Britten Norman (Pilatus) BN2A-21 - BN2B-21 Islander

Already in 1973 the Belgian Army started looking for a replacement for the Dornier Do27 and in 1975 it was decided to purchase 12 Britten Norman BN2A-21 Islanders. The contract was signed on November 19th, 1975 and was valued at 139 million Bfr/aircraft.
The aircraft were build at Fairey, Gosselies and completed at Bembridge (Isle of Wight, UK). Aircraft B-01 to B-05 were used for transport and liaison missions, B-06 to B-08 for paradrops while the remaining Islanders were mainly used for reconnaissance missions. During their careers the aircraft were converted from BN2A-21 to BN2B-21 standards.
One aircraft (B-02) was equipped with a SLAR (Side Looking Airborne Radar), infra-red and UV sensors for the detection of marine pollution by ships in the North Sea. The last Islanders were withdrawn from military service in late 2004. In 2005 two aircraft (the already modified B-02 and B-09 as spares source) were reserved for the Management Unit of the North Sea Mathematical Models, the operational aircraft is now operated under a Belgian civil registration. In early 2006 all remaining aircraft were offered for sale to the highest bidder.

B01 c/n 466 ex G-BDJA (testregistration) Callsign OT-ALA
Equipped for transport and liaison

220975: first flight
030676: taken on charge
000500-000800: deployed to Benin to act as medevac aircraft during a training mission of the Royal Military School, 'Red Cross'-marks added.
050505: stored Brasschaat
010705: kept airworthy at Brasschaat to maintain fixed-wing pilot qualification
070705: noted operational Antwerp
070705: wfu
270106: offered for sale at Brasschaat (tt 6186 hours, 6852 landings)
000006: sold to the French-Belgian company 'United Mining Supply' who intend to use it as a supply aircraft in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
070906: noted as 3X-GEF (Deurne-Antwerp), the aircraft was demilitaried and got an overhaul at Styl Aviation before departure to the Congo.
161106: departed from Deurne-Antwerp on delivery to its new owner

Britten Norman (Pilatus) BN2A-21 - BN2B-21 Islander - Belgian Military Aircraft Database

Kleine Brogel 310802 - Photo Daniel Brackx

B02 c/n 468 ex G-BDHG (testregistration) Callsign OT-ALB
Equipped for transport and liaison

011075: first flight
250576: taken on charge
000991: modified for Pollution Control
310305: wfu
050505: stored Brasschaat
100605: transferred to Management Unit of the North Sea Mathematical Models (MUMM)
210605: ferried for inspection and repairs to the Bembridge (Isle of Wight) Britten Norman factory
270206: registered OO-MMM (CofA 10036) Institut Royal des Sciences Naturelles de Belgique, to be used by 'Unité du Modéle Mathematique de la Mer du Nord de l'Institut Royal des Sciences Naturelles de Belgique (Beheerseenheid van het Mathematisch Model Noordzee Koninklijk Belgisch Instituut voor Natuurwetenschappen), officially based at Antwerp

Bierset 030600 - Photo Daniel Brackx

B03 c/n 476 ex G-BDJV (testregistration) Callsign OT-ALC
Equipped for transport and liaison (AW/IFF radar)

081175: first flight
030676: taken on charge
140203: Cat.? Heavy landing by a student-pilot during a IFT trainingsflight at Brasschaat. The nosegear collapsed, damage to the nose and structural damage to the fuselage. Due to the planned retirement of the type the aircraft was not repaired. (tt 6277 hrs)
080803: noted in mantenance hangar Brasschaat
030504: noted stored Brasschaat (outside)
270106: wreck offered for sale at Brasschaat (tt 6277,20 hours, 6410 landings)
000006: sold to Cormack Aircrft Services Ltd.
080806: registered G-BDJV, Cormack Aircraft Services Ltd, Cumbernauld Airport, 2-6 Duncan McIntosh Road, Wardpark North, Cumbernauld, Glasgow, United Kingdom G68 0HH, United Kingdom
080906: noted at Cumbernault (United Kingdom).

Bierset 030601 - Photo Daniel Brackx

B04 c/n 498 ex G-BDPN (testregistration) Callsign OT-ALD
Equipped for transport and liaison (AW/IFF radar)

090376: first flight
010776: taken on charge
010204: first noted stored Brasschaat
000604: wfu
270106: offered for sale at Brasschaat (tt 6100 hours, 5460 landings)
000006: sold to Fly BN Ltd
080806: registered G-BDPN Fly BN LTD, Hangar 3, Bembridge Airport, Bembridge, PO35 5PR, United Kingdom
251006: departed Brasschaat to Bembridge as G-BDPN
011106: noted at Bembridge
150509: cancelled as G-BDPN
150509: registered as G-ECZA

Brasschaat 240206 - Photo Daniel Brackx

B05 c/n 501 ex G-BDPP (testregistration) Callsign OT-ALE
Equipped for transport and liaison

160376: first flight
160776: taken on charge
001284: emergency landing on sandband in the river Schelde
231188: damaged during hangarfire at Butzeweilerhof (Germany)
000089: to Technical School at Saffraanberg as instructional airframe
120594: last noted as instructional airframe at Technical School, Saffraanberg
170995: noted stored Bierset
000196: last noted stored Bierset
050207: wreck offered for sale at Bierset
000507: first noted stored at PS Aero, Baarlo (the Netherlands)
151207: noted stored at PS Aero, Kessel (the Netherlands).

Brasschaat - 120982 - Photo Daniel Brackx

B06 c/n 510 ex G-BDPU (testregistration) Callsign OT-ALF

Equipped for paradrops
270376: first flight
240876: taken on charge
231188: damaged during hangarfire at Butzweilerhof (Germany) (was not repaired)
000000: noted stored Bützweilerhof (Germany)
000489: arrived for preservation at Brussels Air Museum.

Brussels 030405 - Photo Laurent Heyligen (c)

B07 c/n 523 ex G-BDVX (testregistration) Callsign OT-ALG
Equipped for paradrops

040676: first flight
100976: taken on charge 040676 eerste vlucht / ex G-BDVX
240703: wfu
080803: noted wfu in maintenance hangar Brasschaat, was being cannibalised for spares
050505: noted stored Brasschaat (outside)
270106: offered for sale at Brasschaat (tt 5093 hours, 7451 landings)
000006: sold to Fly BN Ltd.
080806: registered G-BDVX Fly BN Ltd, Hangar 3, Bembridge Airport, Bembridge, PO35 5PR, United Kingdom
251006: departed Brasschaat to Bembridge as G-BDVX
011106: noted at Bembridge
210507: cancelled as G-BDVX
210507: registered as G-OBNL B-N Group Ltd, Bembridge Airport, Bembridge, PO35 5PR, United Kingdom
300410: cancelled as G-OBNL
000610: first noted as D-ISLE Air Hamburg, Hamburg-Fühlsbuttel

Brasschaat - Photo Fernand Domange

B08 c/n 531 ex G-BDZI (testregistration) Callsign OT-ALH
Equipped for paradrops

070776: first flight
201076: taken on charge
050505: noted stored Brasschaat
010705: kept airworthy at Brasschaat to maintain fixed-wing pilot qualification
290805: wfu
270106: offered for sale at Brasschaat (tt 5390 hours, 2637 landings)
000006: sold to Fly BN Ltd
080806: registered G-BDZI Fly BN Ltd, Hangar 3, Bembridge Airport, Bembridge, PO35 5PR, United Kingdom
251006: departed Brasschaat to Bembridge as G-BDZI
011106: noted at Bembridge
171210: cancelled as G-BDZI,
000000: sold to the Bahamas as C6-BLC

Bierset 310503 - Photo Jos Schoofs

B09 c/n 533 ex G-BDZK (testregistration) Callsign OT-ALI
Equipped for aerial photography (AW/IFF radar)

040876: first flight
181176: taken on charge
050505: noted stored Brasschaat
100605: transferred to Management Unit of the North Sea Mathematical Models (MUMM) (to be used as a spares source)
210605: ferried to the Bembridge (Isle of Wight) Britten Norman factory (fuel stop at Koksijde), engine problems forced the aircraft to return to Braschaat
220605 ferried to the Bembridge (Isle of Wight) Britten Norman factory (after repairs at Brasschaat)
100807: registered G-BDZK for B-N Group Ltd, Bembridge, United Kingdom
200907: noted at East Midlands (Nottingham) in a basic military colorscheme with registration G-BDZK
011007: first noted at East Midlands (Nottingham) in a white colorscheme with black/brown cheatlines, registration G-BDZK
121007: cancelled as G-BDZK
121007: registered N21BN, Panthers Inc, Wilmington, Delawara, USA.
141107: ferry-flight to the USA via the following route : Bembridge - Stornoway – Reykjavik – Kulusuk – Kangerlussuak – Iqaluit – Kuujuak - Sept Iles - Bangor - Atlantic City - Charleston - Opa Locka
000108: at Opa Locke where additional avionics are being installed
141108: cancelled as N21BN, exported to Venezuela

Brasschaat 060504 - Photo Daniel Brackx

B10 c/n 541 ex G-BEDW (testregistration) Callsign OT-ALJ
Equipped for aerial photography (AW/IFF radar)

231276: taken on charge
050505: noted stored Brasschaat
270106: offered for sale at Brasschaat (tt 5995 hours, 7100 landings)
000006: sold to Fly BN Ltd.
080806: registered G-BEDW Fly BN Ltd., Hangar 3, Bembridge Airport, Bembridge, PO35 5PR, United Kingdom
251006: departed Brasschaat to Bembridge as G-BEDW
011106: noted at Bembridge
260810: cancelled as G-BEDW
260810: registered G-JPEG BN Group Ltd
150910: to APEM LTD, Riverview, A17 The Embankment Business Park, Heaton Mersey, Stockport SK4 3GN

Brasschaat 240206 - Photo Daniel Brackx

B11 c/n 549 ex G-BEED (testregistration) Callsign OT-ALK
Equipped for aerial photography

051076: first flight
120177: taken on charge
310503: noted Bierset (wfu?)
220404: noted stored Bierset (outside, no engines) 210904 noted stored Bierset
000000: restored, to be used as gateguard at Bierset
030605: first noted Bierset (ready to be placed near gate)
080905: placed at gateguard Bierset

030605 Bierset - Photo Laurent Heyligen (c)

B12 c/n 553 ex G-BEFI (testregistration) Callsign OT-ALL
Equipped for aerial photography

141076: first flight
110277: taken on charge
000504: wfu
050505: noted stored Brasschaat
270106: offered for sale at Brasschaat (tt 5040 hours, 6813 landings)
000006: sold to Fly BN Ltd.
080806: registered G-BEFI Fly BN Ltd, Hangar 3, Bembridge Airport, Bembridge, PO35 5PR, United Kingdom
251006: departed Brasschaat to Bembridge as G-BEFI
011106: noted at Bembridge
111207: noted at Nottingham-East Midlands in new white/green colourscheme, with COWI Aerial Survey markings
000008: OY-CKS reserved in Denmark
190208: cancelled as G-BEFI
200208: registered OY-CKS for Cowi A/S

Beauvechain 200684 - Photo Daniel Brackx

LaurentH	Latest page update: made by LaurentH , Feb 19 2011, 8:59 PM EST (about this update About This Update Edited by LaurentH 25 words added view changes - complete history)
	Keyword tags: Bembridge Bierset Brasschaat Britten-Norman Fly BN Ltd Gosselies Islander Pilatus More Info: links to this page

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Part 2 : BA21 - BA40	Aerospatiale SA.330C-L-H Puma	Part 1 : BA01 - BA20
Part 3 : BA41 - BA63	Dornier Do 27J-1	Britten-Norman (Pilatus) BN2T Islander
Part 5 : BR01 - BR27	Part 4 : BD01 - BD16	Cierva C30A Autogiro

Britten Norman (Pilatus) BN2A-21 - BN2B-21 Islander

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