Page 30 - Aviation News (February 2020)

On all three powerplants, two Loganair used Trislanders such as G-BAXD, the The rugged build and ability to
propeller blades are fi tted, except tenth example built and the fi rst from Belgian operate into areas where airfi elds are
for the aircraft operated by Aurigny, production, for services to the Hebrides less developed and ground transport is
which put three-bladed propellers and Orkney Islands from 1973. Bob O’Brien di cult was appreciated by operators.
Collection
on the wing-mounted engines of its Several commuter airlines operated
aircraft to reduce noise and increase the fi ctional adventures of a yellow the Trislander on short scheduled
the maximum take-o weight. The Aurigny Trislander, which he called Joey. passenger services. Its low speed
Trislander won Britten-Norman the UK So successful were they, that Aurigny handling characteristics, reasonable
Queen’s Award for Industry for technical had one of its Trislanders painted with endurance and increased payload over
innovation in 1975. a face like the one in the books and the Islander, coupled with a low noise
registered G-JOEY. The concept acquired signature compared to larger aircraft and
THE AURIGNY STORY a strong following over many years economical operating costs made it a very
Aurigny is a state-owned airline based and when it came time to retire the attractive proposition.
on Guernsey in the Channel Islands. The Trislanders, a campaign was established Capable of taking o from a 1,500ft
name derives from the original Norman to have Joey put on display in Guernsey (457m) long strip, the Trislander can easily
word for the nearby island of Alderney. rather than being sold. G-JOEY made its operate from runways with unprepared
Within the islands there are three main last fl ight on June 28, 2015, after 40 years surfaces and has seen service in many
airports: Jersey, Guernsey and Alderney. of service and in November of that year it areas with rugged landscapes, in countries
The Trislander was used principally on was announced that it would be preserved as diverse as Australia and Venezuela.
routes connecting the three islands, but on the island. The venue chosen for Examples are still to be found in
also operated fl ights to northern France Joey’s new home was Oatlands Village, a service in Puerto Rico, Anguilla and
and the south coast of England. local tourist attraction. Guyana for example. It is on inter-island
Aurigny operated the world’s largest Between the late 1990s and late routes that the type has proved popular,
fl eet of Trislanders, with 16 having seen 2000s, Aurigny’s Trislanders (except for where the provision of the third engine
service with the airline. Such was the G-JOEY and G-XTOR) were also used for was seen by many operators as an
suitability of the aircraft for these routes advertising, such as Royal Bank of Canada additional safety option when operating
that they were in regular service with the and Islands Insurance. over water. For example, Loganair, based
airline for 45 years. Two other examples are being in Glasgow, operated the Trislander on
In April 2014, Aurigny announced preserved. G-RLON was fl own to Lee- routes from there to Barra, a unique
that it would retire its remaining fi ve on-Solent airfi eld and is due to be put airport in the Outer Hebrides islands,
Trislanders, although the fi nal fl ight did on display at the Solent Sky Museum in situated o the west coast of Scotland,
not take place until May 31, 2017. Southampton. The other aircraft (G-BEVT) where the landing strip is in fact a stretch
Author Peter Seabourne produced a is displayed at the Imperial War Museum of hard-packed sandy beach and the
series of children’s books based around at Duxford, Cambridgeshire. timetable is governed by local tides.

The Trislander was ideal for serving such
destinations as Vieques, o the east coast of
Puerto Rico. Two examples, including N905VL,
are still in operation with Vieques Air Link.
AirTeamImages.com/Hector A Rivera Valentin

28 AVIATION NEWS FEBRUARY 2020

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