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
Hybrid Air Vehicles Plans to Build Airlander Hybrid-Electric Airship in Northern England
The UK company has already conducted some test flights with the large airship at its Bedford facility in southern England.
Aircraft
Limited Edition SR Series Cirrus Marks 9,000th Delivery
Cirrus unveiled a special version of its piston single aircraft with four exterior paintwork options and limited edition cabin interior features.
Aircraft
Czech Startup Seeks Funding for Hybrid-electric VTOL
Zuri aims to raise an initial €15 million to accelerate work on its planned five-seat vehicle, which it says could support regional routes up to 380 nm.
Aircraft
Textron's European Service Centers Mark 10th Anniversary
The Zurich and Düsseldorf facilities acquired from Jet Aviation in 2013 are part of a support network that Textron has expanded in recent years.
FutureFlight
Japanese Engineering Group Taiho Orders SkyDrive's SD-05 eVTOL Aircraft
The memorandum of understanding for the provisional sale was signed a week after SkyDrive started taking orders from private individuals for its two-seat eVTOL vehicle.
Engines
Austrian Partners Start Work on Hydrogen Piston Engine
A partnership between Diamond Aircraft and the Austrian government is developing options to power general aviation aircraft with liquid hydrogen.
Avionics
Skyryse Promises Affordable Automated IFR for General Aviation
The FAA recently determined that the FlightOS systems meets its means-of-compliance requirements, clearing a path to retrofit existing aircraft cockpits.
Airlines
Sustainable Aviation Group Demands More Government Support
At the Sustainable Skies event in the UK, industry leaders called for more investment and urgent action to meet the net zero carbon goal by 2050.
FutureFlight
Regent Unveils Full-scale Mock-up of Viceroy 12-Passenger Sea Glider
The start-up also announced that it has selected EP Systems and MagicAll to supply the batteries and electric motors for the sea glider.
FutureFlight
Skyryse Accelerates Plans To Enable Automated IFR Operations for General Aviation
The company has moved into expanded headquarters in El Segundo, California, and is recruiting more engineers to bring its FlightOS system to market.
Aircraft
SkyDrive Signs First Preorder for Private-use eVTOL
SkyDrive opened the order book to private individual customers for its SD-05 two-seat eVTOL, and Drone Fund director Kotaro Chiba was the first to order.
Charter & Fractional
SETOps Event To Probe Market Opportunities in Europe
Experts explain how Europe could more fully exploit EASA rules allowing single-engine turbine aircraft to fly commercially at night and in IMC conditions.
FutureFlight
SkyDrive Signs First Private-use Preorder for SD-05 eVTOL Aircraft
Venture capitalist Kotaro Chiba was the company's first investor and expects to pilot the two-seat vehicle himself for personal transportation.
FutureFlight
Dutch Start-up Maeve Unveils Plans For All-Electric Regional Airliner
The company is starting conceptual design work for an initial 44-passenger aircraft with a projected range of 460 km (250 nmi) that it says could reopen abandoned short-haul air services.
Aircraft
Dutch Start-up Maeve Unveils All-Electric Regional Airliner
The company claims battery technology will be sufficient to carry 44 passengers over 250 nm by 2029, with range and payload to increase in the future.
FutureFlight
LCI Expects Advanced Air Mobility To Drive Change in Aircraft Leasing Market
Japan's Sumitomo Mitsui Finance and Leasing Company now has a 35 percent stake in LCI, which plans to diversify its portfolio to include new eVTOL aircraft.
FutureFlight
FAST Teams with EvFly To Develop Flight Training Equipment for eVTOL Aircraft Pilots
The development of training equipment hinges on pending decisions from air safety agencies regarding their requirements for flight crew operating the new, as-yet-uncertified aircraft.
FutureFlight
Liebherr to Develop Air Supply System For Airbus's Planned Hydrogen-powered Airliners
The fuel cells forming part of the planned ZeroE hydrogen propulsion system will need a purpose-built air supply system.
FutureFlight
Volocopter Opens eVTOL Aircraft Manufacturing Facility in Germany
The large hangar at the company's airfield base in Bruchsal will be used to manufacture carbon fiber parts and electric propulsion units, as well as for final assembly of its family of eVTOL vehicles.
FutureFlight
H2Fly Tests Liquid Hydrogen Refueling Process for HY4 Technology Demonstrator Aircraft
Working with industrial gas supplier Air Liquide, H2Fly is preparing for flight tests this summer aimed at doubling the range of an aircraft fitted with its fuel cell-based powertrain.
FutureFlight
South Korean eVTOL Developer Plana Expands Operations to the U.S.
The start-up has opened California offices in San Jose and Irvine to more readily connect with U.S. partners and also to advance its plans to achieve FAA type certification in 2028.
FutureFlight
Revolution.Aero Event Promises Reality Check on Advanced Air Mobility
Organizers of the biannual conference will stage their European edition in Dublin on April 25-26.
FutureFlight
Limosa Enlists BAC Aerospace To Step Up Canadian Certification Process for LimoConnect eVTOL Aircraft
The Montreal-based start-up, which is developing a design for a piloted vehicle that could carry seven passengers up to 150 miles, is looking to select an electric propulsion system supplier.
FutureFlight
Folding-wing Landing Gear Are the Secret Sauce for CargoTron's Business-to-Business Drone Freighters
The Turkish-UK start-up is trying to raise $50 million to support plans to bring the remotely piloted PD250 hybrid-electric vehicle into production.
FutureFlight
Dufour Selects Suter as Engine Supplier for Hybrid-Electric Aero 2 VTOL Aircraft
Suter Industries is providing its TOA288 engine as part of the hybri-electric propulsion system for Dufour's Aero 2 autonomous drone.
FutureFlight On The Radar
Members of Congress and Industry Leaders Voice Concern about FAA's Stewardship of Advanced Air Mobility
The U.S. House of Representatives' consideration of the 2023 FAA Reauthorization Bill has prompted pointed discussion of whether the country's air safety regulator is fit to certify and regulate new types of aircraft.
FutureFlight
BAE To Develop Battery System for Heart's ES-30 Hybrid-electric Regional Airliner
The Controls and Avionics Solutions division of the UK-based aerospace group produces electrical systems for multiple industrial vehicles.
FutureFlight
UK Regulator Issues First eVTOL Design Organization Approval to Vertical Aerospace
The country's Civil Aviation Authority has also confirmed that it will adopt the Special Condition VTOL means of compliance developed by the European Aviation Safety Agency.
Regulations and Government
Hearing Urges U.S. Government To Unlock AAM
The House aviation subcommittee addressed the challenges faced in bringing new aircraft into service in the context of the 2023 FAA Reauthorization Bill.
FutureFlight
Nordic Countries Take the Lead with Green Aviation Infrastructure Projects in Finland and Sweden
ZeroAvia's latest efforts to ensure hydrogen-powered airliners can operate are focused on Skellefteå Airport in northeast Sweden, while electric aircraft developer Heart has a new partnership in the Baltic Sea Åland islands.
