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
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.
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
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.
FutureFlight
Battery Supplier Amprius To Boost Electric Mobility Ambitions with Equity Flotation
The company is combining its business with special purpose acquisition company Kensington Capital and hopes to raise $430 million with a New York Stock Exchange flotation.
FutureFlight
With Cash Reserves Boosted, Eve Says It's Ready to Accelerate Plans For Advanced Air Mobility Market
The company raised $377 million from an initial public offering on the New York Stock Exchange, with dented trading conditions resulting in less than the anticipated $500 million plus return.
FutureFlight
Archer Poised To Resume Flight Testing of Its Maker eVTOL Technology Demonstrator
The company reported rising operating costs related to increased expenditure to build and certify its four-passenger eVTOL aircraft.
FutureFlight
FAA Denies It Will Overhaul eVTOL Aircraft Certification Rules, But Change in Approach Annoys Industry Groups
A report in The Air Current this week claimed that the FAA is to fundamentally replace the basis on which new eVTOL aircraft will be certified by removing the use of existing Part 23 rules as the regulatory foundation.
Environment
Joby: NASA Test Flights Prove eVTOL's Low Noise Levels
Results from recent NASA-backed flight tests with Joby’s eVTOL prototype demonstrate that its noise would be barely audible from city streets below.
FutureFlight
Joby: NASA Test Flights Prove eVTOL Noise Levels Will Be Acceptable in Cities
The noise testing used 50 omnidirectional microphones deployed in a grid over which the Joby prototype flew repeatedly to represent anticipated operational noise profiles.
FutureFlight
Magicall To Supply Electric Motors for CityAirbus NextGen eVTOL Aircraft
The California-based company is joining other key program partners, including Spirit AeroSystems, Thales, and Diehl.
FutureFlight On The Radar
Eve's Concept of Operations for Rio de Janeiro Offers Urban Air Mobility Blueprint
The concept-of-operations document illustrates the complexity of establishing eVTOL air services across vast metropolitan areas, including those in Eve's home country, Brazil.
FutureFlight
Aeroauto's Florida Showroom To Market the Air One Personal eVTOL Aircraft
Air's engineering team is preparing to start hover testing the vehicle later in 2022, and the company is also working to secure the FAA's G1 type certification basis approval.
FutureFlight
Shell Will Provide Hydrogen Refueling Equipment for Test Flights
The oil and gas company is investing in the design and production of hydrogen refueling equipment, including mobile units and an landside-to-airport pipeline.
