Key Facts
| Total Delivered: | 9 |
| Total Still Active: | 0 |
| Total Now Stored: | 0 |
| Service Entry: | 1982 |
| Retirement: | 2007 |
| Main Role: | Pollution Control/Search and Rescue |
| Origin: | contractor (HA/AAT) |
History
The original pollution control contract was contracted to Harvestair, which provided five yellow-and-black painted BN-2A Islanders from mid-1982 until October 1987. Each was fitted with a prominent spraying boom attached to the fuselage. Their chemical spraying role was subsequently taken over by Air Atlantique Dakotas and Islanders.
Islanders G-AXZK and G-BCEN were used by Air Atlantique to supplement the Dakotas in the Pollution Control role in the early years of the contract, 1987-1990. G-BNXA was also used for a short while during 1987-1988. All three appeared in the green and white colours applied to the Dakotas.
From 1998 Air Atlantique provided one BN-2A-26 Islander (G-BCEN) for fixed-wing maritime surveillance and search-and-rescue duties in the Dover Straits area on a 5-yearly renewable contract. It was equipped with InfraRed and digital photographic equipment and a fourteen-man air-droppable life raft. It was based at Manston, Kent, until mid 2005, but later moved to Lydd. The aircraft was withdrawn in 2007, without replacement.
Individual Details
| Serial | c/no. | Prev. Identity | Delivered | Fate/Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| G-AXZK | 153 | V2-LAD | Sept 1987 | Air Atlantique, noted 27 Feb 1989, sold Jul 1990 to Jane’s Aviation, UK |
| G-BCEN | 403 | 4X-AYG | Oct 1987 | Air Atlantique, registered to RVL Group 27.4.07, wfu 2007 |
| G-BNXA | 80 | V2-LAC | Sept 1987 | Air Atlantique, noted 18 Jan 1988, sold Jan 1997 to Rock Air, Gibraltar |
| G-BJWL | 166 | 4X-AYC | Feb 1982 | Harvestair, sold July 1987 as 5B-CHD |
| G-BJWM | 717 | 4X-AYE | Feb 1982 | Harvestair, sold Sept 1989 as LX-AJH |
| G-BJWN | 316 | 4X-AYL | Feb 1982 | Harvestair, sold Dec 1989 as ZK-FVD |
| G-BJWO | 334 | 4X-AYR | Feb 1982 | Harvestair, sold May 1989 to Chapman Aviation, UK |
| G-BJWP | 399 | 4X-AYP | Feb 1982 | Harvestair, sold Feb 1990 as F-OGOV |
| G-HMCG | 847 | Oct 1979 | Reg’d to Renco Ltd, sold Mar 1982 as N29884 |
Pictures
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| Islander G-BCEN seen at Manston in October 2000. (photo, Ian Haskell) |
Islander G-BJWL seen at Southend in the early 1980s. (photo, David Oates) |
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| BN-2A Islander G-HMCG. (photo, BN Historians) |
More Information
References
- Aviation News September 2003
- Baginton-Coventry Airport
- DoT Procurement Contract
- BN Historians
Other Sources
To be added.
See other operators of the Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander