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
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
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 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
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
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
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 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.
FutureFlight On The Radar
UK Aerospace Industry Told To Speculate To Accumulate In Growing Green Aviation Market
The Aerospace Technology Institute's 2022 technology strategy document argues that now is the time for industry to bet big to develop key products and processes that will drive carbon out of aviation.
Aircraft
Ampaire Seeks New Funding as Surf Air Takeover Scuttled
Hybrid-electric aviation pioneer Ampaire is preparing to launch a Series B funding round after confirming that Surf Air Mobility is no longer acquiring it.
FutureFlight
Safran to Power Diamond's Electric DA40 Light Aircraft
The French aircraft engine manufacturer is increasing its involvement in the burgeoning electric aviation sector by supplying its EngineUs family of motors to multiple aircraft manufacturers.
FutureFlight
United Airlines and Archer Make Plans for eVTOL Maintenance and Operations
A new eVTOL aircraft advisory committee will consist of 10 executives appointed from United Airlines and Archer Aviation.
FutureFlight
Pipistrel Seeking To Fly Electric Velis Trainer Under New FAA Rules
The Slovenian company announced its intention to take its electric-powered trainer into the U.S. market a couple of week's after being acquired by Textron Aviation.
FutureFlight
Lessor LCI Places Deposits for Up to 125 of Beta's Alia 250 eVTOL Aircraft
The agreement could almost double the number of aircraft in LCI's portfolio, which already includes helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft.
FutureFlight
Lilium Says Its Half-way to Achieving EASA Design Organization Approval
The German eVTOL aircraft developer has completed two of the four audits required by the EASA Design Organization Approval process.
Airports
Air-One eVTOL Transportation Hub Makes Debut in UK
Urban-Air Port and eVTOL developer Supernal unveiled in the UK a fully functional example of a “multimodal infrastructure hub” to support eVTOL ops.
FutureFlight
Pyka Raises $37 Million To Produce Autonomous Pelican Crop Sprayer
The company says its autonomous crop-spraying aircraft can operate at one-fifth of the cost of piloted aircraft used in the agricultural sector.
FutureFlight
Ampaire Seeks New Funding for Hybrid-Electric Plans as Surf Air Acquisition Is Dropped
The hybrid-electric propulsion developer is prioritizing the conversion of Cessna Grand Caravan aircraft and expects to have its Eco Caravan approved for service in 2024.
FutureFlight
U.S. Air Force Turns to Reliable Robotics for Guidance on Autonomous Operations
Reliable Robotics will provide recommendations and a plan of action to help the Air Force determine how best to exploit remotely piloted operations technology for its aircraft.
FutureFlight
Air-One Transportation Hub Starts World Demonstration Tour in the UK
The 17,000-sq-ft facility, which has been developed by Urban-Air Port in the UK, will be displayed in cities worldwide to give public stakeholders the chance to envisage how advanced air mobility will work.
FutureFlight
Joby Relaunches Annual Elevate Summit to Gather Aerial Mobility Expertise
The Elevate Summit, which was not held in 2020 and 2021, is returning this October and will be held at the Duggal Greenhouse at the Brooklyn Navy Yard in New York City.
FutureFlight
Archer Co-founder Brett Adcock Quits Co-CEO Role, Leaving Adam Goldstein at the Helm
Brett Adcock will remain on Archer's board of directors and has said he will announce new plans in the next few months.
FutureFlight
EASA Will Validate UK Certification of Vertical Aerospace's VX4 eVTOL Aircraft
The decision should expedite the four-passenger VX4 aircraft's ability to start operating in the UK and the rest of Europe by 2025.
FutureFlight
For Aircraft Engine Giant Safran, Opportunity Knocks on the Door Leading to Electric Aviation
Safran is providing members of its EngineUs family of electric motors for a variety of new electric aircraft that could include a hybrid-electric 19-seat regional airliner and several light general aviation models.
FutureFlight On The Radar
Air One Vertiport in the UK Gives a First Glimpse of Advanced Air Mobility Operations
The Air One facility in Coventry in the UK has been jointly developed by ground infrastructure group Urban-Air Port and eVTOL aircraft developer Supernal.
Aircraft
Electric Aircraft Seek to be Part of Business Aviation's Future
Several companies developing electric and hybrid-electric eVTOL and eSTOL aircraft are exhibiting at the 2022 EBACE show in Geneva.
FutureFlight
Maryland Airport Bids To Become Autonomous Flight Technology and Operations Hub
Salisbury Ocean City Wicomico County Airport on the state's Delmarva peninsular claims several advantages in its plans to expand uncrewed air system activity, including a sparse local population.
FutureFlight
Thales Joins Eve Urban Air Mobility as Key Partner for eVTOL Program
Thales's announcement of its partnership with Eve comes just three weeks before the Embraer subsidiary is due to complete its merger and Wall Street IPO with Zanite Acquisition.
