24 January 2023
Nuncats, the Old Buckenham based electric aircraft project, has carried out the first flight of its ‘Electric Sky Jeep’ based on a Zenith CH750 kit aircraft.
The electric two-seater has been under construction for the past three years but had its first test flight last week under the CAA’s E Conditions system for prototype aircraft.
The aircraft was flown by Captain Tim Kingsley, a pilot at Norwich-based air charter company SaxonAir, which is backing the project.
Tim Kingsley said afterwards, “I’m very happy with how today went. It was cold out there, there was a bit of crosswind, but everything went really well.
“I’m delighted to be involved in this project and although it is still at its very early stages the vision is a really exciting one. There’s nothing like this anywhere else in the world.”
Nuncats’s vision with the Electric Sky Jeep is to provide cheap and sustainable transport to deliver doctors, teachers and medical supplies to remote communities across the world.
It’s the brainchild of Shipdham-based husband and wife Tim and Helen Bridge, who founded the Community Interest Company (CIC) in 2019 and began the work during the Covid lockdowns. It has since partnered with Zenith Aircraft Company in the US and several start-up investors.
Tim and Helen Bridge of Nuncats which is based in one of Old Buckenham Airfield’s historic hangars. Photos: Nuncats
Tim Bridge said, “Nobody else is building electric aircraft in this way. Our aim is to provide a low-cost, rugged and practical aircraft for use in rural and hard to reach communities, such as medics in Uganda and doctors in rural India.
“We knew it would work but it’s great to actually see it in action. Now we have done that our next stage is to find the money to complete the second plane and replicate this so we can get them out into the field for testing.
“As soon as funding allows, we hope to move towards getting this into communities where it can make a real difference. There are currently a billion people in the world with no access to healthcare, 5000 people will die because of that just today. This can be a genuine life-saver.”
Last year Nuncats teamed-up with SaxonAir, the International Aviation Academy Norwich, Action Community Enterprises (ACE), East Coast College and Vattenfall to give young people aged 16 to 25 the opportunity to start building one of the aircraft at a free aviation summer school.
Nuncats is still looking for backers and sponsors to help fund the project. The Electric Sky Jeep can also be purchased in a kit as a greener option for sports flyers.
