Event SW5: Saving the Historic Britten-Norman Islander ‘Charlie November’ – G-AVCN

Arun & Chichester Air Enthusiasts Society presents a talk by Bob Wealthy, Chairman of the Britten-Norman Aircraft Preservation Society, about saving this historic BN-2 Islander from dereliction. Manufactured on the Isle of Wight, the iconic little Islanders are known worldwide as the leading Short Take Off/Landing performance twin-engine aircraft.

Islander ‘Charlie November’ G-AVCN is an aircraft of unique historical importance, as the third BN-2 Islander constructed, the first production Islander, and the oldest of the type still in existence. It was the first Islander to be delivered when it was handed to Glos Air on 13 August 1967 and made the first scheduled passenger flight for the new Channel Islands operator Aurigny Air Services in 1968. In 1976 it was exported to the Caribbean region where it served until 1999, when it was withdrawn from use and lay semi-derelict at Isla Grande Airport in Puerto Rico.

It was recovered to the UK and the restored aircraft now resides at the Wight Military & Heritage Museum at Cowes on the Isle of Wight, and was officially unveiled in April 2023.

It is a fitting tribute to John Britten and Desmond Norman and all who have contributed to its success and its importance in the context of the UK’s aviation industrial heritage.

This event is suitable for children aged 12 and over, tickets on the door, no booking required. Guests £10, members £5.

Speaker’s background

Bob Wealthy has a lifelong interest in aviation, particularly the British Aviation Industry and the aviation history of the Isle of Wight and surrounding area. Bob has had a long career in engineering that started with an electrical engineering apprenticeship with the General Electric Company at Portsmouth, eventually finishing up with the Astrium space company, part of EADS, now Airbus Defence and Space.

Following retirement in 2006 he pursued his interest in aviation heritage and also volunteers at the Solent Sky Aviation Museum in Southampton. In 2010 he became involved with the restoration of Islander G-AVCN that was completed in early 2023 after some 12 years of work by the restoration team.

Tickets on the door: guests £10, members £5.