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
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.
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.
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
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.
Aircraft
ZeroAvia Converting 2nd Do-228 for Hydrogen Testing
ZeroAvia announced today that it has started preparing a second Dornier 228 aircraft to serve as a testbed for the hydrogen-electric propulsion system.
FutureFlight
ZeroAvia Converts Second Dornier 228 for Hydrogen Propulsion Flight Testing
The 19-seat regional airliner could be ready to start flight testing with a combination of its turboprop engines and the company's ZA600 hydrogen-electric powertrain by September 2022.
FutureFlight
Helicopter Operator Joins Plans For eVTOL Air Taxi Services in Los Angeles
Helinet is joining the Urban Movement Labs project, which already involves eVTOL aircraft developers Archer, Volocopter and Supernal.
FutureFlight
Rolls-Royce Exhibit Shows Off the Scale of Aircraft Engine Maker's Electric Ambitions
Rolls-Royce Electrical's exhibit at the Aero Friedrichshafen show in Germany included the Spirit of Innovation electric aircraft, which recently smashed world speed records.
FutureFlight On The Radar
EHang Told It Must Comply with U.S. Accounting Rules for Public Companies
The Chinese eVTOL aircraft developer acknowledges that it needs to meet SEC requirements for transparency in financial reporting to avoid the prospect of being delisted from New York's Nasdaq stock exchange.
FutureFlight
Emergency Medical Flight Operator Backs Manta's eVTOL Aircraft Plans
Avionord is the latest Italian private company to invest in Manta Aircraft, which is also supported by Italian government-backed CDP Venture Capital fund.
FutureFlight
Airbus and Partners Launch Air Mobility Initiative in Southern Germany
The $91 million program is aimed at advancing eVTOL aircraft technology, as well as uncrewed air traffic management and ground infrastructure including vertiports.
FutureFlight
MagniX Teams with Air Tindi and AeroTec for NASA's Electric Powertrain Project
Canadian regional airline Air Tindi will provide one of its Dash 7 twin turboprop aircraft to be converted to an electric propulsion system for NASA-backed flight trials.
FutureFlight
Japanese Regulator Approves Type Certification Basis for SkyDrive's Personal eVTOL Vehicle
The approval followed discussion over type certification requirements conducted through Japan's Public-Private Council for Air Mobility Revolution.
FutureFlight On The Radar
Vertical Reports Business Momentum Building as VX4 eVTOL Prepares for Its First Flight
The UK-based company expects to fly its first full-scale prototype this summer, as customers such as leasing group Avolon advance plans for the launch of commercial air taxi services by 2025.
