First flight to mark return of UK light aircraft manufacturing

British aircraft manufacturer, Britten-Norman, recently flew the first Islander manufactured on UK soil since production was moved abroad in 1968. 

The light utility aircraft was built entirely from individual structural components in Bembridge at the easternmost point of the Isle of Wight.

Custom made springs are key in constructing aircraft like the Islander. Although the primary airframe of the twin-engine airliner is made from standard aluminium alloy sheet metal and conventional aviation fasteners, specialised mechanical springs play practical roles in its construction. 

Calibrated precision springs are employed for cockpit instrumentation and flight controls, while high tension springs are used throughout the cabin and interior fixtures. Internal return springs are also required for nose gear steering linkages and hydraulic brake assemblies to return components back to neutral positions.

Earlier this month, the Islander bearing the production serial 2317 carried out its first flight from the Isle of Wight’s Bembridge Airport.

The aircraft design has a well-established history. The original Islander prototype made its first test flight from Bembridge in 1965. Designed for remote short haul operations, the new aircraft will see active use with the Falkland Islands Government Air Service, which employs islanders across the archipelago.

The maiden flight arrives after Britten-Norman decided to move the Islander manufacturing process in its entirety back to Bembridge. While final assembly along with other installation work and certification has been carried out continuously in the Isle of Wight for decades, a considerable part of the aircrafts’ construction was previously conducted in Romania.