Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander

what is it?

The Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander is a British light piston utility aircraft and regional airliner designed and originally manufactured by Britten-Norman of the United Kingdom. Still in production, the Islander is one of the best-selling commercial aircraft types produced in Europe. Although designed in the 1960s, over 750 are still in service with commercial operators around the world.

🔎How to recognise it: 2 piston engines with propellers · shoulder wing · fixed tricycle gear · 14.9 m wingspan

base stats

• speed 274 km/htop speed
• range 1,398 kmwithout refuelling
• seats 9passengers
• size 2,994 kgmax take-off weight
• built 1,280made in total

Bars compare against all aircraft: 3,500 km/h, 20,000 km, 850 seats; size and number built on a log scale up to 640 t (An-225) and 45,000 built (Cessna 172).

fun facts

• 🎂First flew 61 years ago, in 1965.
• 🏎️Top speed is 2.1× a car on the Dutch motorway (130 km/h).
• 🚗Wingspan of 14.9 m: about 3 cars parked nose to tail.
• 🌍Range of 1,398 km: 8× Amsterdam to Brussels.

piston: A car-like piston engine turning a propeller: simple and cheap, the classic small plane.

spec sheet

first flight

1965-06-13

status

still flying

number built

1,280

role

utility aircraft/airliner

origin

🇬🇧 United Kingdom

makers

Britten-Norman

engines

2× Lycoming O-540-E4C5

crew

1

passengers

9

length

10.9 m

wingspan

14.9 m

height

4.2 m

max take-off weight

2,994 kg

top speed

274 km/h

cruise speed

241 km/h

range

1,398 km

ceiling

3,962 m

wings

shoulder wing

landing gear

fixed tricycle gear

Specs are for the version in the Wikipedia article's specification section. Blank means the sources don't say.

family