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
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
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 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.
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
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.
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.
FutureFlight On The Radar
Lilium Updates Shareholders on Progress in Developing Six-Passenger eVTOL Aircraft
The company has reported technical progress in areas such as electric batteries, as well as growing numbers of provisional sales commitments for the LiliumJet.
FutureFlight
Blade Set To Expand Indian Charter Flight Network with Jaunt's Journey eVTOL Aircraft
The companies have launched a partnership to develop advanced air mobility services in the Indian subcontinent, building on current helicopter operations.
FutureFlight
Helicopter Industry Is Gravitating Towards Advanced Air Mobility
Rotorcraft business leaders told the Helicopter Investor conference that new vertical lift and short-takeoff and landing vehicles could have a positive impact.
FutureFlight
Beta Installs First Electric Aircraft Recharging Station in Southeast U.S.
Working with Georgia Power, the eVTOL aircraft developer has installed three charging units at Augusta Regional Airport.
Aircraft
Helicopter Business Leaders Open the Door to eVTOLs
Speakers at this week's Helicopter Investor conference mainly see advanced air mobility technology as part of their future, but with some caveats.
FutureFlight
Avions Mauboussin Flies Subscale Model of Alérion M1h Light Aircraft
The French start-up is working on plans for two- and six-seat models that could be powered by hybrid-electric or hydrogen propulsion systems.
FutureFlight
Spain Backs Hydrogen Propulsion Plans of Hypersonic Aircraft Developer Destinus
The European start-up is building a facility in Madrid to design air-breathing hydrogen engines and develop liquid hydrogen technology.
FutureFlight
Lyte Aviation Launches High-capacity Hybrid eVTOL SkyBus
The European start-up has unveiled plans for a 40-passenger, tandem tilt-wing design that could also be offered as a freight-carrying variant called the SkyTruck.
FutureFlight
Lockheed Martin Backs Sea Glider Developer Regent with Strategic Investment
The funding is the defense group's latest foray into advanced air mobility following its backing for start-ups including Electra, Elroy Air, H3X, and Hidden Level.
FutureFlight
EHang Targets Domestic eVTOL Aircraft Deliveries as Chinese Type Certification Approaches
Reporting financial results for 2022, the Chinese company said that the lifting of Covid restrictions has removed obstacles to getting its EH216 autonomous vehicle into commercial service.
