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
Lilium Selects Partners For Propulsion Flaps and Lithium Battery Technology
The German eVTOL aircraft developer made three significant supply chain partnership announcements in the space of a week.
FutureFlight
Eviation Says Alice Electric Commuter is Set For Summer Flight Test Lift-off
The start of flight testing for the redesigned Alice aircraft has been delayed for some time, but the company says it will still be ready for the FAA to assess the aircraft in 2024.
FutureFlight
Japanese Parking Lots Could Be Launch Pads for eVTOL Air Taxis
Skyports is expanding its plans to build vertiports through a new alliance with partners in Japan.
FutureFlight
FAA Certification Leader Joins Autonomous Flight Pioneer Xwing
Outgoing FAA executive director for certification Earl Lawrence was responsible for the oversight of all categories of aircraft certification as well as production and airworthiness approvals.
FutureFlight
Helisul Probed the Human Realities of Urban Air Mobility Services
In a series of 180 flights over Rio de Janeiro, Helisul's rotorcraft mapped out possible routes for eVTOL aircraft.
Aircraft
TBM Co-ownership Could Make Private Flying Affordable
Moove is marketing co-owned shares in the TBM 960 single-engine turboprop to small companies that might find it hard to access affordable charter services.
Environment
Experts Teach How To Build Sustainable Business
AIN Media Group hosted a meeting about the steps business aviation companies and their customers can take to achieve carbon neutrality.
Airports
Oxford Grows with New Hangar, Maintenance Space, and Taxiway
The UK airport is expanding facilities to accommodate strong growth in business aviation traffic.
Aircraft
For Now, Bizav Tailwinds Are Stronger Than Headwinds
Business aviation traffic and demand are generally still strong, but rising costs and economic uncertainty are all too visible, said the analysts at WingX.
Aircraft
Bombardier Raises Green Bar with Eco Jet, Declarations
The manufacturer sees a blended wing as the basis for a quantum leap in carbon reduction, and is now auditing the environmental credentials of current jets
Engines
MagniX Steps Up Electric Caravan Plans with New Leader
MagniX has plans to convert several aircraft, including the Grand Caravan and the DHC-2 Beaver to electric propulsion.
Aircraft
Lilium Teams with Honeywell and Denso for eVTOL Motors
A lightweight electric motor will power each of the 30 fan engines on Lilium's seven-passenger eVTOL aircraft, which is expected to enter service in 2025.
Engines
Hydrogen Innovator's Big Propulsion Plans Starts Small
Hydroplane is developing a 200 kW hydrogen fuel cell powerplant it says will be affordable for current small single-engine aircraft.
Aircraft
Textron Enters Electric Aviation Age With Pipistrel Acquisition
Textron's Pipistrel subsidiary could catapult the company into the electric aviation age, with drones, hydrogen propulsion, and eVTOL vehicles in the mix.
FutureFlight
Honeywell and Denso Join Forces to Make Electric Motors For Lilium Jet
Lilium announced the key partnership at the European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition.
Aircraft
Piaggio Ponders Electric and Hydrogen-electric Aircraft
Piaggio has considered new propulsion systems for its P180 Avanti Evo twin turboprop, but has concluded a new airframe is required.
Aircraft
Bombardier Sees Blended-wing Future for Business Jets
Bombardier's research and technology teams have been flight testing a scale-model of a blended wing airframe that could be part of a green Eco Jet design.
Airports
Farnborough Airport Invests in a Green Growth Future
The London-area airport is building a third hangar, while looking ahead to the arrival of new electric aircraft and introducing lower-carbon fuels.
Charter & Fractional
Gozen Digital Aviation to Offer Jeppesen's Operator Software
The aviation services group is acquiring the Operator/OpsMan tools from Jeppesen.
Aircraft
VoltAero Offers Fractional Shares in Hybrid-electric Aircraft
The manufacturer's Cassio family of aircraft will be operated by partners throughout Europe, providing flights for fractional ownership clients.
Aircraft
Farnborough International Airshow Set To Return in July
After the 2020 show was abandoned due to the Covid pandemic, organizers have invested in new features for the event to be held July 18-22.
FutureFlight
VoltAero Offers Fractional Shares in Hybrid-Electric Cassio Aircraft
Some of the "partially refundable" deposits will be applied to the costs of certifying the new aircraft.
FutureFlight
Joby Boosts Software Capabilities by Acquiring Specialist Avionyx
The deal to buy Avionyx follows Joby's recent acquisition of radio frequency technology group Inras.
Aircraft
Surf Air IPO To Fund Hybrid-electric Fleet Conversions
Surf Air Mobility expects to raise $467 million through an IPO, which would fund conversion of its Cessna Grand Caravan fleet to hybrid-electric power.
FutureFlight
Solithor Raises Funding To Develop Solid-State Lithium Batteries for Electric Aviation
The Belgium-based company has been founded by Huw Hampson-Jones, who previously ran lithium-sulfur battery developer Oxis Energy.
FutureFlight
Surf Air To Fund Hybrid-Electric Fleet Conversion Plan Through Initial Public Offering
The company is also set to acquire regional airline Southern Airways and convert its Grand Caravan fleet to hybrid-electric propulsion.
FutureFlight
Microsoft Will Develop Cloud-based Platform for Urban Air Mobility Operations
Volocopter will be the first to use the cloud-based technology it is developing with Microsoft, which has previously invested in the start-up.
FutureFlight
Piaggio Makes Plans for Hydrogen-Electric Business Aircraft
The Italian company is in administration, awaiting possible acquisition by new owners, who would determine whether to invest in a new aircraft.
FutureFlight
Joby Sees No Delay to Approval of eVTOL Aircraft From FAA Rule Changes
Operating losses for the first quarter of 2022 increased as the company has almost doubled its investment in research and development work, but it still holds $1.2 billion in cash and other capital on its balance sheet.
FutureFlight
Ampaire Says Caravan Conversion Represents Fast-track to Viable Electric Aviation
In addition to Textron's Grand Caravan, the company says it could convert models such as the Twin Otter, the SkyMaster, and ATR's regional airliners.
