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
Airlines
ICAO Report on Ryanair Diversion to Minsk Is Missing Key Facts
It is widely suspected that the Belarus government forcibly diverted flight FR4978 in order to arrest a pair of exile political opponents.
FutureFlight
Japanese Leasing Group Fuyo Invests in Bye's Planned Electric Aircraft
The size of Fuyo's investment in the U.S. company has not been revealed, but the deal will result in the Tokyo-based group holding a stake in Bye Aerospace.
Aircraft
Joby Seeks Nod for Public eVTOL Demos in San Francisco
Joby is in the early stages of planning flights in its eVTOL prototype over San Francisco Bay.
FutureFlight
Joby Seeks Clearance for Public eVTOL Flight Demonstrations in San Francisco
The company has filed paperwork with the Federal Communications Commission requesting clearance to use specific radio frequencies for test flights near the center of San Francisco.
FutureFlight
Zeva Seeks Investment For Wing-body eVTOL
The Zero is intended for a variety of applications, including personal transportation, emergency response, search and rescue, law-enforcement and cargo deliveries.
FutureFlight
Zeva Seeks Investment for Wing-body eVTOL
The Zero is intended for a variety of applications, including personal transportation, emergency response, search and rescue, law enforcement, and cargo deliveries.
FutureFlight
U.S. Army Looks To Enlist Beta's Alia eVTOL with Flight Test Contract
The army is the second branch of the U.S. military to support development work on Beta Technologies' Alia 250 eVTOL aircraft, which is already being assessed by the U.S. Air Force under its Agility Prime program.
FutureFlight
VoltAero Selects Energy Storage System for Hybrid-Electric Cassio Aircraft
France-based VoltAero is developing a family of hybrid-electric aircraft called Cassio that could start entering service in 2023.
FutureFlight
Airbus Sticks to Systematic Approach to eVTOL Market, Avoiding the Start-up Gold Rush
The company aims to fly a prototype of its CityAirbus NextGen eVTOL aircraft by the end of 2023, but says it won't confirm its plans for the advanced air mobility sector until it has resolved all operational and technical issues.
FutureFlight
Sikorsky Teases Possible Advanced Air Mobility Plans In VTOL Technology Talk
The helicopter manufacturer highlighted electric propulsion and automation as priorities for its research and development work on autonomous and optionally piloted flight.
FutureFlight
Charter Booking Platform Flapper Plans To Offer Jaunt Journey eVTOL Aircraft
The companies say they will work together to provide urban air mobility flights across a network of Latin American cities.
FutureFlight
UK's ATI Publishes Outline Plan for Hydrogen-powered 75-seat Airliner
The Aerospace Technology Institution says UK companies must step up their efforts and investments to exploit opportunities to bring new technology to market.
FutureFlight
Lilium Starts Next Phase of eVTOL Flight Testing in Spain
The company has appointed a new chief test pilot and is working on its fifth-generation eVTOL design using the Atlas Flight Test Center in southern Spain.
FutureFlight
JetPack To Train Asian Military Users for JB12 Personal Aerial Vehicle
The California-based company says that this is a breakthrough defense contact for its jet packs, as it steps up work on the Speeder VTOL aircraft.
FutureFlight
Elroy Announces Launch Customers for Autonomous Chaparral VTOL Aircraft
The fully autonomous vehicle is set to be used in a variety of commercial cargo, military, and humanitarian applications, with Elroy now backed by both private and government funding.
Aircraft
Bye eFlyer 800 Backlog Grows to 135
Bye Aerospace, which confirmed launch of the eFlyer 800 last April, has received purchase and option agreements for 135 of the electric-powered aircraft.
Aircraft
Airbus Launches Cargo Airline With Beluga Fleet
The aircraft manufacturer wants to tap growing demand for moving over-sized freight around the world using five of its A300-based BelugaST transporters.
Airlines
IATA Calls For an End to Covid Travel Restrictions
Travel restrictions prompted by the outbreak of Covid's Omicron variant undermined a somewhat encouraging recovery in demand for flights in 2021.
FutureFlight
Leonardo Launches Technology Start-up Accelerator Program
The Italian aerospace, defense, and security group plans to support 30 start-ups over the next three years through its new Business Innovation Factory.
Aircraft
Boeing Invests Another $450 Million in eVTOL JV Wisk Aero
Boeing is investing a further $450 million in its Wisk Aero eVTOL joint venture, signaling its intention to hold a significant stake in the AAM sector.
FutureFlight
Boeing Bets Big on eVTOLs, with $450 Million Funding for Wisk Aero
The aerospace and defense group says it is taking a long-term approach to the advanced air mobility sector, opting to back Wisk's plan for fully autonomous eVTOL air taxi services.
FutureFlight On The Radar
USAF Captain Is First Military Pilot To Take the Controls of Remotely Piloted eVTOL
As part of the U.S. Air Force Afwerx Agility Prime program, Capt Terrence McKenna remotely piloted Kitty Hawk's uncrewed Heaviside vehicle, which is one of several eVTOL aircraft being evaluated for military service.
Airports
Skyports Buys London's Falcon Heliport for eVTOL Ops
Skyports has acquired Falcon Heliport, one of only two public heliports in London, and will develop it as a potential vertiport for eVTOLs.
FutureFlight
Overair Starts Ground Tests with Butterfly eVTOL's Propulsion System
The company is running a full-scale example of the electric aircraft's propulsion system on a truck-based test bed to evaluate its large-scale tilting propellers and other components.
FutureFlight
Neuron and Hedera Step Up Plans To Digitize Airspace Management with Blockchain Data Distribution
The partners are working on ways to safely digitize air traffic management by gathering data from sensors in all aircraft types, and securely storing and distributing it via blockchain-based shared ledgers.
FutureFlight
Japanese Flight Booking Platform To Add EHang's Autonomous eVTOLs to Network
AirX—which offers charter and sightseeing flights in helicopters flown by commercial aircraft operators in Japan—expects to provide eVTOL flights by 2025.
FutureFlight
Skyports Buys London's Falcon Heliport for eVTOL Operations
The advanced air mobility ground infrastructure group will use the facility in the heart of the UK capital to develop operating procedures and technologies for eVTOL vertiports.
FutureFlight On The Radar
Leasing Group Explains Why It's Betting Big on eVTOLs To Transform Air Transport
Avolon has set up a dedicated business unit to focus on what it views as massive opportunities with new eVTOL aircraft, which it plans to lease to major airlines and other air taxi operators.
FutureFlight On The Radar
EASA's New Aviation Safety Plan Covers eVTOL Technology and Operations
The latest edition of EASA's European Plan for Aviation Safety covers the regulator's key strategic objectives over the period 2022-2026, when the first eVTOL aircraft are due to enter service.
FutureFlight
Blainjett Says Its Variable Pitch System Gives eVTOL Developers New Propulsion Options
The Delaware-based start-up's Dynamic Variable Pitch technology is being evaluated for Horizon Aeronautics' Hoverbike and for a drone being developed by Praxis Aerospace Concepts.
