Aircraft Type
Pilatus Britten-Norman BN-2A Mk III Trislander “Trislander”
The Pilatus Britten-Norman Trislander is a unique three-engine light transport aircraft designed for short-range regional operations, particularly in challenging island and remote environments with short runways.
IATABNTICAOTRISManufacturerBritten-NormanRange1,609 kmStatusIn Production
Distinctive three-engine configuration that provides exceptional short-takeoff and landing (STOL) capabilities, making it ideal for servicing small, isolated island communities and remote airstrips
The Trislander is essentially an extended version of the classic BN-2 Islander, with an extra engine and lengthened fuselage, allowing it to operate in extremely challenging terrain where other aircraft would struggle
Cabin Environment
How the Pilatus Britten-Norman BN-2A Mk III Trislander affects jetlag recovery
Technical Specifications
Dimensions
11.7 m
Length
16.1 m
Wingspan
4.1 m
Height
Performance
1,609 km
Range
278 km/h
Cruise Speed
3× Lycoming O-540 piston engines
Engines
Britten-Norman Family
Related aircraft variants
How It Compares
vs. de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter
✓Slightly longer range and passenger capacity similar to the Twin Otter
✗Twin Otter has better STOL (Short Take-Off and Landing) capabilities and is more versatile for rugged operations
vs. Cessna 208 Caravan
✓Trislander offers more unique three-engine configuration for redundancy
✗Caravan has better fuel efficiency and lower operational costs
vs. Britten-Norman Islander
✓Trislander provides increased passenger capacity over the standard Islander
✗Original Islander is simpler to maintain and has lower initial purchase cost