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The Britten-Norman Trislander (more formally designated the BN-2A Mk III Trislander) is an 18-seat three-engined piston-powered civilian utility aircraft produced in the 1970s and early 1980s by Britten-Norman of Britain. These STOL capable aircraft were produced on the Isle of Wight. They were also produced in Romania, and delivered via Belgium to Britain for their certification.[1] A number of commuter airlines operated the Trislander in scheduled passenger services.

Trislander
Aurigny Air Services Trislander
Role	Airliner Type of aircraft
Manufacturer	Britten-Norman
First flight	11 September 1970
Status	In service
Primary user	Vieques Air Link Roraima Airways
Produced	1970–1980
Number built	72
Developed from	Britten-Norman Islander

Design and development

Designed by John Britten and Desmond Norman, the Trislander is a further development of Britten-Norman's better-known Islander aircraft in order to give it a larger carrying capacity. In comparison with the Islander, the Trislander has a stretched fuselage, strengthened, fixed tricycle landing gear and a third engine on the fuselage centre line atop the fin. The Trislander has exceptional low speed handling characteristics, extended endurance, increased payload, low noise signature and economical operating costs. Capable of taking off from a 150 metres (492 ft) long landing strip, the Trislander can readily operate from unprepared surfaces.

Operational history

The prototype of the Trislander, which was constructed from the original second Islander prototype, first flew on 11 September 1970.[2] The type entered service with the Guernsey-based Aurigny in July 1971.[3] Initial production ceased in 1982 after 73 had been sold and delivered, with a further seven Trislanders unsold, when Pilatus Britten Norman sold a manufacturing license to the International Aviation Corporation (IAC) of Florida. It was planned for IAC to build 12 Trislanders (to be known as Tri-Commutairs) from parts kits supplied by Britten-Norman before undertaking full production,[4] but these plans came to nothing.[5]

Variants

BN-2A Mk III-1

First production version, with short nose.

BN-2A Mk III-2

Lengthened nose and higher operating weight.

BN-2A Mk III-3

Variant certified for operation in the United States.

BN-2A Mk III-4

III-2 fitted with 350 lb (160 kg) rocket-assisted takeoff equipment.

BN-2A Mk III-5

III-2 with sound-proofed cabin, modernised cockpit/interior and new engines (proposed, unbuilt as yet).

Trislander M

Proposed military version, not built.

This section needs additional citations for verification. (October 2016)

Operators

Future operators

 United Kingdom

• Air Alderney[6]

Current operators

 Anguilla

• Anguilla Air Services[7]

 Guyana

• Roraima Airways[8]

 Puerto Rico

• Air Flamenco
• Vieques Air Link

Former operators

 Antigua and Barbuda

• LIAT[9]

 Australia

• Aerodata
• Air Queensland

 Bahamas

• Lucaya Air

 Canada

• Burrard Air Ltd.
• Questor Surveys Ltd.

 Colombia

• Tavina

 Costa Rica

• Travel Air

 Botswana

• Botswana Defence Force Air Wing

 Cayman Islands

• Cayman Airways

 Fiji

• Air Pacific
• Air Fiji

 Guernsey

• Aurigny[10] At its peak, Aurigny operated 16 Trislanders, the largest operator of the type.[3] As of 2018 all Trislander aircraft have been retired from service.[11][12] One of the Aurigny Trislander aircraft is on static display at the Imperial War Museum Duxford in the UK and one of them is displayed at Oaty & Joey's play barn at Oatlands in Guernsey.[13]

 Isle of Man

• Manx Airlines

 Jamaica

• Trans-Jamaican Airlines

 Jersey

• Blue Islands[14]

 Liberia

• Air Liberia

 New Zealand

• Barrier Air[15]

 Sierra Leone

• Sierra Leone Airways

 Taiwan

• Taiwan Airways

 Turks and Caicos Islands

• Turks & Caicos Airways

 United Kingdom

• Air Ecosse
• Air Sarnia
• Emerald Airways
• Lydd Air[16]
• Loganair[17]
• National Airways
• Rockhopper Aero
• Sky Trek
• Willow Air
• XP - Express Parcel Systems

 United States

• Air Flamenco
• Air St. Thomas
• Air South
• Cen-Tex Airlines
• Channel Islands Aviation (based at the Oxnard Airport)
• Slocum Airlines
• Stol Air Commuter (renamed WestAir Commuter Airlines)
• Tri Air
• Wings Airways

 Vanuatu

• Vanair
• Unity-Airlines

 Venezuela

• Chapi Air
• Sol America

Accidents and incidents

On 5 July 2009, a Trislander belonging to Great Barrier Airlines (now Barrier Air) lost its starboard side prop six minutes into a flight from Great Barrier Island, New Zealand, to Auckland. The prop sheared off and impacted the fuselage, prompting a successful emergency landing. While there were injuries, no deaths were reported. The accident was caused by undetected corrosion of the propeller flange which led to its eventual failure.[18]

On 15 December 2008, a Trislander operated by LAP in Puerto Rico crashed into the sea somewhere near the Turks and Caicos, shortly after a distress call. A spokesman for the Asociación Nacional de Pilotos reported that the pilot had his licence suspended in October 2006.[19]

On 8 October 1977, ZS-JYF, operated by Southern Aviation, impacted the ground while attempting a stall turn during an air display at Lanseria in South Africa. Despite sustaining severe damage (it was damaged beyond repair) the aircraft performed an emergency landing and neither occupant was injured.[20]

Specifications (BN-2A Mk III-2)

Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1976–77[2]

General characteristics

• Crew: 1 or 2
• Capacity: 16 or 17 passengers
• Length: 49 ft 3 in (15.01 m)
• Wingspan: 53 ft 0 in (16.15 m)
• Height: 14 ft 2 in (4.32 m)
• Wing area: 337.0 sq ft (31.31 m²)
• Aspect ratio: 7.95:1
• Airfoil: NACA 23012
• Empty weight: 5,842 lb (2,650 kg)
• Max takeoff weight: 10,000 lb (4,536 kg)
• Fuel capacity: 154 imp gal (185 US gal; 700 L)
• Powerplant: 3 × Lycoming O-540-E4C5 air-cooled flat-six piston engines, 260 hp (190 kW) each
• Propellers: 2-bladed Hartzell HC-C2YK-2G/C8477-4 constant speed propellers

Performance

• Maximum speed: 180 mph (290 km/h, 160 kn) at sea level
• Cruise speed: 155 mph (249 km/h, 135 kn) (59% power) at 13,000 ft (4,000 m)
• Range: 1,000 mi (1,600 km, 870 nmi)
• Service ceiling: 13,160 ft (4,010 m)
• Rate of climb: 980 ft/min (5.0 m/s)
• Take off run to 50 ft (15 m): 1,950 feet (590 m)
• Landing run from 50 ft (15 m): 1,445 ft (440 m)

See also

Related development

• Britten-Norman Islander

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

• de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter
• Dornier 228
• GAF Nomad
• Let L-410 Turbolet

References

Further reading

• US 3807665, published 1974-04-30, assigned to Britten Norman
• The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982–1985). London: Orbis Publishing, 1985.
• Stroud, John. "Post War Propliners: Islander and Trislander". Aeroplane Monthly. Vol. 22, No. 8. August 1994. pp. 44–49. ISSN 0143-7240.
• "Britten-Norman BN-2A Mk.3 Trislander". airliners.net.
• Britten-Norman company

На других языках

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[de] Britten-Norman Trislander

Der Britten Norman Trislander (genauere Bezeichnung: BN-2A Mk III Trislander) ist ein mit 18 Sitzplätzen (1 Pilot, 17 Passagiere) ausgestattetes ziviles Passagierflugzeug, das von drei Kolbenmotoren angetrieben wird. Der Jungfernflug dieses Typs fand am 11. September 1970 statt.

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- [en] Britten-Norman Trislander

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[fr] Britten-Norman Trislander

Le Britten-Norman Trislander est un avion de lignes régionales trimoteur conçu et réalisé par l'avionneur britannique Britten-Norman dans les années 1970.

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[it] Britten-Norman Trislander

Il Britten-Norman Trislander, più formalmente conosciuto come Britten-Norman BN-2A Mk III Trislander, è un aereo di linea regionale e da trasporto, trimotore a pistoni, monoplano ad ala alta a sbalzo, prodotto dalla britannica Britten-Norman negli anni settanta e fino ai primi anni ottanta. Derivato dal Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander, è un aeromobile a 18 posti che ha volato per la prima volta come prototipo l'11 settembre 1970 mentre il primo volo di produzione è avvenuto il 6 marzo 1971[1].

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[ru] Britten-Norman Trislander

Britten-Norman Trislander (официальное наименование — BN-2A Mk III Trislander) — 18-местный трёхдвигательный поршневой гражданский самолёт, производимый в 1970-х и начале 1980-х годов британской компанией Britten-Norman. Самолёт производился на острове Уайт. Также производился в Румынии и доставлялся через Бельгию в Великобританию на сертификацию[1].

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