Isle of Wight-Built Britten-Norman Islander VP-FTS Arrives in Falkland Islands After Atlantic Delivery Flight
Why It MattersThe first Islander assembled entirely in the UK brings full civil production of the type back to Britain, reinforcing demand for rugged short-field utility aircraft among remote-region government operators.
A new Britten-Norman Islander, registered VP-FTS, arrived at Stanley Airport in the Falkland Islands on Monday, 9 November, to join the Falkland Islands Government Air Service (FIGAS), completing a delivery flight that began in the UK on 20 October. The aircraft is the first Islander assembled entirely in the UK from individual components at Britten-Norman's Bembridge facility on the Isle of Wight, marking the return of full civil Islander manufacturing to the United Kingdom. It made its maiden flight on 3 September and was formally handed over to FIGAS Chief Pilot Troyd Bowles on 8 October.
Fitted with additional ferry tanks, VP-FTS left the UK on 20 October and travelled via Iceland, Greenland, Canada and the United States before continuing down through South America. The journey included 13 fuel stops and a small maintenance stopover in Florida. On arrival, the aircraft made a celebratory flight along Stanley Harbour and a flypast of Stanley Airport before touching down at around 14:30. Members of the local community were encouraged to turn out and welcome it.
FIGAS has operated Britten-Norman Islanders for more than four decades, providing air connections between settlements across the Falkland Islands. The aircraft are used for passenger transport, freight and mail deliveries, medical flights, environmental monitoring and charter operations, regularly operating from short grass and gravel airstrips. A FIGAS representative said Islanders remain the most suitable aircraft for its operations, citing their suitability for short runways, practical payload and familiarity to crews and engineers.
