John Britten and Desmond Norman built BN-1 ultralight (1950), then studied BN-2 Islander light transport (13 June 1965). Developed as BN-2A, sustained major production, including improved BN-2B, BN-2T Turbine Islander, military Defender and Maritime Defender, and stretched 3-engined Trislander family. B-N suffered financial problems resulting in takeover by Fairey Group 1972. Fairey in turn went into receivership 1977, and in 1979 Pilatus of Switzerland purchased assets of Britten-Norman (Bembridge), including factory on Isle of Wight and former Fairey SA production at Gosselies, Belgium. Actual manufacture had been transferred to Romania (IRMA, then IAv Bucuresti, now Romaero). See also Pilatus Britten-Norman.