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
Whisper Aero Raises Funds for Planned Ultra-quiet Electric Propulsion Units
The Tennessee-based start-up has raised $7.5 million from venture capitalists and aims to bring the first of its electric thruster propulsion units to market by 2023.
FutureFlight
Trio of Carriers Commit To Converting Regional Airliners to Hydrogen Power
Icelandair, Air Nostrum, and Ravn Air have signed letters of intent with Universal Hydrogen to convert 21 regional airliners to replace Pratt & Whitney turboprop engines with its hydrogen powertrain.
FutureFlight
GKN Aerospace Launches H2Jet Hydrogen Fuel Cell Project In Sweden
The aircraft systems and components group is leading a two-year research and development program involving multiple Swedish partners to find new ways to generate electrical power for aircraft from hydrogen fuel cells.
Aircraft
Additive Manufacturing Gains Altitude as Technology Matures
More aerospace companies are looking to exploit the design flexibility, cost efficiency, and greater sustainability delivered by additive manufacturing.
FutureFlight
United Airlines Backs Heart's Electric Regional Airliner With Investment and Provisional Order
United Airlines Ventures is making an unspecified investment in Heart Aerospace's plans to develop a 19-seat electric regional airliner and says that United partner operator Mesa Airlines will add some to its fleet.
FutureFlight
Joby Teams with JetBlue and Signature To Establish Electric and Hydrogen Carbon Credits
Joby, the eVTOL aircraft developer, is working with U.S. airline JetBlue and business aviation services group Signature Flight Support to establish a basis for marketing carbon credits associated with flights in electric- and hydrogen-powered aircraft.
FutureFlight
NASA Adds New Partners for Advanced Air Mobility National Campaign Testing
Autonomous flight specialist Reliable Robotics and communications technology group Aura Network Solutions have been added as partners for the first full phase of testing in NASA's National Campaign.
Environment
Joby Teams with JetBlue, Signature on Carbon Credits
Joby Aviation is joining forces with JetBlue and Signature Flight Support to establish carbon credits for flights using green electric and hydrogen.
FutureFlight
Appointment of Agility Prime Founder Roper Boosts Beta's Leadership Team
Former U.S. Air Force Assistant Secretary Will Roper, who launched the Agility Prime program to advance joint military and civil applications for eVTOL aircraft, is joining the board of Beta Technologies.
FutureFlight
VoltAero Choses Final Assembly Site for Cassio Hybrid-Electric Aircraft
VoltAero will build the Cassio aircraft at a new purpose-built factory at Rochefort Airport in the southwest of France, with the support of program partners including Safran, Sonaca, and Aero Composites Saintonge.
Aircraft
Generous State Support Boosts French Supplier amid Covid
JPB Système reinvents itself with the help of the French government.
FutureFlight On The Radar
UK's Future Flight Challenge Publish Advanced Air Mobility Safety Study and Action Plan
The UK government-funded Future Flight Challenge commissioned Egris and the University of Sheffield to provide a detailed analysis of safety factors that need to be addressed for eVTOL aircraft manufacturers and operators.
FutureFlight
Military Approval for Kitty Hawk's Heaviside eVTOL Clears the Way for Agility Prime Contract
Kitty Hawk will now be able to generate revenues from flight trials using its Heaviside eVTOL aircraft for research and development work under the U.S. Air Force's Agility Prime program.
FutureFlight
Urban Aeronautics Switches to Redesigned Hydrogen-powered CityHawk eVTOL Aircraft
The Israeli company plans to produce a new CityHawk technology demonstrator by early 2022 that features a significantly revised fuselage design and a hydrogen-electric propulsion system.
Rotorcraft
CAE, Volocopter Collaborate on eVTOL Pilot Training
Volocopter and aviation training group CAE are partnering to develop, certify, and deploy a pilot training program to support commercial eVTOL ops.
FutureFlight
CAE and Volocopter Launch Collaboration To Train eVTOL Aircraft Pilots
Aviation training group CAE will help eVTOL developer Volocopter prepare a training program to operate its aircraft in commercial services, which are scheduled to start in 2024.
FutureFlight On The Radar
It's Never Too Early To Start Planning To Train eVTOL Aircraft Pilots
Aviation training group CAE is urging eVTOL aircraft manufacturers and operators to urgently develop plans and infrastructure to train eVTOL aircraft flight crew.
Accidents
No Survivors Found from Russian An-26 Crash in Kamchatka
An Antonov An-26 twin turboprop operated by Kamchatka Aviation Enterprise crashed in the sea while on approach to Palana Airport on Russia's Pacific coast.
FutureFlight
Volocopter Secures EASA Production Approval Through Acquisition of Manufacturing Partner
Volocopter will soon hold both EASA production and design organization approvals when it completes the acquisition of DG Flugzeugbau, which has been helping it to build eVTOL prototypes for the past 10 years.
FutureFlight
How EHang's European Ally FACC Helps Extend Its Reach Beyond China
Austria-based aerostructures manufacturer FACC has been a partner for eVTOL developer EHang since the Chinese company's early days, helping it with manufacturing, certification, and advocacy efforts.
FutureFlight
Archer Recruits Chief Test Pilot To Define eVTOL Flight-deck Systems
Former Bell and U.S. Marine Corps test pilot Jeff Greenwood is joining eVTOL aircraft developer Archer, and Dave Dennison is coming aboard as the company's vice president of engineering.
FutureFlight
German Companies Partner To Convert Regional Airliner to Hydrogen Power
Deutsche Aircraft and H2Fly have started a joint project to develop hydrogen fuel cells to convert the Dornier 328 regional airliner to hydrogen propulsion.
FutureFlight
VoltAero's Hybrid-Electric Cassio Embarks of Tour of French Airports
VoltAero wants to show local business leaders, politicians and aviation officials the benefits it says its hybrid-electric Cassio bring to regional air services.
FutureFlight On The Radar
Joby's Wall Street Manifesto Makes the Case for Its Merger with Spac Pack Reinvent
A newly published Investment Memo from Joby Aviation and Reinvent Technology Partners spells out what they see as the value proposition behind their plans to dominate the urban air mobility market.
Aircraft
Redesigned Eviation Alice Set to Fly Later This Year
Eviation Aircraft today unveiled the revised design for its all-electric Alice aircraft and confirmed plans to complete FAA type certification in 2024.
FutureFlight
Volocopter and DB Schenker Prepare Blueprint for eVTOL Cargo Operations
During a proof-of-concept trial at Germany's Stuttgart Messe convention center, Volocopter and logistics group DB Schenker evaluated multiple aspects of ground operations with the VoloDrone eVTOL vehicle.
FutureFlight
AirCar Completes Airport-to-Airport Flight Trial in Slovakia
Flying car innovator Stefan Klein says his AirCar will be suitable for trips of up to around 600 miles, while being able to quickly convert to road use in urban areas.
FutureFlight
SAE and Eurocae Ask Whether Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Standards Are Fit For Aviation Purposes
The international standards organizations have published new guidance on how artificial intelligence and machine learning can be safely and appropriately applied
FutureFlight
Eve Taps Embraer Beacon Platform To Expedite eVTOL Aircraft Maintenance Services
Eve Urban Air Mobility Solutions is to include Embraer's Beacon maintenance coordination in its portfolio of services for eVTOL aircraft operations.
FutureFlight
Eviation Unveils Redesigned Alice Electric Aircraft as First Flight Approaches
Eviation Aircraft has significantly redesigned its 11-seat all-electric Alice, with a new T-shaped tail and its MagniX electric propulsion units relocated.
