Charles Alcock
Managing Editor
Charles Alcock is a senior editor with AIN, having rejoined the company in 2019. He has been an aviation journalist since 1986, and previously worked for AIN from 1990 to 2017, most recently as editor-in-chief. His main focus is on covering new aviation technology and business models, as well as international news.
Having been raised in the London area, Alcock studied at Manchester University in the northwest of England and earned an honors degree in Politics and Modern History. He speaks English and French, and some German.
Latest from Charles Alcock
FutureFlight
New Beta App Gives Access to Growing Network of Electric Vehicle Charging Stations
The eVTOL aircraft developer is developing the recharging infrastructure needed to make electric vehicles viable and will make facilities available to operators of multiple vehicle types via a mobile app.
FutureFlight
PAL-V International Opens UK Sales Operation for Its Liberty Flying Car
The convertible road/air vehicle will be on display at Oxford Airport from September 20 to 22, and PAL-V's new facility in the UK will offer a simulator for new users to try out the flying car.
Aircraft
Mourning Royals Fly Private As UK Prepares For Queen's Funeral
The UK government is asking foreign leaders to take commercial flights to Queen Elizabeth's funeral, with London's Heathrow Airport closed to private jets.
FutureFlight
Volant Aerotech Rolls Out VE25 eVTOL Technology Demonstrator
The Chinese company rolled out the first full-scale example of the lift-and-cruise design on September 2, at an airfield in Yixin, a city near Shanghai.
Aircraft
Europe's AllianceJet Expands Managed Fleet with Challenger
Malta-based AllianceJet is growing its managed fleet to maintain the highly personalized service it says makes the difference for private owners.
FutureFlight
Kaman Prepares To Start Flight Testing of Kargo UAV Autonomous Logistics Platform
The specialist helicopter manufacturer believes it can save lives and costs by replacing crewed helicopters with its new 500-pound autonomous vehicle for military resupply missions.
FutureFlight
Regent Says Approval in Principle Marks Key Step to Certification of Electric Sea Glider
The U.S start-up has been supported by Bureau Veritas Marine & Offshore as it steps up the certification process for its family of sea gliders. It now expects to engage with the U.S. Coast Guard on the next stage in the process.
FutureFlight
Victoria Seeks Advanced Air Mobility Leadership Role in Australia
The Australian state's government has issued an advanced air mobility policy document to support the development of advanced air mobility and Melbourne could get the country's first vertiport for eVTOL aircraft flights.
FutureFlight
EvFly Shops for eVTOL and eCTOL Aircraft To Support Asian Air Mobility Service
The new Singapore-based operator expects to start air taxi services in Thailand and has wider plans to build a flight network across Southeast Asia, as well as in the Middle East and Africa.
FutureFlight
GKN and Partners Step Up Liquid Hydrogen Fuel System Tests for Aircraft
Filton Systems Engineering and Fabrum have developed test equipment to help GKN Aerospace advance technology to fuel aircraft propulsion systems with liquid hydrogen.
FutureFlight On The Radar
ASTM International Publishes First Standards for Vertiport Design
The U.S.-based industry standards group has taken five years to develop specific guidance about how to design vertiports and vertistops for new VTOL aircraft.
FutureFlight
U.S. Air Force's HSVTOL Challenge Propels Jetoptera Fluidic Propulsion Technology
The start-up believes it can deliver a quantum leap in performance with technology using a small flow of compressed air from a turbo-compressor to suck in a much greater volume of ambient air, creating a vortex that significantly amplifies the airflow.
FutureFlight
XTI Reboots Plans for TriFan VTOL Aircraft Family with Off-the Shelf Propulsion
The TriFan 600 is now expected to take until 2027 to enter commercial service, carrying between four and six passengers in various business and airline applications.
FutureFlight
Xwing Says Cargo Operations Are the Fast-track to Autonomous Commercial Flights, But Passenger Acceptance Is a Long Way Off
The company has acquired three cargo delivery operators as it seeks to demonstrate that its technology can support flights without a pilot on board that could make services far more cost-efficient.
FutureFlight
EHang Reports Progress on EH216 eVTOL Certification and Income from Preorders
New customers for the two-passenger, autonomous eVTOL aircraft include China's Tianxingjian Cultural Tourism Investment and Development and Prestige Aviation in Indonesia.
FutureFlight On The Radar
Future of Air Mobility Accelerator Program Aims to Support SME Innovators
The UK's Connected Places Catapult is looking to involve up to 12 small- and medium-sized enterprises in the 2022 Future of Air Mobility Accelerator program, whose backers include Supernal, GKN, Heathrow Airport, and the UK CAA.
FutureFlight
American Airlines Places Deposit On Supersonic Airliner Order
The planned Overture supersonic airliner is expected to carry between 65 and 85 passengers on flights of up to 4,250 nm and at speeds of up to Mach 1.7.
FutureFlight
Air Mobility Airo Group Prepares for Initial Public Offering
Airo subsidiary Jaunt recently signaled its intention to set up a second production line for its Journey four-passenger eVTOL air taxi in India.
FutureFlight
Bombardier Probes Blended Wing Design As Basis For Green Private Jets
The company says it is keeping an open mind on what type of new propulsion systems might be used for future low-carbon business jets.
FutureFlight On The Radar
Hydrogen May Well Be the Answer for Green Aviation, But Many Questions Need Addressing
Alton Aviation Consultancy is helping governments and industry to prepare for a future in which aircraft are powered by hydrogen.
FutureFlight
Horizon Breaks Free from Astro To Step Up Work on Cavorite eVTOL Aircraft
Astro Aerospace acquired Horizon in June 2021 but was not able to proceed with a planned Nasdaq market listing.
FutureFlight
NASA Steps Up Urban Air Mobility Automation Trials in Vertiport Lab
The U.S. agency believes that automation is the key to making the new mode of air transportation efficient and profitable.
Rotorcraft
XTI Pushes Back TriFan 600 Service Entry
Colorado-based XTI has slipped the entry-into-service schedule for its under development TriFan600 into 2027.
Airlines
IATA Sees Airline Passenger Traffic Bouncing Back Strong
June 2022 showed strong recovery in international revenue passenger kilometers, even though staff shortage disruption has hit markets such as the UK.
Aircraft
American Airlines Plans Hydrogen-powered Regional Fleet
American Airlines is investing in hydrogen pioneer ZeroAvia and may buy up to 100 of its hydrogen-electric propulsion systems to convert regional jets.
FutureFlight
American Airlines Commits to Hydrogen-powered Regional Fleet with ZeroAvia Investment
ZeroAvia aims to bring a hydrogen-powered 19-seat airliner into commercial service by 2024, with larger aircraft, carrying up to 80 passengers, set to use its powertrains by 2026.
FutureFlight
XTI Pushes Back TriFan 600 Service Entry with Xeriant Merger Still Pending
XTI now claims to have "qualified preorders" valued at $3 billion for its turbine-powered TriFan 600 VTOL aircraft, for which it recently completed an FAA preliminary design review.
VW Becomes Latest Carmaker To Enter AAM Market
Volkswagen’s Chinese subsidiary unveiled an early prototype of a four-passenger eVTOL.
FutureFlight
Skyports Closes $26.3 Million Series B Round with Backing from Singapore's ST Engineering
The company is prioritizing Asia-Pacific countries for its plans to develop advanced air mobility services and infrastructure, including vertiports.
