Britten-Norman Trislander

infobox Aircraft
name = Trislander
type = Airliner
logo =
manufacturer = Britten-Norman



caption =
designer =
first flight = 1970
introduction =
retired =
status =
primary user = Aurigny Air Services
more users =
produced =
number built = 72
unit cost =
developed from = Britten-Norman Islander
variants with their own articles =

The Britten-Norman Trislander (more formally designated the BN-2A Mk III Trislander) is an 18-seat three-engined piston-powered civilian utility aircraft produced in the 1970s and early 1980s by Britten-Norman of Britain. The aircraft were produced on the Isle of Wight. They were also produced in Romania, and delivered via Belgium to Britain for their certification. [ [http://www.bnhistorians.co.uk Britten-Norman Historians website] ]

The aircraft are known locally in the Channel Islands as Joeys, and one Aurigny Air Services craft carries the registration G-JOEY.

Design and development

The Trislander is a further development of Britten-Norman's better-known Islander aircraft in order to give it a larger carrying capacity. In comparison with the Islander, the Trislander has a stretched fuselage, strengthened landing gear and a third engine. The third engine is a tractor engine mounted on the fuselage centre line atop the vertical stabilizer. The Trislander has a fixed tricycle undercarriage.

The prototype of the Trislander, which was constructed from the original second Islander prototype, first flew on September 11 1970. Initial production ceased in 1982 after 73 were ordered. As of January 2008 Britten-Norman is preparing a second production run of the Trislander. [ [http://www.britten-norman.com/products/bn2a3/index.html Britten-Norman Trislander] ]

The Trislander is capable of taking off from a 450 m long landing strip and can also readily operate from unprepared surfaces.

Variants

* BN-2A Mk III-1 : First production version.

* BN-2A Mk III-2 : Lengthened nose and higher operating weight

* BN-2A Mk III-3 : Variant certified for operation in the United States

* BN-2A Mk III-4 : III-2 fitted with rocket-assisted takeoff equipment

* Trislander M : Proposed military version.

Operators/Former Operators

;UK
*Aurigny Air Services
*Blue Islands
*Loganair
*Lydd Air;NZ
*Great Barrier Airlines;PAN
*PARSA
*Aero Taxi
*Chitreana de Aviacion;USA
*Vieques Air Link
*Wings Airways;COL
*Tavina

pecifications (III-2)

aerospecs
ref= [Orbis 1985, pp 993]
met or eng?= eng

crew=1
capacity=17 passengers
length m=15.01
length ft=49
length in=3
span m=16.15
span ft=53
span in=0
swept m=
swept ft=
swept in=
rot number=
rot dia m=
rot dia ft=
rot dia in=
dia m=
dia ft=
dia in=
width m=
width ft=
width in=
height m=4.32
height ft=14
height in=2
wing area sqm=31.31
wing area sqft=337
swept area sqm=
swept area sqft=
rot area sqm=
rot area sqft=
volume m3=
volume ft3=
aspect ratio=
empty weight kg=2650
empty weight lb=5843
gross weight kg=4536
gross weight lb=10000
lift kg=
lift lb=

eng1 number=3
eng1 type=Avco Lycoming O-540-E4C5 horizontally-opposed piston engine
eng1 kw= 194
eng1 hp= 260
eng1 kn=
eng1 lbf=
eng1 kn-ab=
eng1 lbf-ab=
eng2 number=
eng2 type=
eng2 kw=
eng2 hp=
eng2 kn=
eng2 lbf=
eng2 kn-ab=
eng2 lbf-ab=

max speed kmh=267
max speed mph=167
max speed mach=
cruise speed kmh=
cruise speed mph=
range km=1609
range miles=1000
endurance h=
endurance min=
ceiling m=4010
ceiling ft=13,150
glide ratio=
climb rate ms=
climb rate ftmin=
sink rate ms=
sink rate ftmin=

armament1=
armament2=
armament3=
armament4=
armament5=
armament6=

References

Notes

Bibliography

*cite book |last= |first= |authorlink= |coauthors= |title= The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985)|year= |publisher= Orbis Publishing|location= |issn=

External links