Sustainable Sky Jeep takes first flight

Prohibition of unnecessary novelty community air transport services (NUNCATS) was founded in 2019 by Tim and Helen Bridge with the goal of providing access to healthcare and education to remote communities around the world. To achieve this, the Old Buckenham-based non-profit organization (a designated Community Interest Company in the UK) hopes one day to provide low-cost, sustainable and zero-emission transport to remote Doctors, teachers and medical supplies to the earth.

This aircraft was developed using the Zenith CH 750 “Cruiser” kit aircraft. The aircraft underwent a three-year electrification conversion, replacing the original combustion engine and fuel tanks with an electric power plant and batteries. The Zenith platform is well suited for the mission because it requires fewer runways to take off and land than many commercial aircraft, and works well on unimproved runways. Aircraft batteries can be charged by ground-based solar arrays.

“No one else is making electric aircraft this way,” said Tim. “Our aim is to provide a low-cost, robust and practical aircraft for use in rural and hard-to-reach communities, such as doctors in Uganda and rural India.”

“I knew it would work,” he continued. The next step is to complete the second plane and find the funding to replicate it so it can be put into the field for testing. ”

The company has partnered with US-based Zenith Aircraft and investors and is actively seeking funding for the project.

The ‘SkyJeep’ maiden voyage was piloted by Tim Kingsley flying for British air charters company. Kingsley said: It was cold outside and there was a bit of a crosswind, but everything went well. ”