Britten-Norman launches Global Recovery Service for in-service Islander aircraft
UK aircraft manufacturer Britten-Norman has announced the launch of a Global Aircraft Recovery service for its single-engined Islander aircraft.
The new service marks the latest addition in the company’s customer support function, facilitating the repair and recovery of any in-service Islander that finds itself grounded in any part of the world.
Britten-Norman launches new Global Recovery Service
Britten-Norman, the manufacturer of the iconic Islander aircraft, has launched a new Global Aircraft Recovery (GAR) service.
Rolled out in collaboration with specialist recovery partners, including Avitrius Air International, means that Britten Norman has developed the expertise to lead the recovery of any Islander aircraft that becomes stranded due to technical or operational issues anywhere in the world.
According to the planemaker, hundreds of Islander aircraft operate daily across more than 70 countries worldwide. Given the nature of flying carried out by Islanders, many of these aircraft operate in locations where environmental conditions, logistics, infrastructure, and, at times, geopolitical instability can make recovery efforts exceptionally complex.
Britten-Norman states that the new service can be tailor-made for each individual set of circumstances, providing Islander operators with a “coordinated, reliable response” when aircraft are grounded due to operational damage, environmental factors or deteriorating conditions on the ground.
The GAR service has already been tested in Saudi Arabia
The new GAR service has already proven its capability in the field, with the recovery of a stranded Britten-Norman BN2A-21 Islander in Saudi Arabia. The aircraft was successfully recovered with the recovery team navigating complex airspace restrictions and the operational challenges of a region experiencing active conflict.
The sticken aircraft was eventually returned over 2,500 miles (4,000km) to Britten-Norman’s MRO facility based at Daedalus Airport near Lee-on-Solent in the UK.
According to a statement issued by Britten-Norman, working alongside its partner Avitrius Air International, the GAR team managed to secure the necessary permits amid a rapid change due to ongoing regional tensions and coordinate the logistics required to safely complete the lengthy ferry flight back to the UK.
Explaining how the mission was successfully completed, Britten-Norman said that an experienced engineering team carried out an on-site assessment of the aircraft before the GAR team began working on the logistics of ferrying the aircraft to a suitable location for repair.
The company said that such activities were “underpinned by Britten-Norman’s original equipment manufacturer (OEM) knowledge and parts supply, helping to ensure aircraft can be safely returned to service.”
Where necessary, the aircraft can be returned to the UK, where more extensive repair and refurbishment work can be carried out within Britten-Norman’s MRO facilities.
The firm added that the new GAR service can also be made available to support existing Islander operators considering fleet renewal programmes. “Recovered aircraft may be eligible for trade-in against new Islanders, providing owners with a clear commercial pathway alongside the operational recovery,” said Britten-Norman.
How the new GAR service works in practice
The company’s GAR programme draws on a network of an international network of engineers, pilots and maintenance organisations to establish how and when an aircraft is to be recovered.
It is being offered to Islander operators worldwide, regardless of the state of the aircraft or its age. The GAR team works closely alongside the relevant aviation authorities to enable the safe and swift recovery of any Islander operator that requires assistance.
Speaking about the new GAR service, Lara Harrison, Business Development Director at Britten-Norman, explained that as Islanders are chosen because of their ability to operate where other aircraft cannot, the company recognised that its in-service customer support needed to match the reality of where and how Islanders are flown.
“With our Global Aircraft Recovery service, delivered with specialist industry partners, we can respond quickly when aircraft are grounded in remote locations.”
“As the OEM, we can also help owners take the next step: whether that is refurbishment, remarketing, or a trade-in path that keeps operations moving,” Harrison said.
Why after-sales support is so impotant to Britten-Norman
With six decades of flying behind it, the Islander has carved a niche for itself in modern aviation. Rugged, versatile and boasting short take-off and landing capabilities that few other twin-engined aircraft can match, the Islander has become an icon of British aviation heritage, operating in some of the remotest parts of the world.
Speaking exclusively to Aerospace Global News earlier this year, Harrison explained that although the Islander has competitors in different markets, given that the Islander is so well-suited to a range of operations, there is not one single other aircraft that can truly match the Islander’s capabilities.
“Aftermarket support is a central pillar of what we offer, and we have invested significantly in strengthening it,” said Harrison. The new GAR offering forms part of this service. “
“The goal is simple: every customer should feel that Britten-Norman stands behind their aircraft for its entire service life. With the team and systems we have in place, we have the capacity to do exactly that,” Harrison concluded.
Featured imnage: Britten-Norman
