Britten - Norman Islander The Britten - Norman BN - 2 Islander is a 1960s British light utility aircraft , regional airline r and cargo aircraft designed and originally manufactured by Britten - Norman of the United Kingdom . 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 . The aircraft is also used by the British Army and Police forces in the United Kingdom and is a light transport with over 30 military aviation operators around the world . After Fairey Aviation acquired the Britten - Norman company , their Islanders and Trislander aircraft were built in Romania , then shipped to Avions Fairey for finishing and then flown to the UK for flight certification . The Islander is also known for servicing the two airports joined by the shortest scheduled flight in the world , a leg of Loganair ' s inter - island service , Loganair Flight 353 , from Papa Westray Airport to Westray Airport . The distance is and the scheduled flight time including taxiing is two minutes . Design and development . Britten - Norman was started in 1953 to convert and operate agricultural aircraft . It also produced hovercraft ( Cushioncraft , later sold to the British Hovercraft Corporation ) . Design of the Islander started in 1963 and the first prototype BN - 2 first flew on 13 June 1965 , with the second prototype on 20 August 1966 . Both of these aircraft had engines that were less powerful than the production versions . The Islander is a high - wing cantilever monoplane with a rectangular fuselage and two wing - mounted engines . The fuselage , which has a conventional tail unit and fixed tricycle landing gear , will usually accommodate one pilot and up to nine passengers . The production Islander first flew on 24 April 1967 and was certified in August 1967 . Production started at the Britten - Norman factory at Bembridge , Isle of Wight but within a few years the company could not keep up with demand ; a contract was placed with IRMA of Romania , initially to produce aircraft from a kit of parts but the Romanian factory soon became the main source for production Islanders . A military version of the Islander , marketed as the Defender and first flown in 1970 , had underwing hardpoint s and was fitted out as a light troop transport and support aircraft . The second prototype was developed into a stretched Super Islander but the program was stopped and the aircraft was used as a basis of the three - engined version , the Trislander . The company had financial difficulties and by the end of 1970 went into receivership . In 1972 the company was bought by the Fairey Aviation Group and production of the Islander and Trislander was moved to their factory ( Avions Fairey ) in Gosselies , Belgium although the aircraft were flown to Bembridge for final customer preparation . The new company developed the Turbo Islander with Lycoming LTP101 turboprops but the engines were too powerful for the aircraft and the design evolved into the Turbine Islander ( BN - 2T ) with Allison 250 turboprops . Fairey then suffered financial problems and called in the receiver and the Fairey Britten - Norman company was sold to Pilatus of Switzerland . An improved version , the BN - 2A Islander , first flew in 1969 . It incorporated aerodynamic and flight equipment improvements as well as changes to the baggage arrangements . In 1977 a standard BN - 2 was re - engined with Dowty ducted fans . It was later reverted to standard engines and sold . In 1978 a further improved version , the BN - 2B Islander II was introduced . Improvements included increased carrying capacity and propeller modifications to reduce noise levels . Options included a long - nosed version for increased baggage capacity , raked wingtip auxiliary fuel tanks and twin Allison 250 - B17C turboprop engines . When the latter are installed the aircraft is designated the BN - 2T Turbine Islander . The Defender 4000 is a military conversion of the Islander , capitalizing on its rugged structure for use in developing countries . Purchases from police and military customers centres on use in surveillance and counter - terrorism operations . The Maritime Defender is another military version of the Islander , intended for search and rescue , coastal patrol and fishery protection . Licensed production . Companies in addition to Britten - Norman have manufactured the Islander . Intreprinderea de Reparatii Material Aeronautic ( IRMA ) from Romania has been building the aircraft since 1969 , as have SONACA ( Avions Fairey ) , in Gosselies , Belgium . 35 have also been assembled by the National Aero Manufacturing Corporation in the Philippines . Trislander . A design project to develop an Islander with a larger capacity resulted in the BN - 2A Mk III Trislander . This aircraft has a stretched fuselage , modified landing gear and a third ( tail - mounted ) engine . The prototype was constructed from the original second BN - 2 prototype and flew on 11 September 1970 .