Charles Alcock
Managing Editor

Charles Alcock is managing editor of the AIN Media Group, 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 the University of Manchester in the UK and earned an honors degree in Politics and Modern History. He speaks English and French, and some German.

Latest from Charles Alcock

FutureFlight

Starburst Accelerator Raises New Fund to Back Rising Aerospace Talent

Start-up accelerator Starburst Aerospace is preparing to launch its new Blast program in September to incubate new aviation, defense and space start-ups.
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Aircraft

Qatar Grounds More A350 Widebodies Over Fuselage Issues

Qatar Airways is replacing grounded A350s with A330s, while it seeks to resolve what it says is an ongoing quality issue with manufacturer Airbus.
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Aircraft

Boeing 737 Max Heads to China Seeking to End Grounding

Flight testing of a 737 Max is expected to start in China on August 11 with a view to allowing the airliner to resume commercial service in the country.
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FutureFlight

Universal Assembles Hydrogen Aircraft Conversion Team in Washington State

Universal Hydrogen and Plug Power are forging an alliance with electric propulsion unit developer MagniX and aircraft conversion specialist AeroTec based in a new facility in Moses Lake, Washington.
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FutureFlight

Lockheed Martin Backs $40 Million Funding Round For Cargo VTOL Maker Elroy

Elroy has now raised $48 million and expects to have a complete prototype of its Chaparral autonomous cargo VTOL aircraft in flight test operations with the U.S. military during 2022.
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FutureFlight On The Radar

With IPO Pending, Lilium Updates Investors On Path to eVTOL Commercial Services

The company has resumed flight testing with its eVTOL technology demonstrator and has published estimated per passenger pricing the Lilium Jet flight network.
Aircraft

Gol Refreshes Narrowbody Fleet With 737 Max Lease Package

The Brazilian airline is replacing Boeing 737 NGs with the Max in order to cut operating costs and emissions, while also having more fleet flexibility.
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FutureFlight

DHL Signs Up As Launch Customer For All-Electric Alice Freighter

The package delivery group plans to use the Alice eCargo aircraft for feeder services in the U.S. from 2024 as part of its long-term plan to cut carbon dioxide emissions from its operations.
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FutureFlight

With Merger and Wall Street Flotation Close, Joby Opens DC Office

An extraordinary general meeting of shareholders on August 5 is expected to approve Joby's planned merger with special purpose acquisition company Reinvent Technology Partners.
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FutureFlight

Brazilian Airline Azul Plans eVTOL Flight Network with 220 Lilium Jets

Azul has provisionally agreed to buy 220 of Lilium's six-passenger eVTOL aircraft for $1 billion and is working with the manufacturer to launch commercial services from 2025.
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FutureFlight

AeroDelft Students Prepare for Hydrogen Aircraft Flight Testing

During the "Cleaner Skies" event at Valkenburg Airport in the Netherlands, the Delft University of Technology's AeroDelft team gave an update on their plans to develop hydrogen-powered aircraft.
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Aircraft

Brazil's Azul Joins Carriers Planning eVTOL Service

Azul has agreed to buy 220 all-electric Lilium Jets, but it is not the only airline with intentions to operate eVTOL aircraft in commercial service.
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FutureFlight

Samad Completes eStarling Hover Tests, Seeks Further Funding

The company is testing subscale eVTOL and eSTOL versions of its eStarling aircraft, with recent trials having focused on validating the flight control system.
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FutureFlight

Beyond Air Taxi: How eVTOLs Could Be a Lifesaver as Well as a Moneymaker

Every minute that an eVTOL aircraft saves in getting emergency medical support to a patient increases the chance of survival, and this application also demonstrates clear societal benefits for the new mode of transportation.
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FutureFlight On The Radar

UAM and Communications Industry Groups Call for Consultation

Advanced communications technology is a key part of the urban air mobility equation because the new sector will greedily consume data, which is why trade groups are calling for careful planning with service providers and technology experts.

Joby Seeks Part 135 Certificate For eVTOL Air Taxi Service

Joby plans to operate conventional aircraft once it obtains its Part 135 certificate as it works toward certification of its eVTOL.
FutureFlight

Eviation Turns to BendixKing for Alice's Flight Deck Technology

Touchscreen flight displays, along with a synthetic vision system and compact fly-by-wire flight controls are all intended to reduce the workload for the single pilot flying Eviation's Alice electric aircraft.
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FutureFlight

PteroDynamics Boosts Transwing eVTOL Program from New Colorado Base

The Transwing eVTOL design features folding wings that will allow the aircraft to operate from a much smaller ground area than similar-sized vehicles.
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FutureFlight

Luminati Warns eVTOL Aircraft Developers about Battery Fires

The company says that after suffering costly damage from a battery fire, it has developed a solution that guards against this danger and wants to offer it to other electric aircraft companies.
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FutureFlight

Joby Takes First Step To Securing Part 135 Air Carrier Certificate

The company has begun the process to earn the FAA Part 135 air carrier certificate it needs to start eVTOL air taxi services by 2024, along with the required type and production certificates for its five-seat aircraft.
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FutureFlight

Sustainability Group Acquires Assets of Lithium-Sulfur Battery Pioneer Oxis

Johnson Matthey has acquired the assets and intellectual property of UK-based battery developer Oxis Energy and intends to use these as a platform to pursue its ambitions in the green hydrogen sector.
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FutureFlight

Electric Leasing Group Skye Signs for Bye's eFlyer 800s

Skye Aviation has committed to ordering 15 of Bye Aerospace's new nine-seat eFlyer 800 electric fixed-wing aircraft, which is expected to enter service in 2025.
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FutureFlight

Volocopter Makes U.S. Public Debut, With Piloted Flight At Oshkosh Show

The German company's 2X eVTOL prototype flew in front of large crowds at the EAA AirVenture event, and visitors were also able to take a close look at the cabin for the VoloCity air taxi model.
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FutureFlight

Opener's BlackFly Makes Rare Appearance During Oshkosh Show

Hardly anyone has seen the production version of Opener's BlackFly single-seat eVTOL personal aerial vehicle since it first surfaced in 2018.
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FutureFlight

Lilium Selects CustomCells To Provide Silicon-Anode Batteries

The German eVTOL aircraft manufacturer has developed its own batteries, which are expected to have energy density of 330 Wh/kg, and these will be made under license by CustomCells.
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FutureFlight

Australian Advanced Air Mobility Summit Will Bring Industry and Government Together

The Australian Association for Unmanned Systems is organizing the country's first AAM Summit on September 1-2, with speakers from key government agencies anticipated and participation from across the industry.
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FutureFlight

EHang Says Yunfu eVTOL Aircraft Manufacturing Plant Now Operational

EHang is building its two-seat, autonomous EH216 vehicle in a purpose-built factory at Yunfu in China's Guangdong province, where it will host an investors day event on August 18.
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FutureFlight

NASA Backs Electra's Work on eSTOL Blown Lift Technology

Electra is partnered with a team from the University of Southern California to develop new methods for testing blown lift technology for its planned eSTOL aircraft.
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FutureFlight On The Radar

Boeing Confirms Wisk's eVTOLs Are Part of Its Sustainability Plans, and Hydrogen Might Be, Too

Boeing has published a report on how it intends to make aviation more sustainable through multiple investments in new technology.
Avionics

Avidyne Develops AI-based PilotEye with Daedalean

The PilotEye vision system is based on artificial intelligence technology and promises to reduce pilot workload, while also supporting autonomous flight.
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