UK aircraft manufacturer Britten-Norman and US flight control systems developer Genesys Aerosystems are collaborating to certify the latest S-TEC 3100 autopilot system on Britten-Norman's range of Islander aircraft. The modification will be available as standard on all new aircraft as well as retrofit.

Britten-Norman's chief executive William Hynett says: “Our technical capabilities team keeps the Islander's aircraft systems under constant review, looking for affordable technology that will compliment the Islander and enhance customer experience. While we are firmly focussed on the development of our next generation of zero-carbon aircraft, we feel that it is equally essential that we provide focussed support to our highly valued, long standing customers. Introducing affordable upgrades to the retrofit market is a key part of that strategy.”

“We chose the S-TEC 3100 because it offers our customers a next generation autopilot capability that enhances safety and which is simple to fit to the aircraft," adds technical director Mark Shipp. "The S-TEC 3100 is a three-axis autopilot with full integration to the aircrafts avionics suite.”

Jamie Luster, director of sales and marketing for Genesys Aerosystems, says: “We look forward to improving and upgrading the in-flight experience of Britten-Norman operators after upgrading to the S-TEC 3100 digital flight control system.”

The S-TEC 3100 autopilot solution has proven to be a success in the general aviation sector due to its easy integration and affordability. The digital flight control system is an attitude-based autopilot that gives pilots a list of workload-reducing and safety-enhancing capabilities that were previously unavailable on aftermarket autopilots.

When upgrading from an existing S-TEC autopilot operators may be able to save costs by reusing existing installed servos and other installation kit items, thereby requiring less installation labour time. This makes the S-TEC 3100 upgrade more economical compared to a new installation from other systems.

Genesys Aerosystems and Britten-Norman will work together on testing and installing the S-TEC 3100 at Britten-Norman's MRO facility at Solent airport, Daedalus, in December of this year. The modification for the Islander is due to be released in Spring 2023. Advanced orders can be placed through Britten-Norman's customer care team.