Australian air charter operator orders 10 Britten-Norman Islander aircraft

Australian air charter operator Torres Strait Air has signed a letter of intent (LOI) with Britten-Norman to order 10 new Islander aircraft as part of a 5-year fleet renewal program valued at $25 million.

Torres Strait Air’s fleet of 7 existing Britten-Norman Islanders form the backbone of the local community and its economy, operating vital sub-regional air transport services across Torres Strait and Cape York Peninsula in Australia’s far north.

The aircraft will be amongst the first to be produced from the UK manufacturer’s new production line at Bembridge Airport on the Isle of Wight. In May 2023, Britten-Norman announced the repatriation and onshoring of its entire production line of new aircraft to Bembridge. All new Islander aircraft feature full IFR glass cockpit technology, all window seating, enlarged baggage access as standard, as well as a higher all-up-mass than earlier variants.

Torres Strait Air CEO Daniel Takai comments, “Our commitment to this investment is for the people of Torres Strait and their future. The world is challenged with increasing sea levels, our island communities, our people’s homes, are at sea level, every effort must be made to offset carbon emission. We act now whilst continuing to provide the highest levels of aviation safety, comfort, efficiency, reliability & affordability to our people and those who come to our pristine waters and beautiful islands.”

Based at Horn Island – Australia’s 10th largest international airport and a major hub of Islander operations, the airline also holds cultural importance and is the first to be 100% indigenous Torres Strait Islander First Nation Australia-owned. The company’s air operator's certificate (AOC) also enables the operation of international flights between Australia and Papua New Guinea.

Operating in one of the world’s most protected regions, the Torres Strait Islands are home to some of the most ecologically complex biodiversity and diverse marine flora and fauna in the Indo-Pacific. Britten-Norman’s Green Futures scheme will further enable the airline to operate responsibly in the region driving a move towards net-zero eco-tourism.

Britten-Norman’s Green Futures scheme allows operators who have purchased directly from the OEM to trade in their aircraft for the manufacturer’s zero carbon Islander product when they become commercially available.

Britten-Norman specializes in manufacturing twin-engine piston and turboprop STOL aircraft for the sub-regional aircraft market. The company is a UK-based SME, exporting 97% of about 1,300 aircraft manufactured to date.