was let B-N Islander G-ATCT in its 1966 colour to Westland Aircraft’s Saunders Roe Division scheme for the Farnborogh Air Show at East on the Isle of Wight. Over 300 sets of Islander airframe components were The company suffered a severe setback on 9 delivered to Bembridge where final assembly November 1966, when the BN-2 prototype, and flight testing was undertaken by B-N at G-ATCT crashed in Holland on the way back their new factory. Subsequently production from a demonstration tour of West Germany. of bare Islander and later on Defender The occupants, Peter Hillwood, B-N aircraft was transferred to Romania as a demonstration pilot, and his passenger result of a technology transfer agreement Albert Weerda, the prospective associated with setting up production of the

4 BAC 1-11 airliner in Romania. Bembridge November” was traded in and again returned remained the centre for final fitting out of to Bembridge to be used for the Islander the aircraft to customer requirements, flight amphibious version mock up. Due to the testing, delivery and support. weight penalty of the floats the amphibious Islander did not proceed and in November The Islander’s sales success was due to its 1975 “Charlie November” was refurbished simple and robust design with its capacious and converted to BN-2A-8 standard. fuselage, high wing and fixed undercarriage In January 1976 c/n 003 was delivered to Air and ideal for carrying up to 9 passengers or Sport, St Jean, St Barthelemy as F-OGHG freight, and of a configuration that was and subsequently passed through the hands relatively easy to be adapted for numerous of a number of operators in the region specialist roles - air ambulance, parachuting, including: Caribe Aviation Socavia, Point–a- photo/geophysical survey and many others. Pitre, Guadeloupe; Air St Barthelemy, St The most revolutionary variant of the BN-2 Jean, Barthelemy, and Air Caraibes, Point-a- family is the three engined Trislander that Pitre, Guadeloupe. enjoyed around 80% commonality with the In August 1991 c/n 003 was bought by Islander. The military version of the Islander, Vieques Air Link, Vieques, Puerto Rico as the Defender, launched in 1971, has been N290VL and operated alongside the airline’s used in a multitude of different roles for fleet of Trislanders on inter-island services. military and related purposes. Later Turbine In July 1992 ownership was transferred to powered versions have been developed as the Department of Natural and the BN-2T Islander and Defender and the Environmental Resources, San Juan, Puerto BN-2T-4S Defender 4000. Rico. In May 1998 N290VL was sold to Flamenco Airways, Culebra, Puerto Rico. The BN-2 Islander is Europe's most However, shortly after this sale, N290VL was successful modern light twin-engined acquired by Air Charter, after Flamenco aircraft. More than 1250 BN-2s of various Airways entered receivership, and models have been delivered since 1965 and subsequently withdrawn from use and left in at present around 600 are still operational in open storage at Isla Grande Airport, San 126 countries worldwide. Remarkably the Juan, Puerto Rico. The engines were BN-2 design in its various forms has removed and sold and it appeared that the remained in production from 1967 to the remains of this historic aircraft would be left present day and will continue to be produced to rot. for the foreseeable future.

Islander G-AVCN Restoration Project at Bembridge B-N Islander, G-AVCN, or “Charlie November”, is under restoration by the Britten-Norman Aircraft Preservation Society as a high quality static exhibit in a workshop alongside Bembridge Harbour that is in sight of the original hangar at Bembridge Airport where it was built in 1967. “Charlie G-AVCN, now with registration mark November” is the first B-N production aircraft N290VL, in a derelict state at and is the oldest Islander in existence. The Isla Grande Airport Puerto Rico, late 1999 project to save B-N Islander “Charlie November” is seen as a tribute to the talents Following information received in the UK by of John Britten and Desmond Norman and all Peter Graham and BN Historians, from who worked with them over the years to contacts in Puerto Rico, that “Charlie make the Islander a success and to ensure November” was lying derelict at San Juan preservation of a part of Britain’s aviation Isla Grande Airport, a recovery plan was heritage that is both unique and of great devised and implemented. The recovery was importance. a joint effort by Peter Graham and his After entering service with Aurigny Air company Airstream International Group with Services on 1 March 1968, in August 1968 Allan Wright and Andy Clancey of BN “Charlie November” returned to Bembridge Historians and Tim Barton, Service Engineer to be converted to BN-2A standard. After with B-N Group. With help from local more years of service with Aurigny, “Charlie contacts in Puerto Rico it appeared to be

5 feasible to acquire the remains and get them 2010 when the dismantled aircraft was back to the UK. moved to the new site. In parallel with the The recovery of “Charlie November” was initial work to survey and catalogue the supported by a number of sponsors. The aircraft components the plan to initiate a work preparatory to full restoration had been revised BNAPS supporters organisation and made possible through the encouragement, to set up a series of fundraising and generous technical assistance and facilities presentation activities was devised to ensure provided by B-N Group and enthusiastic that the project could be re-started. support from several former B-N employees including the late Peter Ward and the late Jack Griffin. Airstream International Group sponsored the dismantling and shipping of the aircraft from Puerto Rico in early 2000 as part of an ambitious plan to restore it to flying condition. provided sponsorship for the final leg of the journey across the Solent to complete VCN's return to its Isle of Wight home. An organisation called the Britten-Norman Aircraft Preservation Society (BNAPS) was formed to carry the project forward (later to become BNAPS Trust, a Registered Charity No. 1100735) Despite the best efforts of all involved at the time, the work did not proceed as originally envisaged and for the 17 July 2010 fuselage loading operations in for a number of years the aircraft progress in B-N car park, July, 2010. components have been stored at the B-N Group’s Bembridge Airport factory.

H.J. Bennett’s low loader negotiated tricky Bembridge Village centre with ease, July,

2010. “Charlie November” travelled back to

Bembridge in a 40 foot freight container and is seen here being unloaded in March 2000

In recognition of the historic significance of Islander G-AVCN a working group was formed in May 2009 to see how best to re- start the project. It was decided that a new location should be found as the first priority. At one stage it was thought that a mainland facility could be a possibility. After several years of uncertainty the project entered a crucial second phase in the during 2010 when workshop facilities were found with the help of Bembridge Heritage Society in the Finally the last of the multitude of East Wight for use as the restoration component parts of “Charlie November” is workshop and allow work to proceed. loaded up. Left to right – Bob Wilson, Peter A major milestone was achieved on 17 July Gatrell, Tim Barton, Norman Hobbs and John Kenyon, July, 2010.

6 completion, the workshop required the walls and floor to be painted together with some false flooring to be fabricated and laid in part of the workshop to eliminate some trip hazards arisng from the building’s previous use. By March 2012 all building work was complete and the next phase of the plan came into action by bringing all VCN components together in the one place from a nearby temporary store. By April 2012 the workshop had been organized to allow work to proceed with restoration of the fuselage

together with moving in tools and “Charlie November” inside the East Wight workbenches that have in the main been workshop in December 2010 donated to the project or have been provided

by BNAPS supporters. Having secured VCN’s future, attention was turned to how the restoration work should proceed. Whilst a major programme of work was initiated at the Bembridge workshop, including electrical installations and other improvements to ensure that we had a suitable working environment, a detailed survey, condition assessment and cataloguing of all the component sections and detail parts was undertaken by the restoration team. In addition the question of whether a restoration to fly was viable was investigated in conjunction with CAA contacts and advice from those closer to hand who had direct experience of the Islander’s design and Some of BNAPS Engineering Team Make construction. After some deliberation it was Ready for Starting Work on VCN’s Fuselage decided that the only practical course of April 2012 action, in view of its historical importance and the overriding need to preserve its Over the past two years the restoration work originality, together with financial and time has proceeded at a steady pace. Within the constraint issues, was that of a high quality workshop the fuselage has received restoration to static exhibition standard. extensive attention to repair areas of damage and to de-corrode the external skin and under floor framing. A new floor has been made and installed, the nose landing gear brackets have been rebuilt.

View of the BNAPS Restoration Workshop end of April 2012 after having been painted

out and electrics and lighting installed. Fuselage underside with the belly skin By the end of 2011, the position was that the removed to enable under floor frames to be survey and cataloguing work was near to de-corroded and repaired, January 2013.

7 A major element of the work has involved a complete refurbishment of the instrumentation panel and associated flying and engine controls. Virtually all the necessary instruments have been acquired and these will be installed at a later stage. A simplified electrical wiring loom has been made using materials from the original loom to enable all internal and external lighting to be powered.

Andy Stewart masks up the fuselage nose section for spray painting, August, 2014.

Close up view of the restored instrument panel and throttle box area, June, 2014.

Other work has involved de-corroding and etch priming the tail plane, fin, rudder and flaps together with preparation of the pilot’s Some of the Restoration Team get ready to door and the two passenger’s doors with move the fuselage upright so that the sides etch primer ready for painting. could be spray painted, October 2014

At the end of September 2014, the fuselage was prepared and ready for spray painting in its top coat of Aurigny yellow. This represented a major milestone for the restoration project.

BNAPS Restoration Team member, Rita Edgcumbe, is seen here applying etch primer to one of the passenger doors, the pilot’s door in the fore ground has already been

painted, March, 2014 BNAPS Trustees, left to right Bob Wealthy, Peter Graham, Bob Wilson and Guy Palmer, view VCN’s painted fuselage October 2014

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Support from a number of organisations has been generous. Surplus parts have been donated by B-N Group, Isles of Scilly Skybus, Cormack Islander Aircraft and Saywell International. Two propellers have been refurbished to exhibition standard by based propeller overhaul specialists, Proptech, and have been stored ready for future use. Two non-functional Lycoming 540 engines are being constructed by Norvic Aero Engines works at St Neots with planned delivery in the early part of 2015.

Doors and windows installed October 2014

At present work is continuing to install the doors and windows. The windscreens will not be fitted until the electrical installation has been powered and checked. The workshop will then be re-arranged with the fuselage to one side and the wing in its vertical stands moved into a position such that there is adequate access to allow repair and refurbishment work to proceed.

Other work will also continue to refurbish The top sections of the engine cowlings were and etch prime the fin, rudder and elevator, delivered in July, 2014, having been flaps and ailerons. For the fuselage fitting refurbished by BNAPS Supporter Dave Lister out an internal trim kit will arrive shortly and at his home in Dorking. seat frames will be refurbished along with new seat upholstery being made. In early 2015, when temperature and humidity conditions are suitable for spray painting, the fuselage will be moved back into the central part of the workshop for application of the full Aurigny Air Services titling, and decorative side flashes as it was when in service in the Channel Islands.

Non-functional Lycoming 540 engine being assembled in Norvic Aero Engines works at St Neots, June, 2014.

The restored fuselage of VCN and other restored parts will be on show as a snapshot of work in progress at the “Islander 50” event to be held at Bembridge Airport in

June, 2015. Proptech’s Customer Support Engineer, Alistair Mant, (right) hands over the first exhibition standard propeller to BNAPS’s Bob Wealthy, July, 2013.

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