Britten-Norman has begun ground testing the first Islander aircraft built in the UK since returning full production to Great Britain. On August 26, 2026, the company stated that the aircraft rolled out at its Isle of Wight facility in Bembridge on July 30, 2026, after electrical power was successfully applied.
The aircraft is scheduled to begin flight testing in September 2026, after which it will be delivered to the Falkland Islands Government Air Service (FIGAS). Prior to rollout, technicians installed the aircraft's engines, propellers, cowlings, electrical systems, brakes, and flight control surfaces and mechanisms.
A second airframe is currently progressing through the assembly line while components for follow-on aircraft are under manufacture. Britten-Norman had announced in June 2023 that Islander production would return to Bembridge from Romania due to rising manufacturing costs.
