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.

Charles Alcock

Latest from Charles Alcock

Aircraft

Spirit To Build Composite Fuselage for Honda's New Light Jet

Spirit is adding to its aerostructures portfolio, which already includes Bombardier's business jets and various Airbus and Boeing airliners.
Honda Aircraft is developing the new HondaJet 2600 light business aircraft.
Finance, Taxes, Insurance

UK Pavilion Features Strong Showing From Tech Start-ups

As it wrestles with a challenging economic environment, the UK's aerospace and defense companies have flocked to the 2023 Paris Air Show in large numbers.
The U.K. pavilion at Paris Air Show 2023
FutureFlight

eVTOL Aircraft Make the Case For Advanced Air Mobility At the Paris Air Show

Volocopter's 2X eVTOL technology demonstrator opened the daily flying display, demonstrating the low noise levels it is hoped will make the new aircraft acceptable in cities.
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Aircraft

Deutsche Aircraft Confirms Supply Chain Plan for D328eco

Thyssenkrupp Aerospace will manage the ordering and distribution of parts for the D328eco regional airliner being developed by Deutsche Aircraft.
eco version of legacy Dornier 328
Aircraft

GKN Spends Big to Chase NetZero Technology Leadership Role

UK aerospace group GKM wants to be a key enabler of the aviation industry's commitment to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
GKN's automated fiber-placement machine.
Avionics

High-voltage Electric Aircraft Need Improved Connectors

TE Connectivity is displaying a wide array of high-voltage connectors for new eVTOL aircraft.
TE Connectivity is displaying high-voltage connectors for eVTOL aircraft.
Aircraft

CFM Could Spool Up Rise Engine Tech Demonstrator By 2025

The alliance between Safran and GE is ordering hardware to keep up the development pace with the open-fan engine that could power new narrowbody aircraft.
CFM tests high pressure turbine blades for its Rise open fan engine.
Finance, Taxes, Insurance

GIFAS Picks Armée de l'Air et de l'Espace General As New Leader

Former fighter pilot Frédéric Parisot will become managing director of French aerospace and defense industry group on August 1.
Frédéric Parisot, GIFAS
Aircraft

Pipistrel Names Absolute Aviation as African Distributor

Pipistrel expands its presence in Africa with the appointment of Absolute Aviation as a distributer.
Absolute Aviation hangar at Lanseria International Airport in South Africa.
FutureFlight

Vertiport Developer Calls for Advanced Air Mobility Investors To See Beyond Short-term Returns

SkyScape is planning for networks of vertiports across the Asia-Pacific region, starting in Japan and South Korea.
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Aircraft

Norway's Elfly Launches Noemi All-electric Seaplane

Norwegian start-up Elfly says its all-electric seaplane can meet the country's impending ban on fossil fuel domestic flights.
Elfly's Noemi electric aircraft
Aircraft

Clean Aviation Projects Point to a Hydrogen Regional Airliner

Companies including Honeywell, Textron-subsidiary Pipistrel, Collins and Safran have taken lead roles in multiple European Union-backed developments.
H2Fly's HY4 technology demonstrator.
Aircraft

Tecnam and Rolls-Royce Scrap P-Volt Electric Aircraft

Current battery technology is not cost-effective for commercial flight operations due to useful life limits, according to Tecnam and Rolls-Royce.
Tecnam P-Volt electric aircraft
FutureFlight

Tecnam and Rolls-Royce Drop Plans for All-electric P-Volt Commuter Aircraft

Rolls-Royce says it will now prioritize work on a new hybrid-electric propulsion system for regional airliners, while still supplying the electric propulsion system for Vertical Aerospace's VX4 eVTOL vehicle.
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FutureFlight

FutureFlight Weekly News Roundup

A weekly roundup of significant milestones and achievements from companies and organizations working to transform aviation with new types of aircraft, propulsion systems, flight controls, and business models.
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FutureFlight

Conscious Aerospace Steps Up Work on Liquid Hydrogen Propulsion for Regional Airliners

The Dutch start-up is working with De Havilland Aircraft of Canada to convert a Dash 8 Series 300 aircraft to use its Hydrogen Aircraft Powertrain and Storage System.
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FutureFlight On The Radar

FAA Seeks Comments On eVTOL Pilot Training Requirements

The U.S. air safety regulator has issued proposals covering training requirements for pilots of new powered-lift aircraft.
FutureFlight

United Airlines and Eve Plan eVTOL Air Taxi Services in San Francisco

Eve expects its four-passenger eVTOL aircraft to be certified and ready to enter service in 2026.
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Aircraft

Electra Unveils Blown-lift eSTOL Technology Demonstrator

Electra is preparing to start flight testing a technology demonstrator for its nine-passenger, hybrid-electric, ultra-short-takeoff-and landing aircraft.
Electra employees in hangar with its eSTOL technology demonstrator aircraft.
Aircraft

Piaggio Receivership Commissioners Extend Sale Deadline

Prospective buyers for aircraft manufacturer Piaggio now have an extra week to submit expressions of interest, with the deadline extended to June 19.
Piaggio P180 Avanti Evo aircraft taxiing on airport ramp
Environment

New Hall Three Delivers More Space and Less Waste

Paris Air Show organizers have built a large Hall 3 structure, while also significantly reducing the environmental footprint of the building.
The new Hall 3 at the Paris Air Show.
FutureFlight

Norway's Elfly Unveils Prototype for Noemi All-electric Seaplane

Scandinavian countries could be early adopters of electric aircraft as their governments prepare to ban fossil fuel for domestic flights.
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FutureFlight

NASA Designates Boeing's Transonic Truss-braced Wing Concept As An X-Plane

Work to prove technologies that could reduce carbon emissions from airliner flights are being stepped up under the White House’s U.S. Aviation Climate Action Plan.
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FutureFlight

FAA Consults Over Long-Awaited Plans to Certify Leonardo's AW609 Tiltrotor Aircraft

The U.S. air safety regulators approach to certifying the Italian manufacturer's tiltrotor appears to be closely aligned for long-awaited type certification plans for new eVTOL aircraft.
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FutureFlight

Electra Rolls Out eSTOL Technology Demonstrator Aircraft Ahead of Flight Testing

During an event at Virginia Regional Airport in Manassas, the company explained how it intends to bring a nine-passenger, hybrid-electric eSTOL aircraft into commercial service in 2028.
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FutureFlight

French Government Backs VoltAero's Hybrid-Electric Cassio Aircraft with €5.6 Million Grant

VoltAero, which is preparing to exhibit at the Paris Air Show later this month, is increasing its capital base through a Series B funding round that is supported by Kawasaki Motors.
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FutureFlight

FAA Prepares To Publish Proposals for eVTOL Pilot-training Requirements

The U.S. air safety agency will release its plans in the Federal Register on June 14 and then allow 60 days to receive industry feedback.
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FutureFlight

Some Experts Say Best Use of Hydrogen Is Making Sustainable Aviation Fuels

Hydrogen is viewed by some as the fuel of the future for the air transport industry, but is it better used as a means for maker other synthetic eFuels?
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Regulations and Government

FAA Set to Publish eVTOL Pilot Training Requirements

The advanced air mobility sector needs a path to recruiting and training large numbers of pilots to fly new eVTOL aircraft.
AIN editor in chief Matt Thurber flies Joby's eVTOL aircraft simulator
Environment

German Protesters Damage Citation CJ1+ with Orange Paint

In the latest of a spate of attacks by European environmental protestors, a Cessna Citation was defaced with orange paint at Sylt Airport in Germany.
German protestors sprayed a Citation jet with paint at Sylt Airport.