Photograph:
Britten Norman BN-2T Turbine Islander VH-IAE³ (c/n 2112) at Bankstown, NSW in January 1996 (David C Eyre)
Country of origin:
United Kingdom
Description:
Light utility transport
Power Plant:
Two (flat-rated) 239 kw (320 shp) Allison 250-B17C turboprops
Specifications:
- Wingspan: 14.94 m (49 ft)
- Length: 10.86 m (35 ft 7¾ in)
- Height: 4.19 m (13 ft 9 in)
- Wing area: 30.19 m² (325 sq ft)
- Max cruising speed at sea level: 290 km/h (180 mph)
- Cruising speed at 75% power at 1,525 m (5,000 ft): 259 km/h (161 mph)
- Initial rate of climb: 366 m/min (1200 ft/min)
- Range with no reserves: 802 km (498 miles)
- Empty weight: 1,699 kg (3,745 lb)
- Loaded weight: 2,994 kg (6,600 lb)
History:
A development of the Britten Norman Islander, the prototype of the BN-2T was flown for the first time on 2 August 1980, and production followed slowly over the following years. Essentially a re-engined BN-2B, the airframe was manufactured in Romania and supplied to the Pilatus-Britten-Norman facility at Bembridge on the Isle of Wight for fitting out and completion. First Islander fitted with a turbine was a test vehicle, being the prototype converted to take two 448 kw (600 shp) Lycoming LTP-101 turboprops de-rated to 298 kw (400 shp) and first flown in April 1977. Known as the BN-2A-41 its development did not proceed.
Later it was decided to install the Allison 250 series turboprop to variants of the Islander to provide extra power in models such as the BN-2T-4S Defender 4000, this model having increased wingspan, additional fuel capacity, higher weights, a lengthened fuselage providing extra cabin space for equipment and a 360 degrees radar in the nose. The prototype of this model first flew in August 1994 and the first production model was delivered to the Irish Police in August 1997. Only a small number of turbine-powered Islanders were built by the parent company.
In 1994 a Turbine Islander (c/n 2112 – ex 9M-BSS, G-HOPL, G-BJBE), which had been damaged in an accident in Malaysia, was imported to Bankstown, NSW where, following a lengthy rebuild, it became VH-IAE on 5 January 1996 with International Air Parts of Narrabeen, NSW. This aircraft was originally built in Romania, making its first flight on 9 October 1981. On arrival in the United Kingdom it was fitted with turbines, making its first flight with these on 6 August 1982, and was then delivered to Heli Orient as G-HOPL. In April 1983 it became 9M-BSS in Malaysia. On 13 July 1999 it was struck off the Australian Register and exported to the United States as N717MA.
In late 1997 a further Islander was converted to turbine power at Bankstown.
A BN-2T Turbine Islander has also operated in New Guinea. This machine (c/n 2138 – ex 9M-TIR, 9M-LYG and G-IAHL) was obtained by SIL Aviation, the Summer Institute of Linguistics, and operated for a period as P2-SIL. It later became P2-SAB and ownership was changed to Sunbird Aviation. On 13 April 2016, whilst landing at Kiunga in the Western Province of New Guinea, the aircraft crashed 1 km short of the runway and all persons on board were killed.