Australian Air Charter Operator Torres Strait Air has indicated that it will order 10 new Islander aircraft from Britten Norman as part of a 5-year fleet renewal programme valued at $25million – and the aircraft will be built here on the Isle of Wight.
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.
The 10 new aircraft will be amongst the 1st to be produced from the UK manufacturer’s new production line at Bembridge Airport. In June, Britten-Norman announced the repatriation and onshoring of its entire production line of new aircraft to Bembridge, as previously reported by Island Echo.
It was also reported last month that Spirit Air India have ordered 6 Islanders, also to be built at Bembridge. It means a minimum of 16 Islanders are due to be built at Bembridge in the near future, with final assembly taking place at Lee-on-Solent.
Daniel Takai, Torres Strait Air CEO, has said:
“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.”
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.
Nice little earner.!
Shame that they do not manufacture a floating bridge.!
Nice to see India spending some money, 6 new planes which must be around 15 million, plus recently landing on the moon which cost 75 million.
Great to see the billions of our foreign aid money is being spent wisely
This is how the UK’s oligarchs embezzle money from the tax man. They own the companies that benefit from the foreign aid. State level money laundering. Putin learned all his money stealing tricks from us.