Why the Britten-Norman Islander is big in Germany

One of Britain’s smallest yet most successful airliners, the Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander, is big in Germany, as Andreas Rohde discovers

An OFD Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander landing at Heligoland AIRTEAMIMAGES.COM/
DANISH AVIATION PHOTO (ALL OTHER IMAGES BY ANDREAS ROHDE)

The East Frisian and North Frisian Islands line Germany’s North Sea coast from the country’s border with the Netherlands in the west across to Denmark in the northeast. These two chains of islands are incredibly beautiful, with huge sand dunes and endless beaches, making them popular with tourists year-round. However, the weather and tidal conditions in the Wadden Sea don’t always favour ferry operations. Most of the islands have their own airfields, but runways are short and winds coming off the North Sea can prove challenging.

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