The Philippine Navy Islander (NV 314) took flight in the ongoing Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Joint Exercise (AJEX) “DAGIT-PA” 2022 in Palawan, making it the oldest aircraft to participate in the AFP-wide drills.

The Islander was flown by no less than Western Command (WESCOM) commander Vice Adm. Alberto Carlos, who has the codename “Gray Eagle.”
Carlos, a rated pilot of the Naval Air Wing and the most senior pilot-in-command in this year’s AJEX DAGIT-PA, took off from Antonio Bautista Air Base to simulate a joint air, sea, and land operation while conducting security patrols over Palawan.
“The Philippine Navy Islander may be the oldest aircraft participating in the exercise, and now being flown by the oldest pilot, but still strong and capable to accomplish the mission,” Carlos said over the weekend.
According to Carlos, the fleet of the vintage PNI aircraft have not been retired despite its old age as it continues to complement other aircraft of the AFP that are being used by the WESCOM in its maritime domain awareness activities.
The Britten-Norman Islander aircraft is a British light utility aircraft designed and manufactured in the United Kingdom in the 1960s. The PN acquire its first unit of Islander in the early 1980s.
Currently, the PN operates six Islander aircraft for patrol and other security missions.
“The PNI aircraft remains to be a dependable asset we use for our maritime patrols and other security missions, especially in the West Philippine Sea,” Carlos said.
The AFP is conducting a unilateral exercise which was participated by 1,500 troops from the Philippine Army, Philippine Navy, and Philippine Air Force to enhance their interoperability during land, sea, and aerial missions. The AJEX DAGIT-PA will conclude on Nov. 18