The Falkland Islands Government has signed a Letter of Intent with Britten-Norman – with a view to ordering four new BN2B-26 Islanders.
The new aircraft project is part of a plan to further modernise the fleet operated by the Falkland Islands Government Aviation Service (FIGAS).
In fact, FIGAS is celebrating 75 years of operations.
FALKLAND ISLANDS BRITTEN-NORMAN ISLANDER AIRCRAFT ORDER
The order is in addition to two aircraft that FIGAS has already contracted Britten-Norman to build, the first of which is now in service.
This order is valued at $9.75 million.
William Hynett, Chief Executive at Britten-Norman, said, “We are so pleased to have such an incredible opportunity to build a new chapter in our long-standing relationship with the Falkland Islands Government and to continue to support the communities of these important islands. Our relationship with FIGAS is an exemplar of the benefits that can be achieved in private/public sector cooperation. As one of our most valued long-term partners, we rely on crucial feedback from FIGAS and work hard to use this knowledge to further refine our products and services.”
All of the new Islanders destined for the Falkland Islands will be delivered from the Britten-Norman manufacturing line on the Isle of Wight, which the company launched in late 2023 after re-shoring from overseas.
PROVIDING A LIFELINE FOR FALKLAND ISLANDS
FIGAS has been an integral part of life in the Falkland Islands since 1948.
Its existing fleet of five Islanders serve in a variety of roles.
They are in fact essential in keeping the Falklands and its more remote communities connected.
In addition to commuting flights, regular missions include air ambulance, postal carrier, freight, veterinary transport, environmental monitoring and increasingly popular scenic flights.
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BRITTEN-NORMAN ISLANDER AIRCRAFT
The BN2B-26 Islander is one of Britten-Norman’s rugged piston-powered aircraft variants, which has been a stalwart of the FIGAS fleet due to its exceptional Short Take-off and Landing (STOL) capability across the range of terrain and challenging conditions of the Falklands.
The long-term durability of the aircraft type has been proven beyond doubt over the six decades that FIGAS has operated its fleet of Islanders.
The decision to select new Islanders as a replacement for FIGAS’s existing, older Islander fleet is in part down to an assessment by the team as to what aircraft best suits the tough operating conditions in the Falkland Islands, where durability and reliability are key factors in the operator’s long-term success.
Refinements in the aircraft in recent years also played a part in the decision.
BRITTEN-NORMAN 70th ANNIVERSARY
This order is of great importance to Britten-Norman, as it marks its own 70th anniversary, and comes as the company commences a ramp up of its production output from its UK facility, where new aircraft production is set to grow fourfold over the next 2-3 years.
New aircraft manufacturing sits at the core of Britten-Norman’s impressive growth plans as it expands to meet the regional aircraft market surge.
The company seeks to reinvest profits from these early sales to drive further investment in continuous improvement.
Moreover, ongoing product development is key to the the aircraft manufacturer.
Through its ‘Green Futures Initiative’, the company seeks to improve the environmental characteristics of its aircraft and reduce carbon emissions.
