Britten-Norman
Encyclopedia
Britten-Norman is a British aircraft manufacturer owned by members of the Zawawi family from the Sultanate of Oman
, making it the last remaining UK independent commercial aircraft producer.
Britten-Norman has sold more than 1,250 aircraft to customers in more than 120 countries. In addition to aircraft manufacturing, the company also performs maintenance, overhaul and repair work as well as performing sub-contract engineering and design work.
The company's sole factory is located at Bembridge
on the Isle of Wight
although airframes are assembled under sub contract in Romania
. Romanian aircraft used to pass through Avions Fairey
in Belgium to the UK for certification. Nowadays aircraft are manufactured under UK control in Romania and are then shipped as kits to the UK for assembly and certification.
The company manufactures such aircraft as the Islander
and the militarised Defender
both of which are capable of short take-off and landing (STOL
) operations. The three-engined Trislander
is still operating but is no longer manufactured. The aircraft are typically used for inter-island schedules.
Many modern Islanders/Defenders have been fitted with turbine rather than piston engines. Some are employed on police or fishery patrol tasks, providing an efficient and roomy alternative to a twin-engined helicopter. Hampshire Constabulary
that oversees matters on the Isle of Wight
and across Hampshire
was one of two police forces using Islander aircraft, now its just the Greater Manchester Police
(GMP) that uses the BN 4000 Defender. Turbine-Islanders are the only fixed-wing aircraft in use by the British Army.
started developing crop-spraying equipment in the middle 1950s and used de Havilland Tiger Moth
s (modified at their factory near Ventnor
, Isle of Wight) for a contract in Sudan. After that, Britten and Norman (who had both trained with De Havilland
) turned their hand to aircraft design.
Their first design was the Britten-Norman BN-1
Finibee, a light single-seater parasol wing
aircraft. They pitched the design to several aircraft companies but found no one willing to produce the design.
Britten and Norman made a detailed analysis of the aviation market and decided there was a demand for a twin-engined utility aircraft with the minimum of complex systems that could operate from short, rough airstrips as well as be used for high-density commuter flights. This brief developed into the BN-2 Islander, and the Britten-Norman company was formed to produce the aircraft, which first flew in 1965.
During the 1960s, Britten-Norman were involved in the development of hovercraft
via their subsidiary Cushioncraft Ltd
; their first craft, the CC1
, was the world's second hovercraft.
Desmond Norman then designed a four-seater touring aircraft to compete with established types such as the Cessna 172
and Piper Cherokee
. A single prototype of the BN-3
'Nymph' was built and flown in 1969, but failed to attract significant orders. Norman set up his own company to build the plane, re-named the 'Freelance' and produced components and fuselage sections for six aircraft. However, orders were still not forthcoming and following failure to win a military order for the 'Firecracker' design, Norman's company was wrapped up. After Norman's death in 2002, his son has overseen the completion of one of the Freelances to airworthy condition, and plans to assemble and sell the other five, with the possibility of full-scale production starting if possible.
Following the failure of the 'Nymph', Britten-Norman continued to develop and improve the Islander design, which was enjoying great success. This culminated in 1970 with the Trislander
, a trimotor
version with greater range and capacity. In 1975 Britten-Norman won the Queen's Award to Industry for technological innovation for the Trislander.
Ownership of the company has passed through a number of hands. The Fairey Aviation
group acquired Britten-Norman in 1972. Following their financial troubles it was sold to Oerlikon-Bührle (owner of Pilatus Aircraft
of Switzerland
in 1978, hence the Pilatus Britten-Norman designation of some of their aircraft). Oerlikon-Bührle sold Britten-Norman to Litchfield Continental in 1998. On 19 October 1998– Biofarm Inc. (BIOF) announced its acquisition of 100% of the capital stock of Britten – Normal Limited (BN) from Litchfield Continental Limited. B-N Group was formed in 2000 to acquire the assets of Britten-Norman Limited.
On 14 December 2005 Cirrus Aircraft announced that Britten-Norman will provide final re-assembly of Cirrus’s award winning SR20
and SR22
aircraft delivery to European customers. Britten-Norman, will perform final Cirrus aircraft
re-assemblies, including wing and tail attachment, initially for European customers and potentially for other geographic markets in the future.
Oman
Oman , officially called the Sultanate of Oman , is an Arab state in southwest Asia on the southeast coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by the United Arab Emirates to the northwest, Saudi Arabia to the west, and Yemen to the southwest. The coast is formed by the Arabian Sea on the...
, making it the last remaining UK independent commercial aircraft producer.
Britten-Norman has sold more than 1,250 aircraft to customers in more than 120 countries. In addition to aircraft manufacturing, the company also performs maintenance, overhaul and repair work as well as performing sub-contract engineering and design work.
The company's sole factory is located at Bembridge
Bembridge
Bembridge is an affluent village and civil parish located on the easternmost point of the Isle of Wight. It had a population of 3,848 according to the 2001 census of the United Kingdom, leading to claims by residents that Bembridge is the largest village in England, and occasional claims that it is...
on the Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
although airframes are assembled under sub contract in Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
. Romanian aircraft used to pass through Avions Fairey
Avions Fairey
Avions Fairey was the Belgian-based subsidiary of the British Fairey Aviation that built Fairey aircraft designs for the Belgian government.-History:...
in Belgium to the UK for certification. Nowadays aircraft are manufactured under UK control in Romania and are then shipped as kits to the UK for assembly and certification.
The company manufactures such aircraft as the Islander
Britten-Norman Islander
The Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander is a 1960s British light utility aircraft, regional airliner 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...
and the militarised Defender
Britten-Norman Defender
|-External links:*...
both of which are capable of short take-off and landing (STOL
STOL
STOL is an acronym for short take-off and landing, a term used to describe aircraft with very short runway requirements.-Definitions:There is no one accepted definition of STOL and many different definitions have been used by different authorities and nations at various times and for a myriad of...
) operations. The three-engined Trislander
Britten-Norman Trislander
*LIAT*Montserrat Air Services*Air Queensland*Eagle Airways*Aero Services*Cayman Airways*TAVINA*Vision Air*Bali Int. Air Service*Trans Jamaican Airlines*Aero Cozumel*Great Barrier Airlines*Aero Taxi Intl*Aviones de Panama...
is still operating but is no longer manufactured. The aircraft are typically used for inter-island schedules.
Many modern Islanders/Defenders have been fitted with turbine rather than piston engines. Some are employed on police or fishery patrol tasks, providing an efficient and roomy alternative to a twin-engined helicopter. Hampshire Constabulary
Hampshire Constabulary
Hampshire Constabulary is the territorial police force responsible for policing Hampshire and the Isle of Wight in southern England.The force area includes the cities of Winchester, Southampton and Portsmouth...
that oversees matters on the Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
and across Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
was one of two police forces using Islander aircraft, now its just the Greater Manchester Police
Greater Manchester Police
Greater Manchester Police is the police force responsible for law enforcement within the metropolitan county of Greater Manchester in North West England...
(GMP) that uses the BN 4000 Defender. Turbine-Islanders are the only fixed-wing aircraft in use by the British Army.
History
John Britten and Desmond NormanDesmond Norman
Nigel Desmond Norman aircraft designer: born London 13 August 1929; co-founded Britten-Norman 1954; CBE 1970; chairman and managing director, AeroNorTec 1988-2002; married 1956 Anne Fogg Elliot , 1965 Boel Holmsen ; died of a heart attack on Basingstoke railway station, Hampshire 13 November 2002...
started developing crop-spraying equipment in the middle 1950s and used de Havilland Tiger Moth
De Havilland Tiger Moth
The de Havilland DH 82 Tiger Moth is a 1930s biplane designed by Geoffrey de Havilland and was operated by the Royal Air Force and others as a primary trainer. The Tiger Moth remained in service with the RAF until replaced by the de Havilland Chipmunk in 1952, when many of the surplus aircraft...
s (modified at their factory near Ventnor
Ventnor
Ventnor is a seaside resort and civil parish established in the Victorian era on the south coast of the Isle of Wight, England. It lies underneath St Boniface Down , and is built on steep slopes and cliffs leading down to the sea...
, Isle of Wight) for a contract in Sudan. After that, Britten and Norman (who had both trained with De Havilland
De Havilland
The de Havilland Aircraft Company was a British aviation manufacturer founded in 1920 when Airco, of which Geoffrey de Havilland had been chief designer, was sold to BSA by the owner George Holt Thomas. De Havilland then set up a company under his name in September of that year at Stag Lane...
) turned their hand to aircraft design.
Their first design was the Britten-Norman BN-1
Britten-Norman BN-1
The Britten-Norman BN-1F was a British single-seat ultralight aircraft built in 1950.-Design and development:In 1951 John Britten and Desmond Norman built and flew an ultra-light monoplane, their first aircraft, which made its first flight at Bembridge, Isle of Wight, on 16 May 1951...
Finibee, a light single-seater parasol wing
Parasol wing
A parasol wing monoplane is an aircraft design in which the wing is not mounted directly to the fuselage, but rather, the fuselage is supported beneath it by a set of struts, called cabane struts...
aircraft. They pitched the design to several aircraft companies but found no one willing to produce the design.
Britten and Norman made a detailed analysis of the aviation market and decided there was a demand for a twin-engined utility aircraft with the minimum of complex systems that could operate from short, rough airstrips as well as be used for high-density commuter flights. This brief developed into the BN-2 Islander, and the Britten-Norman company was formed to produce the aircraft, which first flew in 1965.
During the 1960s, Britten-Norman were involved in the development of hovercraft
Hovercraft
A hovercraft is a craft capable of traveling over surfaces while supported by a cushion of slow moving, high-pressure air which is ejected against the surface below and contained within a "skirt." Although supported by air, a hovercraft is not considered an aircraft.Hovercraft are used throughout...
via their subsidiary Cushioncraft Ltd
Cushioncraft
Cushioncraft Ltd was a British engineering company, formed in 1960 as a division of Britten-Norman Ltd to develop/build hovercraft. Originally based at Bembridge Airport on the Isle of Wight, Cushioncraft later moved to the Duver Works at St...
; their first craft, the CC1
Cushioncraft
Cushioncraft Ltd was a British engineering company, formed in 1960 as a division of Britten-Norman Ltd to develop/build hovercraft. Originally based at Bembridge Airport on the Isle of Wight, Cushioncraft later moved to the Duver Works at St...
, was the world's second hovercraft.
Desmond Norman then designed a four-seater touring aircraft to compete with established types such as the Cessna 172
Cessna 172
The Cessna 172 Skyhawk is a four-seat, single-engine, high-wing fixed-wing aircraft. First flown in 1955 and still in production, more Cessna 172s have been built than any other aircraft.-Design and development:...
and Piper Cherokee
Piper Cherokee
The Piper PA-28 Cherokee is a family of light aircraft designed for flight training, air taxi, and personal use. It is built by Piper Aircraft....
. A single prototype of the BN-3
NAC Freelance
-External links:...
'Nymph' was built and flown in 1969, but failed to attract significant orders. Norman set up his own company to build the plane, re-named the 'Freelance' and produced components and fuselage sections for six aircraft. However, orders were still not forthcoming and following failure to win a military order for the 'Firecracker' design, Norman's company was wrapped up. After Norman's death in 2002, his son has overseen the completion of one of the Freelances to airworthy condition, and plans to assemble and sell the other five, with the possibility of full-scale production starting if possible.
Following the failure of the 'Nymph', Britten-Norman continued to develop and improve the Islander design, which was enjoying great success. This culminated in 1970 with the Trislander
Britten-Norman Trislander
*LIAT*Montserrat Air Services*Air Queensland*Eagle Airways*Aero Services*Cayman Airways*TAVINA*Vision Air*Bali Int. Air Service*Trans Jamaican Airlines*Aero Cozumel*Great Barrier Airlines*Aero Taxi Intl*Aviones de Panama...
, a trimotor
Trimotor
A trimotor is an aircraft powered by three piston engines.Trimotor designs were relatively common in the early days of aviation, as engines were less powerful and less reliable.-Notable types:* Armstrong Whitworth Argosy...
version with greater range and capacity. In 1975 Britten-Norman won the Queen's Award to Industry for technological innovation for the Trislander.
Ownership of the company has passed through a number of hands. The Fairey Aviation
Fairey Aviation
The Fairey Aviation Company Limited was a British aircraft manufacturer of the first half of the 20th century based in Hayes in Greater London and Heaton Chapel and RAF Ringway in Greater Manchester...
group acquired Britten-Norman in 1972. Following their financial troubles it was sold to Oerlikon-Bührle (owner of Pilatus Aircraft
Pilatus Aircraft
Pilatus Aircraft Ltd. is an aircraft manufacturer located in Stans, Switzerland. The company employs more than 1,100 people.-History:The company was established in 1939, but it was not until 1944 that a Pilatus-built aircraft, the SB-2 Pelican, first took to the air...
of Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
in 1978, hence the Pilatus Britten-Norman designation of some of their aircraft). Oerlikon-Bührle sold Britten-Norman to Litchfield Continental in 1998. On 19 October 1998– Biofarm Inc. (BIOF) announced its acquisition of 100% of the capital stock of Britten – Normal Limited (BN) from Litchfield Continental Limited. B-N Group was formed in 2000 to acquire the assets of Britten-Norman Limited.
On 14 December 2005 Cirrus Aircraft announced that Britten-Norman will provide final re-assembly of Cirrus’s award winning SR20
Cirrus SR20
The Cirrus Design SR20 is a piston engine composite monoplane that seats four. The SR20 is noted for being the first production general aviation aircraft equipped with a parachute designed to lower the aircraft safely to the ground after loss of control or structural failure.-Design and...
and SR22
Cirrus SR22
The Cirrus SR22 is a single-engine, four-seat, composite aircraft, built by Cirrus Aircraft starting in 2001. It is a more powerful version of the Cirrus SR20, with a larger wing, higher fuel capacity, and a 310 horsepower engine...
aircraft delivery to European customers. Britten-Norman, will perform final Cirrus aircraft
re-assemblies, including wing and tail attachment, initially for European customers and potentially for other geographic markets in the future.
Aircraft
- Britten-Norman BN-1Britten-Norman BN-1The Britten-Norman BN-1F was a British single-seat ultralight aircraft built in 1950.-Design and development:In 1951 John Britten and Desmond Norman built and flew an ultra-light monoplane, their first aircraft, which made its first flight at Bembridge, Isle of Wight, on 16 May 1951...
- Britten-Norman IslanderBritten-Norman IslanderThe Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander is a 1960s British light utility aircraft, regional airliner 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...
- Britten-Norman DefenderBritten-Norman Defender|-External links:*...
- Britten-Norman TrislanderBritten-Norman Trislander*LIAT*Montserrat Air Services*Air Queensland*Eagle Airways*Aero Services*Cayman Airways*TAVINA*Vision Air*Bali Int. Air Service*Trans Jamaican Airlines*Aero Cozumel*Great Barrier Airlines*Aero Taxi Intl*Aviones de Panama...
- Britten-Norman Nymph