More formally designated the BN-2A Mk III Trislander, 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. A number of commuter airlines operated the Trislander in scheduled passenger services. 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 492-yard long landing strip, the Trislander can readily operate from unprepared surfaces. The prototype of the Trislander, which was constructed from the original second Islander prototype, first flew on 11 September 1970. The type entered service with the Guernsey-based Aurigny in July 1971. 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. 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 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.
