Trilander

[notmyC150v2]

Going back a bit in time here but ...

Can anyone tell me what manufacturer made the Trilander? I flew in one back in 1976 from Cairns to Aurukun when it was part of Bush Pilots fleet.

It had car doors on both sides of the aircraft for each row of bench seats and three engines (one on the top of the tail). I haven't seen one for years and I was wondering if they were still around.

The flight was not real fair on a six year old for a 2 hour flight with no loo, no way of moving around and no magic marker books to play with. It also felt like we were taking off for the whole flight, we must have flown at a 45 degree angle the whole bloody way.

I concede that the passing of time may have exaggerated the angle somewhat.

For us kids the coolest part of the flight was when the pilot reached under his seat, grabbed a tupperware box full of sandwhiches and handed them over the back of his seat, ahh the good old days of Bushies and good service. Not to mention grooven airplanes (personal favorite was the DC-3 landing over the Aurukun school).

[Atlas Shrugged]

Ah....the Volvo of the skies!

Britten-Norman, circa 1960.

AS

http://airlines.afriqonline.com/images/p108.jpg

[notmyC150v2]

Yeah that's it. Thanks Atlas.

I don't remember it being that ugly though... age is a funny thing.

Any ideas as to why there aren't any around any more? Do they still make them?

Can anyone tell me what they were like to fly?

And was that third engine really necessay? Why couldn't they just make the two normal ones a bit bigger??

[tinpis]

Bushys were still operating one in the 80's I think.
A nice touch was the rear view mirror to see the rear engine.Also the rear engine fire warning with ...yep...no extinguisher.

[flyby_kiwi]

They're operating over here out of Auckland to Great Barrier (Island).

Not sure how many ( 2 or 3 ???) but they have been recently acquired ie last year or two.

Apparently these one's come from a mininng operation in Western Aus. Not sure if they were flying or in storage prior to export tho.

www.greatbarrierairlines.co.nz

[Animalclub]

Ask a few pilots who were based in Vanimo about the Trislander - and they'll tell you it was great on the coast but bloody hopeless around Telefomin.

The above photograph makes the aircraft look almost attractive compared to ones we used to see in PNG!!!

[the wizard of auz]

the one from West Auz was flying untill it was sold.
has to be one of the loudest and uncomfortable aircraft I have ever flown. Check the leading edges out from close quarters........must be close to ten kilos of bog thrown in there last time I looked. had a bugger of a time taxi ingnas the automotive aftermarket seats were to far from the peddles.......and I just make six foot.

[Towering Q]

I heard the West Oz Trilander, the one from the "mining operation" (sounds better than "mill relining outfit")..eh Wiz, was headed to NZ. That was some time ago, maybe it got lost.

It was always entertaining watching the two rear "passengers" pulling the tail stand out and stowing it in the rear whilst numbers 1 and 2 engines were going.:uhoh:

[Tinstaafl]

Notmy....

The Trislander was a development of the Britten-Norman Islander. It was a relatively cheap way for B-N to develop a larger aircraft since they already had the BN2 Islander in production. The BN2 Islander is a 10 seater twin engine a/c designed for short runways. It's loud, cramped & not particularly pleasant to fly.

They extended the fuselage forward & aft (mostly forward) of the wings to fit another 4 rows of seats. The Islander's engines were already towards the high horsepower end of what's commonly available so how to get the extra horsepower needed, preferably keeping commonality with the original aircraft? They decided a 3rd engine in the fin was a relatively simple way to do it, requiring minimal changes to the base airframe. They were even able to keep the loudness, crampedness & general unpleasantness.

[haughtney1]

Its why the Caravan was invented......10-13 seats...quiet..faster..easier to fly.....cheaper to run and maintain....oh and something like 3 times as reliable.:p

[Fris B. Fairing]

Not to mention the rear vision mirror. I had always assumed that it wasn't to check for the hun in the sun but rather to monitor the health (or indeed presence) of #2. Any drivers care to comment?

Cheers

[Torres]

notmyC150v2. Chances are the Trislander you flew in may be the same "aircraft", or a sister ship to the aircraft mentioned by flyby_kiwi. Bush Pilots had (from memory) around five. I use the term "sister ship" as I suspect the original design may have originated in a Belfast ship yard, from the doodlings of the office tea lady, between morning tea and lunch.

Maybe four (?) of those Bushies "aircraft" found their way to Douglas Airways in Papua New Guinea. One found it's way into the Ramu River and the PNG industry heaved a collective sigh of relief when it never flew again.

Two came back from Douglas to Cape York Air in Cairns and were eventually sold, one to Murchison Relines in West Australia, the other to Victoria. One of the registrations was VH-BSP, can't remember the other. The FNQ aviation heaved a collective sigh of relief.

Google found VH-BSP here (http://www.airliners.net/search/photo.search?regsearch=VH-BSP&distinct_entry=true) and here (http://www.moorabbinairport.com.au/gallery/VH-BSP.jpg). You go look - I don't want to see!! :{

I heard one remained derelict at Port Morbid airport. Don't know if it's still there, but hope so!

If the Australian Trislanders have now gone to New Zealand, the Australian aviation industry can now heave a collective sigh of relief!

Incidentally, the last twelve production "aircraft" may never have flown. I am lead to believe they were shipped to Australia (northern NSW), partially assembled/constructed and were placed in storage for many years. Hopefully they now serve a far more useful life as pots, pans and beer cans.

Tinpis, covered your point above. Yup, went into the Ramu I think, maybe Josephstal? :ok: Mike Grant's incident involved C402 VH-SUB ... er sorry, VH-SAB, ex Sepik Air Charter. All the passengers got to swim but Mike didn't even get wet :E. I was not aware that aircraft was ever found. Mike died some years later in an aircraft accident in Africa.


Correction: VH-SAB (and I think the Trislander) went into the Ramu at Annanberg, not Josephsatl.

[tinpis]

Torres didnt one go for a swim in the Ramu off the end of the same strip Mike Grant plunked the 402 in?
If I'm right I believe a few never made it out of that one.
I also seem to recall the salvage operation found the 402 as well.

[always inverted]

How so, Volvo claim to be the safest car on the market...
BTW,
Great Barrier Airlines has aquired a trilander from perth. The training captain flew it back and then aparently got a big interior/ paint O/H.
They have 2 flying at the moment.
Flys with a nose high att and like an islander for noise.

[Torres]

It seems Britten Norman BN2A MK III-1 VH-BSP and sister ship VH-BSG were operated by Burnett Airways in the late 1970's or 1980's.

There was another Trislander in West Australia used as a geological survey aircraft with wire antenna strung all around it. It may have been VH-NKW?

I just found this:

Press Release - 13 February 2003

Britten-Norman Aircraft group is to re-start manufacture of the Trislander regional commuter aircraft.

Powered by three 260 hp Lycoming engines, the Trislander has proved a popular complement to the Islander and is the only single-pilot civil aircraft capable of carrying 17 passengers. The first new Trislander is being built at BNA's UK factory at Bembridge on the Isle of Wight. It will be used as a demonstrator, undertaking a world tour to convert current high levels of interest into the firm orders required for BNA to move back into full scale production.

Hopefully it never happened! :sad:

[TIMMEEEE]

Had the distinct displeasure of flying the BN2 MKIII around Vanimo/Madang back in the late eighties.

Yep, it was really a truck and heavy on the controls but could carry 17 pax from a decent sized strip.

On the coast it was fine, but trying to levitate it from a strip such as Lumi or Anguganak required deft of hand and alot of faith in one's weight estimation and loading!!

Was great to have an extra 15 knots or so TAS, but on the downside doing the balancing act walking along the spine of the aircraft (on the roof) to check the rear engine oil level was quite demanding at times.

With regard to a Trislander that went for a splash, I remember seeing the rear engine exposed at low tide somewhere in the Madang Province.
From memory a few drowned simply because they couldnt take off their seatbelts.

Apparently Norman (of Britten-Norman fame) had on the drawing board what was to be named the "Mainlander" - basically an oversized Islander but with 4 engines and could seat 24 pax.

The mind boggles!!!

[tinpis]

Time for this again methinks :}




Britten-Norman BN2 XL

By a well-known ‘Flight magazine’.

Undaunted by technical realities, the design team at Pilatus Britten - Norman has announced plans for the BN2-XL, promising more noise, reduced payload, a lower cruise speed, and increased pilot workload.

We spoke to Mr. Fred Gribble, former British Rail boilermaker, and now Chief Project Engineer. Fred was responsible for developing many original and creative design flaws in the service of his former employer, and will be incorporating these in the new BN2-XL technology under a licensing agreement. Fred reassured BN-2 pilots, however, that all fundamental design flaws of the original model had been retained. Further good news is that the XL version is available as a retrofit.

Among the new measures is that of locking the ailerons in the central position, following airborne and simulator tests which showed that whilst pilots of average strength were able to achieve up to 30 degrees of control wheel deflection, this produced no appreciable variation in the net flight of the aircraft. Thus the removal of costly and unnecessary linkages has been possible, and the rudder has been nominated as the primary directional control. In keeping with this new philosophy, but to retain commonality for crews’ transitioning to the XL, additional resistance to foot pressure has been built in to the rudder pedals to prevent over-controlling in gusty conditions (defined as those in which wind velocity exceeds 3 knots).

An outstanding feature of Islander technology has always been the adaptation of the O-540 engine which, when mounted in any other aircraft in the free world (except the Trislander) is known for its low vibration levels. The Islander adaptations cause it to shake and batter the airframe, gradually crystallise the main spar, desynchronise the accompanying engine, and simulate the sound of fifty skeletons fornicating in an aluminium dustbin. PBN will not disclose the technology they applied in preserving this effect in the XL but Mr. Gribble assures us it will be perpetrated in later models and sees it as a strong selling point. "After all, the Concorde makes a lot of noise" he said, "and look how fast that goes."

However design documents clandestinely recovered from the PBN shredder have solved a question that has puzzled aerodynamicists and pilots for many years, disclosing that it is actually noise which causes the BN2 to fly. The vibration set up by the engines, and amplified by the airframe, in turn causes the air molecules above the wing to oscillate at atomic frequency, reducing their density and creating lift. This can be demonstrated by sudden closure of the throttles, which causes the aircraft to fall from the sky. As a result, lift is proportional to noise, rather than speed, explaining amongst other things the aircraft's remarkable takeoff performance.

In the driver's cab (as Gribble describes it) ergonomic measures will ensure that long-term PBN pilots' deafness does not cause in-flight dozing. Orthopaedic surgeons have designed a cockpit layout and seat to maximise backache, en-route insomnia, chronic irritability, and terminal (post-flight) lethargy. Redesigned "bullworker" elastic aileron cables, now disconnected from the control surfaces, increase pilot workload and fitness. Special noise retention cabin lining is an innovation on the XL, and it is hoped in later models to develop cabin noise to a level which will enable pilots to relate ear-pain directly to engine power, eliminating the need for engine instruments altogether.

We were offered an opportunity to fly the XL at Britten-Norman's development facility, adjacent to the British Rail tearooms at Little Chortling. (The flight was originally to have been conducted at the Pilatus plant but aircraft of BN design are now prohibited from operating in Swiss airspace during avalanche season). For our mission profile, the XL was loaded with coal for a standard 100 N.M. trip with British Rail reserves, carrying one pilot and nine passengers to maximise discomfort. Passenger loading is unchanged, the normal under-wing protrusions inflicting serious lacerations on 71% of boarding passengers, and there was the usual confusion in selecting a door appropriate to the allocated seat. The facility for the clothing of embarking passengers to remove oil slicks from engine cowls during loading has been thoughtfully retained.

Start-up is standard, and taxiing, as in the BN2 is accomplished by brute force. Takeoff calculations called for a 250-decibel power setting, and the rotation force for the (neutral) C of G was calculated at 180 ft/lbs. of backpressure.

Initial warning of an engine failure during takeoff is provided by a reduction in vibration of the flight instrument panel. Complete seizure of one engine is indicated by the momentary illusion that the engines have suddenly and inexplicably become synchronised. Otherwise, identification of the failed engine is achieved by comparing the vibration levels of the windows on either side of the cabin. (Relative passenger pallor has been found to be an unreliable guide on many BN2 routes because of ethnic consideration).

Shortly after takeoff the XL's chief test pilot, Capt. Mike "Muscles" Mulligan demonstrated the extent to which modern aeronautical design has left the BN2 untouched; he simulated pilot incapacitation by slumping forward onto the control column, simultaneously applying full right rudder and bleeding from the ears. The XL, like its predecessor, demonstrated total control rigidity and continued undisturbed. Power was then reduced to 249 decibels for cruise, and we carried out some comparisons of actual flight performance with graph predictions. At 5000 ft and ISA, we achieved a vibration amplitude of 500 CPS and 240 decibels, for a fuel flow of 210 lb/hr, making the BN2-XL the most efficient converter of fuel to noise after the Titan rocket.

Exploring the Constant noise/Variable noise concepts, we found that in a VNE dive, vibration reached its design maximum at 1000 CPS, at which point the limiting factor is the emulsification of human tissue. The catatonic condition of long-term BN2 pilots is attributed to this syndrome, which commences in the cerebral cortex and spreads outwards. We asked Capt. Mulligan what he considered the outstanding features of the XL. He cupped his hand behind his ear and shouted "Whazzat?"

We returned to Britten-Norman convinced that the XL model retains the marque's most memorable features, whilst showing some significant and worthwhile regressions.
PBN are not, however, resting on their laurels. Plans are already advanced for the Trislander XL and noise tunnel testing has commenced. The basis of preliminary design and performance specifications is that lift increases as the square of the noise, and as the principle of acoustic lift is further developed, a later five-engined vertical take-off model is also a possibility."

All in all, a wonderful aeroplane.

[notmyC150v2]

Aahhh the noise, I had forgotten the noise.

Memory is faulty and silent at the same time...

Thanks for all the info. I did not realise that they were such a dog to fly. I also explains why there just aren't any around in Aus any more.

Talking about the rear view mirror, I told my parents that it was to look at the engine (after reading the posts) and they confessed that they had always thought it was to check for planes overtaking them. Old folks are strange...

[Towering Q]

Simply brilliant!

The conversion of noise to lift may apply to some of the earlier Piper Cherokees.

The Murchison Relines Trilander was VH-MRJ.

If anyone can explain how to add a photo to a post I will provide one of MRJ terrorising the residents of Kalgoorlie.

[Desert Flower]

There was another Trislander in West Australia used as a geological survey aircraft with wire antenna strung all around it. It may have been VH-NKW?

Yep, sure was. God that thing was fugly! Last time I saw it the pilot showed me a dent underneath that he said had been made by a rifle bullet. Apparently an irate farmer had taken a pot shot at it!

DF.

[Animalclub]

Tinstaafl...

The Islander is/was a good aircraft... and it made money for the boss... thus keeping me paid... and I never heard a pilot complain about them - and they would 'cos we were well away from Head Office!!

I had many a close call in one... and that as a passenger!!

[Fris B. Fairing]

Speaking of Burnett Airways, here is a photo of VH-BSP in their livery. The photo was taken from Burnett's other Trislander VH-BSG.

VH-BSP (http://www.adastron.com/squawkid/h1vhbsp.htm)

[flyby_kiwi]

Torres & Others,

The three on the register over here are....

VH-NKW (geological survey) now ZK-LGC
VH-BSP (Burnett Airways) now ZK-LGR
VH-MRJ (Murchison Relines) now ZK-LOU

All registered to GBA although I am 99% sure ZK-LGC/VH-NKW is still undergoing the big refit.

Also sighted around these parts a few months ago was a Turbine BN2 which I think was on its way upto India. Not sure what engines it had in it or where it was from.
Also has anyone seen (if it even made it into production) the Ducted BN2? Could have just been experimental.

[Chimbu chuckles]

Hmm....it's probably fair to say that Ranald Dennis Buchanan's decision to go BN2, DHC6 was somewhat more astute than Biscuit ears decision to go Bn2, BN3, Gonad...plus assorted old Queenairs etc.

While I quite liked old Biscuit ears socially, and always enjoyed a beer at the old dero, I'm forever gratefull I worked for RDB.:ok:

[Tinstaafl]

The Islander is the embodyment of 'classic British design'. That's not exactly a compliment. Built do to one thing - and good at it - but with lots of unnecessary unpleasantness.

When I was flying them I used to imagine Messrs Britten & Norman having a conversation during the design process:

Britten: Well, Norman, from these plans & calculation it looks like we're going to achieve the short field targets we want.

Norman: Yes. Before we commit to metal, what say we remove those nasty aspects in the design? Before it will cost anything more than a bit of calculation & drawing.

Britten: Why?

Norman: Yes. I see what you mean...

[Fris B. Fairing]

I am reliably informed that when a BN2 made an emergency landing in Darwin many years ago, the esteemed local press reported that the pilot was "Briton, Mr Norman Islander".

[Pinky the pilot]

I was flying for Douglas for the last nine months of the company's existance and when it finally went bagarup there were from memory two flying Trislanders, P2-DNN and DNP. DNX was the third, having been in the hangar undergoing some 'rebuild'. Anyway, it never left the hangar in the whole time I was there.
Only ever flew one once, logging 3 hrs ICUS with the Deputy Chief Pilot at the time. BPU, how are ya?

You only live twice. Once when
you're born. Once when
you've looked death in the face.

[Animalclub]

Will always remember a landing in a Trislander at the airport closest to Aitape - for the first time... having to do a slight left turn at high speed!! Changed my underdaks after that one!

[prospector]

Think many of you are being a bit tough on the trislander, not as noisy as the islander, driver further forward out of the plane of the props, the seating and entry/exit doors were very well suited for short haul (15-20 mins) and fast turn around, especially when pax had the system sussed. Aurigny Air had a big fleet of them and made money with them. Originally had to have Auto Feather on the centre engine, this was to difficult to keep serviceable so the requirement was dropped. Had many an interesting moment giving type ratings and pulling the centre engine on T/O, was not easy to pick when first converting to them. One of the more embarrasing features of them was being held on a taxiway with the tail end to windward, a good gust would attempt to turn the
aircraft into the wind, if it was strong enough would end up facing the aircraft behind you.

Prospector

[SmallGlassofPort]

Hey Desert, I think I remember that one...
Late 90's and close to Broken hill? I remember seeing the hole and projectile stopped by seat tracks, the aux in cab fuel tank was only a few inches behind:oh:

[Torres]

And that on three engines totally around the same horse power as one PT6A-34! :\

[swh]

I thought the number of doors on the trilander were to help drain the water out of it.

:ok:

[Desert Flower]

SmallGlassofPort, spot on! Last time I saw it was (I think) in January 1996. It was operated by a company called SaltMap. Looked like Pinocchio. :D And yes, it did have an aux (boot) tank just behind the pilot's seat. If I can ever find the photos of it I will post them.

DF.

[Staggerwing]

Asked a Trilander pilot once how he synchronised the engines. His method was to keep an eye on the rear seat passenger(s). When they took their hands off their ears he reckoned that the props were in sync.

From memory the original mainlander proposal was for a five engined aircraft, to be powered by darts.

[Jamair]

UnionAir (TWB) had (I think) 2 BN2s and a BN3 in the mid 70s; used primarily for commuting to Orchid Beach on Fraser Is. Fond memories of the front pax leg jamming the pitch trim wheel......

Tangalooma Resort on Moreton Is had one (an all-white BN2) for a while in 98-99, based at BN GA.

[Open Wemac]

My old man used to refer to the Trilander as " The box the Islander came in"....

[tinpis]

Cplane thanks for that wasnt it off the end of Annanberg the same as the TAL 402?
I cant remember the year but the 402 was 75.I recall something about the recovery of the Tri and them finding the 402 as well?Kiwi fella diving?

[Cplane]

Hi tinpis,
The Trilander was VH-BSG and it was about to take up a P2 registration. There were 19 POB plus the pilot, nothing wrong with the engines either, just bogged down. "Thrust normal - Acceleration assumed" I remember arriving there shortly after the event, and the aircraft was on the move. From memory it shifted a fair bit during the first night, the river had a fair amount flowing at the time.
Now that you mention it I think the rescue diver was a Kiwi, I do remember that the Van 5 DME was recovered from the wreckage dried out and sprayed and worked Ok!
I have revisted page 175 of Balus III to jog my memory, but doing so it reminds me of just how inaccurate the information about Provincial Air Services has been recorded as well as mentioning names of people that never joined the company as well as some of the some of the claims made by people with regards to their times on types etc.
The then manager was a complete spiv, (Bill Cragg - aircraft salesman from Schutts at Moorabbin Airport - Bill was going to introduce the CASA 212's to PNG. - Bill later died in Africa flying a C337, took a SAM-7 up the clacker) who raped the company by pocketing all the 'cash fares' and encouraged others to do so as well. I could go on for ages, I wrote a detailed report at the time for John Paine, I wish I knew where he was today, as well as Peter Howard who was a director in the early days.
I loved every minute at PAS, I was fortunate enought to be checked out on the Nomad and 'route/strip' trained by the late Alan Mourilyan. My only regret is that there is no way I can corrct the vast number of errors in the all together too brief history of Provincial Air.

[Torres]

Peter Howard is alive and well and living in Toowoomba - check the phone book.

[Desert Flower]

Have uploaded photos of VH-NKW plus a turbine islander which was the chase plane for the Vickers Vimy on its trip out here in late 1994. Here is the link:

http://tinyurl.com/6g2h5

DF.

[Flight Level Zero]

Two airlines in the Channel Islands still use these aircraft on a daily basis, Aurigny has a fleet of 8 Tri-Islanders and RockHopper has two.

Aurigny
BN2A MKIII-2
G-JOEY serial 1016 ex G-BDGG
G-BEVT serial no 1057
G-BDTO serial no 1027 ex G-RBSI
G-RBCI serial no 1035 ex G-BDWV
G-XTOR serial no 359 ex G-BAXD
G-RLON serial no 1008 ex G-ITEX
G-PCAM serial no 1052 ex G-BEPH
G-FTSE serial no 1053 ex G-BEPI

RockHopper
MK2A MKIII-1
G-LCOC serial no 366 ex G-BCCU
MK2A MKIII-2
G-RHOP serial no 1042 ex G-WEAC