Britten-Norman private jets

The Britten-Norman family

The company has only ever built propeller aircraft, all on the same idea: simple, sturdy twins that use runways other aircraft cannot. For a charter client only one of them matters in practice.

Where an Islander makes sense

From London Farnborough the Britten-Norman Islander also reaches St Mary's on the Isles of Scilly, whose runway is under 700 m, in 2:07 h. That is about the longest leg we would plan without a toilet on board.

Comfort and weather

The cabin of the Britten-Norman twin is about 2.90 m long, 1.09 m wide and 1.24 m high. Passengers sit two by two without an aisle, the engines are right beside the windows, and there is no toilet, galley or cabin crew. With nine adults only soft bags fit; four to six people leave room for normal suitcases and a golf bag.

Flying low and unpressurised, the Islander is more exposed to strong wind, low cloud and icing than a turboprop. For an island trip we plan a spare day and check the ferry as plan B, and the pilot decides whether the aircraft takes off.

Islander or a turboprop

The nearest free Islander may be far from your departure. Clients who ask for one usually compare these turboprops from Cessna, Quest and Pilatus:

What an Islander flight costs

The Britten-Norman Islander is priced from EUR 900 per flight hour for the whole aircraft with pilot and fuel, well below the floor for turboprops of EUR 2,000 in the block below. The Grand Caravan, F406, Kodiak and PC-12 all start at EUR 2,000 per hour.

Business jet price per flight hour

Heavy Jets from EUR 8,300 / hour

Light Jets from EUR 3,200 / hour

Ultra Long Range Jets from EUR 12,000 / hour

Super Midsize Jets from EUR 6,300 / hour

Very Light Jets from EUR 2,500 / hour

Long Range Jets from EUR 9,800 / hour

Midsize Jets from EUR 4,500 / hour

Turboprops from EUR 2,000 / hour

On short legs take-off, landing and positioning weigh most. Nice - Calvi costs from EUR 4,000 for 1:12 h, more than four times the hourly rate, yet split between nine passengers it is one of the cheapest ways to charter a whole aircraft. Hamburg - Sylt shows the gap to a turboprop: from EUR 4,000 in the Islander and from EUR 6,000 in a Grand Caravan, nine minutes quicker.

The Islander prices are calculated with our price model for this type. Few Islanders carry paying passengers in Europe, so the quote may well come on a Grand Caravan, a Kodiak or another aircraft that is free nearby.

Britten-Norman Islander, one way

Turboprops on similar routes

Not included in the table price:

• airport and handling fees, and landing fees at private strips
• passenger taxes in the countries that charge them
• positioning, if the aircraft is based far from your departure
• the pilot's hotel if the aircraft waits overnight on the island

Cheaper flights and Empty Legs

Empty legs on Britten-Norman aircraft are rare, as few of them fly passenger charter. If one fits your route it can be 40-65 % below a normal charter, but the date and route are fixed and the leg can be cancelled if the aircraft is sold for a full trip.

Booking the Islander

For a quote we need:

• the route, including the exact strip if it is grass or private
• date, time and a spare day in case of weather
• the number of passengers and their bags, especially bicycles or fishing gear
• whether a turboprop is acceptable if no Islander is free

The offer names the operator, the version and the seating layout of the aircraft. The contract sets out the price, the payment terms and the operator's rules if weather cancels the flight.

Why book a Britten-Norman flight through us

We know which operators fly the Islander with passengers and which island and grass strips they accept. If a turboprop based nearer works out cheaper once positioning is counted, the quote shows it side by side.

European Private Jets has 14 years in business aviation, offices in Cyprus, Nice, Hamburg and Geneva, and access to about 6,500 aircraft through operators. Write to private@jets.flights or call +357 96407410; the office answers from 08:00 to 23:30, and requests are accepted 24/7.

Our team

Charlotte McKinney

Commercial Director

charlotte.m@jets.flights

Henry Richter

Head of Aviation Department and Data Protection Officer

henry.r@jets.flights

Emma Miller

Director of Development

emma.m@jets.flights

Liam Bishop

Senior Aviation Consultant

liam.b@jets.flights

Oliver Davis

Aviation Consultant

oliver.d@jets.flights

Anna Laurent

Aviation Consultant

anna.l@jets.flights

Questions about Britten-Norman aircraft

• • How much does an Islander flight cost?

  • Nice - Calvi costs from EUR 4,000, London Farnborough - Jersey from EUR 4,500 and London Farnborough - Isles of Scilly from EUR 5,000 for the whole aircraft one way. Airport fees, taxes and any positioning come on top.

• • Is the Islander still built?

  • Yes. Britten-Norman still builds it on the Isle of Wight, and about 1,300 have been built in total.

• • Can I charter a Trislander?

  • Not realistically. The three-engine Britten-Norman type is out of production and very few remain airworthy. For a group above nine we look at two smaller aircraft or a midsize jet.

• • How many people can fly in an Islander?

  • Up to nine passengers sit on the benches behind a single pilot. With nine adults only soft bags fit, so four to six people with luggage is more realistic.

• • Is there a toilet on board?

  • No. We plan legs of up to about two hours, and on longer trips the pilot plans a landing on the way or we suggest a PC-12.

• • Can the Islander land on a grass strip?

  • Yes, grass and unpaved runways are within its approval. The operator must accept the strip, and we need its name, length and surface with the request.

• • Are there Empty Legs on the Islander?

  • Seldom, as only a small number carry paying passengers. If one fits it can be 40-65 % below a normal charter, on the operator's date and route.