One of the more memorable experiences of my recent trip to Alderney was flying there on the 18-seater, three propeller-engined Trislander. The 18 seats include those of the pilot and co-pilot and we all boarded separately through car-type doors along the fuselage.
There’s no aisle so we sat two abreast, right next to the whirring wing-mounted propellers. The Trislander, manufactured by Britten-Norman, is an elongated version of their Islander aircraft. In order to keep the pitch at the correct angle, a further engine was mounted at the rear, on the tail.
On the way out it was a gloriously sunny day, and the low cruising height (around 5000 feet) ensured we had incredible views.
I was inspired to write a song about it while on the island.
Trislander,
Engines thunder.
Trislander,
We hurtle through the sky.
A thousand metres high.
We wing and wheel and soar
And all I want is more.
Trislander,
The engines splutter.
The wings flutter.
And now we start to fall …
© Moogieman, 2011
And here’s a few pics to give you an idea:
