UK Army Air Corps designation: Islander AL. Mk 1
Royal Air Force designation: Islander CC. Mk 2/2A
TYPE: Utility turboprop twin.
PROGRAMME: Turboprop Islander; first flight of prototype (G-BPBN) 2 August 1980 with two Allison (now Rolls-Royce) 250-B17Cs; British CAA certification received end of May 1981; first production aircraft delivered December 1981; FAR Pt 23 US type approval 15 July 1982; full icing clearance to FAR Pt 25 gained 23 July 1984.
CUSTOMERS: Total 65 aircraft delivered by December 1999, mainly of the Defender variant. No recent deliveries; several intended BN2Ts completed as BN2Bs at Romanian factory before delivery to UK. Customers include the Rhine Army Parachute Association. For turbine (BN2T) version, customers include Moroccan Ministry of Fisheries, Pakistan Maritime Security Agency, Belgian Gendarmerie, Netherlands Police, Royal Air Force, UK Army Air Corps and Mauritius Coast Guard.
COSTS: Direct operating cost (2003) £158.05 per hour (900+ hours annual utilisation; 0.90 mmh/fh).
DESIGN FEATURES: As for piston-engined version; turboprops enable use of available low-cost jet fuel; low operating noise level; available for same range of applications as Islander. Defender has four underwing hardpoints for standard NATO pylons to attach fuel tanks, weapons and other stores; number of additional airframe options, including sliding door on rear port side which can be opened in flight, are also offered. Concept of Defender is to provide a low-cost airframe which can be fitted with best available sensors to meet operational needs of customers.
Description of BN2B Islander applies also to BN2T and Defender, except as follows:
POWER PLANT: Two 298 kW (400 shp) Rolls-Royce 250-B17C turboprops, flat rated at 238.5 kW (320 shp), and each driving a Hartzell three-blade constant-speed fully feathering metal propeller. Usable fuel 814 litres (215 US gallons; 179 Imp gallons). Pylon-mounted underwing tanks, each of 227 litres (60.0 US gallons; 50.0 Imp gallons) capacity, are available optionally for special purposes. Total oil capacity 5.7 litres (1.5 US gallons; 1.25 Imp gallons).
ACCOMMODATION: Generally as for BN2B. In ambulance role can accommodate, in addition to pilot, a single stretcher, one medical attendant and five seated occupants; or two stretchers, one attendant and three passengers; or three stretchers, two attendants and one passenger. Other possible layouts include photographic and geophysical survey; parachutist transport or trainer (with accommodation for up to eight parachutists and a dispatcher); and pest control or other agricultural spraying. Maritime Turbine Islander/Defender versions available for fishery protection, coast guard patrol, pollution survey, search and rescue, and similar applications. In-flight sliding parachute door optional.
AVIONICS: Comms: Optional maritime band and VHF transceivers.
Flight: VLF/Omega nav system; radar altimeter.
Self-defence (Military versions): Since at least 1994 Army Air Corps Islander AL.Mk 1s have had provision for AN/ALQ-144 IR jammer under fuselage. Lockheed Martin IRCM suite tested on AAC Islander in early 1998.
EQUIPMENT: According to mission, can include fixed tailboom or towed bird magnetometer, spectrometer, or electromagnetic detection/analysis equipment (geophysical survey); one or two cameras, navigation sights and appropriate avionics (photographic survey); 189 litre (50.0 US gallon; 41.5 Imp gallon) micronair underwing spraypods complete with pump and rotary atomiser (pest control/agricultural spraying versions); dinghies, survival equipment and special crew accommodation (maritime versions). Optimal installations for British Army Islanders include photographic surveillance package of door-mounted Zeiss 610 camera, vertical Zeiss Trilens 80 mm and either F126 vertical, RMK vertical or two KS-153 vertical cameras; Vinten F143 panoramic is also available.
