Introduction

In its own way, it’s as utilitarian as a DC-3 and as rugged as aTwin Otter. Like both those venerable aircraft, it’s been operated allaround the world, but unlike those North American classics, thisaircraft is British. What comes to mind? Some of you might bescratching your head right now, but for others, this aircraft needs nointroduction. We’re talking about the Britten-Norman BN-2 Islander…and it’s about to land in MSFS.

I don’t know what it is that appeals to me about the Islander, butit’s one of those aircraft that I’ve liked since I was about 12 yearsold. I remember making the Airfix kit for it in the 1970s, andalthough I painted it in civil colours initially, It somehow ended upin British Army camouflage.

The Islander was designed as a light utility aircraft and regionalairliner in the early 1960s. It made its first flight on June 13,1965, and was initially built at the Britten-Norman factory on theIsle of Wight. Later, it would be built in Romania, and many variantscame from that initial design, including the military Defender, andthe three-engined Trislander. The type, including variants, has beenoperated by more than 85 nations around the world and is still inproduction. If you have a favorite country from which to fly in MSFS,the chances are high that an Islander has been there in real life.

The Islander for MSFS

I was delighted to become a beta tester for the Islander you see inthe header image. I’ve been flying it for about five weeks now, andhave worked very closely with the developer, sometimes texting him atall hours of the day, and right up to midnight! I’ve provided criticalfeedback, suggested liveries, even introduced him to a real-worldIslander pilot with 1600 hours on type, and have watched the aircraftgo from strength to strength as the developer has worked and reworkedthe product with total dedication. And even as I’m preparing thisarticle, a new revision has landed in dropbox! But, it’s now gettingvery close to release, and probably within days of this article goingout, the Islander for MSFS will be available to purchase.

This example does have a long pedigree because the designer hasreleased versions of the aircraft for previous sim platforms. But thatdoes not indicate that this is a mere “copy and paste†job for the newsim. Your new Chevrolet includes items from the parts bucket ofprevious vehicles, and such re-use does not invalidate the appeal oradvances of the new model. Same here. While it may look similar toprevious incarnations, the work under the hood has been enormous. Iknow this because I’ve personally witnessed it, seeing the productchange significantly several times during my own testing. So let’sconfidently give you a preview of coming attractions.

The Islander is shipping with 16 different liveries. It includescivil examples and at least one military variant. There are differentpanel options, and also multiple upholstery choices, with changes infabric, colour, etc. There will be a paint kit, and I suspect that thecommunity will have a field day with it since the aircraft has been souniversally operated.

The best way to show you is… well… to show you. Let’s start withthe interiors. Here’s a selection of images taken on May 3rd. Pleaseremember there may be changes in the release version.

The Panels

At the current late stage of testing, almost all the buttons on thepanel are clickable, although some are INOP due to sim or codinglimitations. Again, this may change in the future, but for now, I cantell you that this is a very immersive cockpit to sit in, and veryenjoyable to fly from.

The Interiors

As you can see, there are some nice variations of upholstery forthe seats and side panels. The military version also removes therearward seats completely, adding a second aircrew position forsurveillance duties. And, by the way, the red tartan is the KERRtartan, the result of a special request to the designer from yourstruly! That one appears in a Canadian livery.

The Liveries

And talking about liveries, feast your eyes on these…

The above liveries represent a very good cross-section of globaloperations over the years. Want to fly in the UK? Grab the Shetlandexample and explore the Scottish islands, or take the Skybus liveryout of Land’s End. Want to fly military ops? Take the Maltese aircraftfor a low-level spin over the Mediterranean and buzz ships (especiallyif you have the free shipping traffic addon that’s availableelsewhere). Need a getaway to the sunshine? The Winair example isgreat for flying from St. Maarten to St. Barths in the Caribbean. Orexplore the Canadian west with AirBC, or hop from Martha’s Vineyard toBoston with Cape Air. You will do a lot of flying with this Islanderbefore you run out of places to explore.

The Flying

So let’s talk about the flying experience. In the time I have beeninvolved with the project, I have seen several big changes in theflight performance, and all for the better. Earlier tests showed it tobe slow, not quite getting to the typical cruise numbers. Then thedeveloper changed it, and the cruise numbers were pretty good. Thismorning, I received a cryptic note on my phone from him telling me ithad somehow “gained rocket-assist takeoff†and he was investigatingit!

This tells you the model is not only fluid as I write this, butalso that the developer is continually working away behind the scenes,tweaking, listening to feedback, tweaking again, and getting closerand closer all the time before release. I like that, it inspiresconfidence.

Also worth noting is the feedback I am receiving from the formerIslander pilot. His 1600 hours Pilot-in-command time is proving veryhelpful. In an email from him today, he was indicating it was startingto feel “like an old friend.†It is hard to ask for better thanthat.

And while I have not put it through every test that I could, I amvery happy flying it. I have not tried every aspect of the autopilotyet, but I have hand-flown the heck out of it, amassing a lot of hourson it. Flying the MSFS Islander is predictable, docile, andaddictive. My test flights keep getting longer as a result. It’s likea big Cessna 172 at times, but a lot harder to spin!

Also good is the view from the cockpit. I don’t have VR, but I amusing head tracking. Both with and without tracking, I find visibilityto be good in most operations. You can see the view of the LerwickTingwall runway below as an example. (And I can’t resist adding anexternal shot too).

The Quality

Of course, one of the big questions is going to be regardingquality. So here I want to address my current perspective. In terms ofthe overall build, fit, and finish, I am very happy with thisaircraft. It looks the part and is solidly built. Will everyone agreewith me? I have no way of knowing that, but I like it.

Does it come up to the latest MSFS visual standards? Again, that isnot always easy to answer because what keeps me happy might not keepyou happy. Sure, there are a few textures that could be sharper, butthere are also some that just nail it. And, what looks brilliant forme in 1080 resolution might cause you a second glance in 4k, or itmight not, I don’t know since I am using 1080 as I say.

What about the sounds? Well, I can tell you that the model useslegacy sounds at the moment. This means switches, windows, and doorsdo not click, clunk, or thud. It also means the engine sounds are monoat the moment instead of stereo. Will this be addressed in the future?I am confident (based on knowing the developer and communicating a lotwith him), that as his knowledge increases in this very new MSFS area,the product will see upgraded versions. Meanwhile, I would not holdback from buying it or flying it for any current limitation. Even now,the roar of those engines is music to my ears. Great fun even with thetemporary limitations.

Again, I state this. I am very happy with the quality so far. I amalso very confident that improvements will probably be added to therelease model as time goes on. If I did not believe that, I would notsay it.

The Developer

I have deliberately avoided naming the developer up until now. Thisis not because I want to keep his identity confidential, but becauseof community politics. So let’s address this now. The developer isBlackBox Simulation.

For some members of the flight sim community, the very mention ofthis name elicits a significant emotional reaction. They will bring upstories of unfinished models, or lack of communication from thedeveloper. Unfortunately, at times the vehemence of these claimsreaches evangelistic proportions, and accusations fly with warningsnot to touch the developer with a ten-foot barge pole.

Now, I am not going to judge people for their feelings becausetheir experiences might be different from mine. But what I will say isthat I have read the developer’s responses to the accusations on theMSFS forum, and he is willing to clarify issues with those who feelsuch afront.

But where I respectfully suggest that a line is crossed is whenpeople suggest that customers avoid this developer’s current projectsbecause of past grievances.

Here’s my personal “KerrSpective†on that.

1. To accept that the past equals the future is to negate thepossibility of evolution and improvement. Any alleged mistakes of thepast (in any person’s life), only have lasting influence if no lessonsare learned. We must carefully refrain from assuming that perceivedpast errors will be repeated.
2. It may be counter-productive to suggest that people boycott thedeveloper’s current projects. Think about it. If a person wants a pastproject to be supported, it is wiser to encourage their newer ones,because only by doing so will the revenue be there for the developerto “circle back†to the older ones. If a business dies due to lack ofsupport for new projects, the older projects will never get improvedor be supported!
3. Those who boycott current projects are not going to witness thecurrent methodologies of the developer because they are notexperiencing them. It’s like judging a 2021 car because a 1980’s carfrom the same manufacturer disappointed you.
4. While some people passionately complain about past products, manyothers are enjoying the newer products. The Bird Dog is a greatexample. Yes, it started out as being a little weak upon its MSFSlaunch, and some criticism was well justified. BUT it has grown into afine product through constant improvement and dedication on the partof the developer, and many people are having a total blast with it,myself included.
5. In the end, every developer gains ground or loses it based on aproduct-by-product experience. At this time the developer is spendinga lot of time evolving his business to support the platform that isthe future of the industry. To do otherwise would be commercialfolly. Let us, therefore, allow him to evolve and grow into the newsim, and judge his MSFS progress based on his MSFS products as theyare released.

Once again, I understand that some members of the community havebeen upset in the past. However, in my eyes, the developer is reallyworking hard to ensure the sustainability of his business. And I forone am willing to encourage his efforts. As one who knows how hardthis industry can be, I want him to survive and serve us withinteresting products for years to come. Encouragement will dothat. Criticism and vitriol won’t.

In closing, I recommend the Islander for MSFS (and the Bird Dog forMSFS) as a worthy purchase. It will be available soon at thedeveloper’s website, and eventually on the in-sim marketplace.

Kenneth J Kerr