Britten-Norman Trislander
Britten-Norman · United Kingdom · first flew 1970 · airliner
The Britten-Norman Trislander is a 17-seat stretched development of the BN-2 Islander with a third piston engine mounted on the vertical fin, giving it a uniquely recognisable three-engine configuration.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 3 × piston, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Fuselage stretched 2.29 m ahead of the wing compared with the Islander to accommodate up to 17 passengers |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Third engine mounted on top of the tail at the fin root — the defining recognition feature distinguishing it from the twin-engine Islander
- Fuselage stretched 2.29 m ahead of the wing compared with the Islander to accommodate up to 17 passengers
- Fixed tricycle undercarriage on long struts beneath the boxy fuselage; straight high wing with two wing-mounted Lycoming O-540 engines plus the third on the fin
The tail-mounted third engine is unmistakable and unique — no other scheduled airliner mounts a piston engine on the fin. The longer fuselage distinguishes it from the standard twin Islander when the tail engine is not visible; count side windows for confirmation.
Specifications
- The Britten-Norman Trislander has a length of 15.01 m (49 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 16.15 m (53 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 290 km/h (180 mph).
- Typical crew: 1.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Britten-Norman developed the Trislander as a low-cost way to create a larger Islander: stretch the fuselage and add a third Lycoming engine to the fin to avoid a major redesign. The prototype flew on 11 September 1970 and the type entered service with Aurigny Air Services in 1971. Around 73 were built, with production ending in 1982.
Variants
The baseline Trislander (BN-2A-III) was the only significant production model; various minor modifications were incorporated over the production run. Turbine conversions were proposed but never achieved significant numbers.
Where you'll see it
Aurigny Air Services of Guernsey is the most famous Trislander operator, using the type for decades on Channel Islands inter-island routes including Guernsey to Alderney. Loganair also operated the Trislander on Scottish island routes in the 1970s, serving communities across the Hebrides and Northern Isles.
Related aircraft
- Britten-Norman BN-2B Defender
- Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander
- Britten-Norman BN-2B Islander
- BN-2T Turbine Islander
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